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Differential transmission of phytoplasma and spiroplasma to maize caused by variation in the environmental temperature in Brazil

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Abstract

The effects of temperature in winter-spring (average 17.0 °C) and spring-summer (average 23.0 °C) seasons on the transmission and latent period of maize bushy stunt phytoplasma (MBS-phytoplasma) and corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS) (Spiroplasma kunkelii) caused by the corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLog and Wolcott) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) were evaluated in two experiments in a screenhouse in Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Approximately 200 mollicute-free adults of D. maidis were confined on popcorn (Zea mays L. cv. IAC125) plants infected with spiroplasma and the same number of mollicute-free leafhoppers were confined on plants infected with phytoplasma. They remained on the source plants for a 6 d acquisition access period (AAP). Next, leafhoppers were fed healthy popcorn seedlings. Transmission tests were performed with one leafhopper per seedling for each mollicute, with 12 replicates, at 12, 20, 30, 40 d since the first day of AAP. In addition, at 40 d, one leafhopper with phytoplasma and another with spiroplasma were confined together on 24 popcorn seedlings. The inoculation access period (IAP) was 3 d. The temperature was recorded daily during the experimental periods. In Experiment 1, during the 40 d latent period, only 41.6% and 58.3% of plants, respectively, exposed to phytoplasma or to both mollicutes presented MBS-phytoplasma symptoms. In Experiment 2, during the 20 d latent period, some popcorn plants presented MBS-phytoplasma (16.7%) and CSS (33.3%) symptoms, whereas almost 100% of plants at the 30 and 40 d latent period presented disease symptoms. Plant symptoms and results from PCR tests indicated that MBS-phytoplasma was more tolerant to low temperatures than S. kunkelii.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Caixa Postal 151, Sete Lagoas, MG, 35701970, Brazil

    Elizabeth O. Sabato, Elena C. Landau & Beatriz A. Barros

  2. Embrapa Cerrados, Caixa Postal 08223, Planaltina, DF, 73310-970, Brazil

    Charles M. Oliveira

Authors
  1. Elizabeth O. Sabato
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  2. Elena C. Landau
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  3. Beatriz A. Barros
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  4. Charles M. Oliveira
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Correspondence to Charles M. Oliveira.

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Sabato, E.O., Landau, E.C., Barros, B.A. et al. Differential transmission of phytoplasma and spiroplasma to maize caused by variation in the environmental temperature in Brazil. Eur J Plant Pathol 157, 163–171 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-020-01997-9

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