Recommendations from Euphresco projects
Role of weed hosts as pathogen reservoirs of insect vectored diseases
‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ is a phloem-limited phytopathogenic bacterium vectored by psyllids. ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ has caused major damage in Solanaceous and Apiaceous crops worldwide. The Euphresco project aimed to:
a) improve the understanding of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ diversity and presence in weed hosts including findings of the bacterium in previously unreported non-crop host plants,
b) improve the understanding of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ diversity, including the characterization of new bacterial haplotypes, and their presence in psyllids,
c) identify ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ within non-psyllid plant-sucking insects, including the characterization of new bacterial haplotypes,
d) assess the potential for using DNA barcoding to identify food plants of psyllids and other plant-sucking insects.
The project results showed that ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ is widespread and associated with a range of natural host plants and psyllid species. New psyllids and host plants were found and genetic types of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ that are new to science were identified.
The impact of these new psyllid species on cultivated crops is unknown and further research should include studies on the feeding behaviour and potential transmission of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ by psyllids to important crop species. Newly discovered ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ haplotypes and psyllid vectors should be considered by policy makers and should be addressed in regulation once their impact on important host plants and ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ epidemiology is understood.
Duration of the project: 2018-10-01 to 2020-09-30.
Authors: Kenyon, David; Back, Emma; Sumner-Kalkun, Jason; Highet, Fiona; Lethmayer, Christa; Gottsberger, Richard; Beniusis, Arunas; Pupeliene, Silvija.
Link: https://zenodo.org/record/5846219#.YecAz3qZOUm
Sources
Euphresco (2022-01).