Bacterial Endosymbionts of the Psyllid Cacopsylla pyricola (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in the Pacific Northwestern United States.
Insects often have facultative associations with bacterial endosymbionts, which can alter the insects' susceptibility to parasitism, pathogens, plant defenses, and certain classes of insecticides. We collected pear psylla, Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), from pear orchards in Washington and Oregon, and surveyed them for the presence of bacterial endosymbionts. Adult psyllids were collected on multiple dates to allow us to assay specimens of both the summer ("summerform") and the overwintering ("winterform") morphotypes. Two endosymbionts, Arsenophonus and Phytoplasma pyri, were detected in psyllids of both morphotypes in both states. A separate survey revealed similar associations present in psyllids collected in 1987. Arsenophonus was present in 80-100% of psyllids in all growing regions. A slightly lower proportion of summerform than winterform psyllids harbored the bacterium. Arsenophonus was present in the bacteriomes and developing oocytes of most psyllids, indicating that this endosymbiont is transovarially transmitted. This bacterium was also observed in the salivary glands and midguts of some psyllids. Phytoplasma pyri was present in a greater proportion of pear psylla from orchards near Yakima, WA, than from other regions, and was present in a higher proportion of winterforms than summerforms. We did not detect Wolbachia, Profftella, or Liberibacter europaeus, which are associated with other psyllid pests, including other species of Cacopsylla. Our study is the first to survey North American populations of C. pyricola for endosymbionts, and provides a foundation for further research on how bacterial associations may influence the ecology and management of this pest.
USDA-ARS-Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory, 5230 Konnowac Pass Rd., Wapato, WA 98951 (rodney.cooper@ars.usda.gov; steve.garczynski@ars.usda.gov; david.horton@ars.usda.gov; thomas.unruh@ars.usda.gov).
W Rodney
WR
Cooper
USDA-ARS-Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory, 5230 Konnowac Pass Rd., Wapato, WA 98951 (rodney.cooper@ars.usda.gov; steve.garczynski@ars.usda.gov; david.horton@ars.usda.gov; thomas.unruh@ars.usda.gov).
Stephen F
SF
Garczynski
USDA-ARS-Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory, 5230 Konnowac Pass Rd., Wapato, WA 98951 (rodney.cooper@ars.usda.gov; steve.garczynski@ars.usda.gov; david.horton@ars.usda.gov; thomas.unruh@ars.usda.gov).
David R
DR
Horton
USDA-ARS-Yakima Agricultural Research Laboratory, 5230 Konnowac Pass Rd., Wapato, WA 98951 (rodney.cooper@ars.usda.gov; steve.garczynski@ars.usda.gov; david.horton@ars.usda.gov; thomas.unruh@ars.usda.gov).
Thomas R
TR
Unruh
Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, 1100 N. Western Ave, Wenatchee, WA 98801 (ebeers@wsu.edu).
Elizabeth H
EH
Beers
Oregon State University Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 3005 Experiment Station Drive, Hood River, OR 97031 (shearpw@gmail.com).
W Shearer
WS
Peter
Oregon State University Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point, OR 97502 (richard.hilton@oregonstate.edu).
Richard J
RJ
Hilton
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009922:Oregon; D031989:Pyrus / Q000254:growth & development; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012621:Seasons; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D013559:Symbiosis; D014861:Washington
D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Arsenophonus; Bactericera; Pear psylla; Phytoplasma; pear decline