First description of the occurrence of the leafhopper Phlogotettix cyclops in a Bordeaux vineyard
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of new leafhopper species, which could be potential vectors of plant pathogens, in the vineyards of the Bordeaux region.
Methods and results: Grapevine woody canes were collected in a vineyard without insecticide treatments during the winter of 2008. The unidentified leafhoppers that hatched from the dormant canes were collected and individually reared to adults on grapevine cuttings in a cage. Species identification was performed with males. The survey led to the detection of a new leafhopper species in Bordeaux vineyards, Phlogotettix cyclops.
Conclusions: P. cyclops is an invasive species whose larvae look like the ones of Scaphoideus titanus. The presence of this species in a Bordeaux vineyard suggests that it is spreading northward across the southwest of France. Furthermore, this leafhopper could become a vine pest in the future.
Significance and impact of the study: This study provided useful information for viticultural researchers and professionals, particularly in France, but also elsewhere in Europe.