Medfly Ceratitis capitata as Potential Vector for Fire Blight Pathogen Erwinia amylovora: Survival and Transmission.

摘要: Monitoring the ability of bacterial plant pathogens to survive in insects is required for elucidating unknown aspects their epidemiology and designing appropriate control strategies. Erwinia amylovora a pathogenic bacterium that causes fire blight, devastating disease apple pear commercial orchards. Studies on blight spread by have mainly focused pollinating agents, such as honeybees. However, Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), one most damaging pests worldwide, also common pome The main objective study was investigate whether E. can be transmitted medfly. Our experimental results show: i) at least 8 days inside digestive tract medfly until 28 its external surface, ii) medflies are able transmit bacteria from inoculated apples both detached shoots plants, being pathogen recovered lesions cases. This first report internalization survival in/on C. capitata, well transmission this insect. suggest act potential vector amylovora, expand our knowledge possible role these other life cycle.