1. The 2005 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition
December 15-18, 2005
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Saturday, December 17, 2005
D0348
Flea beetles as a vector for brome mosaic virus in Alabama
S. V. Srivatsavai, srivask@auburn.edu, J. F. Murphy, murphjf@auburn.edu, R. N.
Huettel, huettro@auburn.edu, and Kathy Flanders, kflander@aces.edu. Auburn
University, Entomology and Plant Pathology, 209 Life Sciences Bldg, Auburn University,
AL
Brome Mosaic Virus (BMV) was first detected in Henry County, Alabama on wheat in
2002. It was detected in three more counties in 2003 and in eight counties in 2004,
indicating it was becoming established in all wheat growing regions of the state. There
are contradictory reports in the literature as to how the virus is being spread. One
possible host is the nematode Xiphinema spp. while other possible hosts have been
reported as beetles. This study was conducted to determine which of these are involved
in the spread of virus. Flea beetles, Phyllotreta spp. were collected from different wheat
fields all throughout the state and these were allowed to feed on BMV (Oklahoma strain)
infected wheat plants under greenhouse conditions. The flea beetles were able to
transmit the virus from infected wheat plants to healthy wheat plants indicating that they
could vector the virus. Soil samples were collected from one wheat variety trial in central
Alabama twice a month from October to May and other fields throughout the state
monthly during the growing season. Nematodes were extracted with sugar flotation and
identified. Even though plant parasitic nematodes were detected in all samples,
no Xiphinema spp. was found in relation to any wheat field.
Species 1: Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Phyllotreta (flea beetle)
Keywords: wheat IPM