Pierce's Disease
Research Updates

piercesdisease.cdfa.ca.gov

What is Pierce's Disease?

Pierce's Disease is a bacterial infection, which is spread by bugs that feed on grapevines, particularly the "glassy winged sharpshooter." Grapevines that become infected with PD can quickly become sick and die.

glassy-winged sharpshooter

Detection of DNA polymorphisms in glassy-winged sharpshooters (Homalodisca coagulata) by PCR-based DNA fingerprinting methods


  • Author(s): de Le?n, Jesse;
  • Abstract: The glassy-winged sharpshooter Homalodisca coagulata (Say) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), is a xylem feeding leafhopper that is a serious pest because it vectors a strain of Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium that causes Pierces Disease of grapevines (Turner and Pollard, 1959; Nielsen, 1968). DNA markers have proved to be valuable tools for population genetic studies. DNA fingerprinting methods that do not require prior knowledge of genome sequences include ISSR-PCR (Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat-Polymerase Chain Reaction), RAMP (Randomly Amplified Microsatellite Polymorphisms), SAMPL (Selective Amplification of Microsatellite Polymorphic Loci) and RAPD (Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA). RAPDs produce dominant markers, whereas ISSR-PCR, RAMP, and SAMPL incorporate Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) and are capable of identifying co-dominant markers if utilizing 5-anchored or compound ISSR primers (reviewed in Karp and Edwards, 1997), but without known family relationships (segregation/backcrosses) these markers are scored as dominant.
  • Publication Date: Aug 2002
  • Journal: 2002 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium