MODELING SHARPSHOOTER TRANSMISSION OF XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA

• Author(s): Almeida, Rodrigo; Daugherty, Matthew;
• Abstract: The dynamics of vectored diseases are governed by the interplay of a variety of biological and ecological factors including: vector behavior and demography, pathogen acquisition and inoculation efficiency, host resistance, and the role of environmental factors in mediating these processes. We are studying some of the ecological and biological traits that influence the transmission efficiency of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) to grapes by the blue-green and glassy-winged sharpshooters. In particular, we are examining how sharpshooter abundance, acquisition and inoculation periods on plants, and sex affect transmission efficiency for each of these species. This work will contribute to a more mechanistic understanding of Xf transmission that will be used to develop biologically realistic models of disease dynamics, providing a platform for evaluating the efficacy of different Pierces disease management strategies.
• Publication Date: Nov 2006
• Journal: 2006 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium