Glassy-winged sharpshooter transmission of Xylella fastidiosa to plants

Abstract

Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem limited bacterium that causes disease in many plants. Insect dissemination of X. fastidiosa is only possible by xylem-feeding vectors belonging to the subfamily Cicadellinae (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae; sharpshooter leafhoppers) and the family Cercopidae (Hemiptera; spittlebugs). The best studied vector of X. fastidiosa in relation to pathogen transmission is Graphocephala atropunctata Signoret (blue-green sharpshooter). However, in recent years another sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagulata Say (glassy-winged sharpshooter), has been the focus of much interest. This insect has been recently introduced into tropical islands in the Pacific, notably Tahiti and Oahu in Hawaii. Understanding X. fastidiosa transmission parameters will help determine the potential threat of this pest.