EFFECTS OF SUB-LETHAL DOSES OF IMIDACLOPRID ON VECTOR TRANSMISSION OF XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA

• Author(s): Purcell, Alexander; Okano, Keiko;
• Abstract: Two agents, soil-applied imidacloprid (Admire 2F) and particle film (Surround(TM) WP) foliar sprays were applied to grape seedlings to test their effect on vector insects (glassy-winged sharpshooter, GWSS, and blue-green sharpshooter, BGSS) host preference, under caged laboratory conditions. Imidacloprid at sub-lethal dosages that inhibit feeding performance did not show any repellency effect against either of the insects, but GWSS on the imidacloprid-treated plants moved more frequently. In contrast, the particle film strongly repelled BGSS (GWSS not tested yet), but the insects seldom changed location once they landed and settled on a plant with or without the treatment. The test plants used in the preference tests will be diagnosed for the Pierces disease bacterium (Xylella fastidiosa), in order to evaluate how the above results affect transmission.
• Publication Date: Aug 2003
• Journal: 2003 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium