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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #296512
Title: Raspberry viruses affect the behaviour and performance of Amphorophora agathonica in single and mixed infections

Author
item LIGHTLE, DANIELLE - Oregon State University
item Lee, Jana

Submitted to: Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/13/2014
Publication Date: 3/1/2014
Citation: Lightle, D.M., Lee, J.C. 2014. Raspberry viruses affect the behaviour and performance of Amphorophora agathonica in single and mixed infections. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 151:57-64.

Interpretive Summary: Plant pathogens can alter the plants that they infect which consequently increases transmission efficiency by their insect vectors. We examined the effects Raspberry leaf mottle virus (RLMV) and Raspberry latent virus (RpLV) alone and in a co-infection in raspberry, cv. Meeker, on the behaviour and performance of its vector, the raspberry aphid. Aphids lived longer when feeding all three types of infected plants compared to healthy plants, but aphid fecundity only increased in the co-infected plant. In a two-way choice study between infected and healthy plants, aphids showed no difference in preference between plants after 30 minutes of exposure. After 24 hours, aphids significantly preferred to settle on plants infected with RLMV over healthy plants; but healthy plants over plants infected with RpLV. There were no differences in settling between healthy and co-infected plants. An electrical penetration graph (EPG) study of probing and phloem-feeding behaviour showed no differences in aphids feeding on plants infected with RLMV and RLMV+RpLV when compared to healthy controls.

Technical Abstract: Pathogens may alter their hosts which consequently increases transmission efficiency by vectors. We examined the effects Raspberry leaf mottle virus (RLMV; genus Closterovirus, family Closteroviridae) and Raspberry latent virus (RpLV; genus Reovirus, family Reoviridae) alone and in a co-infection in raspberry, Rubus idaeus L. (Rosaceae), cv. Meeker, on the behaviour and performance of its vector, Amphorophora agathonica Hottes (Homoptera: Aphididae). Longevity was increased in aphids feeding on all infected plant treatments compared to healthy plants, but aphid fecundity only increased in the co-infection treatment. In a two-way choice study between infected and healthy plants, aphids showed no difference in preference between plants after 30 minutes of exposure. After 24 hours, aphids significantly preferred to settle on plants infected with RLMV over healthy; but healthy plants over plants infected with RpLV. There were no differences in settling preferences between healthy and co-infected plants. An electrical penetration graph (EPG) study of feeding behaviour showed no differences in feeding by aphids feeding on plants infected with RLMV and RLMV+RpLV when compared to healthy controls. Our results are consistent with past findings that infected plants impact vector performance and behaviour, but also highlight the need to further investigate greater virus diversity and effects of mixed infections.