Preliminary investigations on Graminella nigrifrons as a potential vector for phytoplasmas identified at the Canadian Clonal Genebank

Prunus and Pyrus species from the Canadian Clonal Genebank, affected with phytoplasma diseases, as well as, leafhoppers spe-cies collected from Prunus and Pyrus fields were molecularly tested for phytoplasma presence. Preliminary results showed that Graminella nigrifrons may be a potential vector for either phytoplasma group 16SrI (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’), 16SrVII (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma fraxini’) or 16SrX-C (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri’). Results also showed that G. nigrifrons may be able to transmit multiple phytoplasmas within the same location. G. nigrifrons appears to have a complex ecology therefore fur-ther transmission trials are required to verify its phytoplasma vector role in fruit trees.