INTA-IFFIVE, Camino 60 Cuadras Km 51/2 (X5020ICA), Córdoba, Argentina.
J Econ Entomol. 2011 Dec;104(6):1793-9. doi: 10.1603/ec11156.
"Corn stunt" caused by the mollicute Spiroplasma kunkelii (Whitcomb) is potentially one of the most severe diseases affecting the corn (Zea mays L.) crop in the Americas, and the leafhopper Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott) is considered its most important vector. However, other insects seen quite frequently in corn crops might well be its vectors in Argentina To identify any leafhoppers species other than D. maidis that can transmit S. kunkelii, transmission assays were conducted, using individuals of Exitianus obscurinervis (Stål) collected in field and reared under controlled conditions. S. kunkelii was transmitted to corn plants by E. obscurinervis. The pathogen was transmitted to seven of the 11 plants, which showed characteristic corn stunt symptoms, and the presence of the pathogen was confirmed by DAS-ELISA. The presence of S. kunkelii in the E. obscurinervis individuals used in transmission experiments was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and electron microscopy. The current study shows the existence of a new experimental vector of S. kunkelii, the leafhopper E. obscurinervis, which acquired spiroplasmas from infected plants and inoculated it to healthy plants.
“玉米矮缩病”是由柔膜菌（Spiroplasma kunkelii）引起的，它是美洲玉米作物最严重的病害之一，而褐飞虱（Dalbulus maidis）被认为是其最重要的传播媒介。然而，在阿根廷，其他在玉米作物中经常见到的昆虫很可能也是其传播媒介。为了确定除 D. maidis 之外是否还有其他叶蝉可以传播 S. kunkelii，进行了传播实验，使用在野外采集并在受控条件下饲养的 Exitianus obscurinervis（Stål）个体。E. obscurinervis 将 S. kunkelii 传播给玉米植株。病原体被传播到 11 株植物中的 7 株，这些植物表现出典型的玉米矮缩症状，并通过 DAS-ELISA 确认了病原体的存在。通过聚合酶链反应和电子显微镜证实了在传播实验中使用的 E. obscurinervis 个体中存在 S. kunkelii。本研究表明，存在一种新的 S. kunkelii 实验性传播媒介，即褐飞虱 E. obscurinervis，它从感染植物中获得柔膜菌，并将其接种到健康植物上。
