Potential vectors of grapevine red blotch virus
Two recent articles report potential vectors of grapevine red blotch virus (Grablovirus, GRBV – EPPO A1 List).
- LaFond et al. (2022) tested insects collected from Missouri (US). Six species were shown to be able to acquire GRBV from infected Vitis plants: Acutalis tartarea, Campylenchia latipes, Enchenopa binotata, Entylia carinata, Publilia reticulata and Stictocephala sp. Two species, E. carinata and E. binotata were shown to be able to transmit GRBV to healthy grapevines. E. carinata is considered to be a more economically important vector as it is abundant in vineyards whereas E. binotata is quite rare.
- Wilson et al. (2022) conducted a survey in vineyards in California (US). Ten insect genera or species tested positive for GRBV using quantitative PCR, in addition to the known vector Spissistilus festinus. These insect taxa include the cicadellids Aceratagallia spp., Acinopterus angulatus, Caladonus coquilletti, Colladonus montanus reductus, Colladonus sp., Empoasca spp., Erythroneura elegantula, and Scaphytopius graneticus, as well as unknown species of Aphididae and Delphacidae. Considering the proportion of positive specimens, and the frequency of their finding in Vitis plants, Scaphytopius graneticus is considered as the strongest candidate vector.
Sources
LaFond HF, Volenberg DS, Schoelz JE, Finke DL (2022) Identification of potential grapevine red blotch virus vector in Missouri vineyards. American Journal of Enology and Viticulture 73(4), 247-255.
Wilson H, Hogg BN, Blaisdell GK, Andersen JC, Yazdani AS, Billings AC, Ooi KL, Soltani N, Almeida RP, Cooper ML, Al Rwahnih M (2022) Survey of vineyard insects and plants to identify potential insect vectors and noncrop reservoirs of grapevine red blotch virus. PhytoFrontiers 2(1), 66-73.