ROLE OF BACTERIAL ATTACHMENT IN TRANSMISSION OF XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA BY THE GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER, AND OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING TRANSMISSION EFFICIENCY

• Author(s): Almeida, Rodrigo; Purcell, Alexander;
• Abstract: Blue-green sharpshooters (BGSS) that had long acquisition access periods (4 days) feeding on grapes with Pierces disease symptoms, followed by a week on test plants consistently had monolayers of cells of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) in the precibarium, the narrow channel leading from the junction of the stylet mouthparts with the head to the entrance of the cibarium (sucking pump). BGSS given short acquisition and inoculation periods that transmitted Xf to test plants also had small colonies or isolated attached cells of the bacterium in the precibarium. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that Xf must be present in this small area of the sharpshooter foregut and also consistent with reports that small numbers of Xf cells in this area are adequate for efficient transmission. These results also suggest that the back-flow of ingested sap from sharpshooters does not have to be a large volume to enable vector transmission.
• Publication Date: Dec 2004
• Journal: 2004 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium