Potential vectors of Xylella fastidiosa in Argentina
A recent article reports potential vectors of Xylella fastidiosa (EPPO A2 List) in olive (Olea europaea) orchards in Argentina. Surveys were conducted in November 2019 in two orchards showing severe decline symptoms in La Rioja Province. Thirteen leafhopper and one cercopid species were collected using light traps.
Of the fourteen species, eight species tested positive for X. fastidiosa comprising xylem-feeding Ciminius albolineatus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Notozulia entreriana (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) as well as the phloem-feeding Exitianus obscurinervis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Spangbergiella vulnerata (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Polana obliqua (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Curtara nebula (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and Xerophloea viridis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). The vectors were identified by morphological testing whilst X. fastidiosa was identified by PCR. As there is no evidence that phloem-feeding insects can transmit X. fastidiosa between hosts even when they carry the bacterium, the authors consider that only Bucephalogonia xanthophis, Ciminius albolineatus and Notozulia entreriana should be considered as potential vectors. No transmission studies were carried out. Of these three species, the EPPO Secretariat previously only had records that B. xanthophis was a potential vector of X. fastidiosa.
Sources
Defea BS, Mazzaglia A, Paradell SL, Lucero G, Foieri Á, Pizzuolo P, Peñaloza O, Virla EG, Speranza S (2026) First record of potential vectors (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) of Xylella fastidiosa in olive groves from Argentina. Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias 58(1), e8960. https://doi.org/10.48162/rev.39.218