Bioecological Traits of Spittlebugs and Their Implications for the Epidemiology and Control of the Epidemic in Apulia (Southern Italy).

Spatial-temporal dynamics of spittlebug populations, together with transmission biology, are of major importance to outline the disease epidemiology of subsp. in Apulian olive groves. The spread rate of is mainly influenced by (i) the pathogen colonization of the host plant; (ii) the acquisition of the pathogen by the vector from an infected plant, and its inoculation to healthy plants; (iii) the vector population dynamics and abundance at different spatial scales; and (iv) the dispersal of the vector. In this contribution we summarize the recent advances in research on insect vectors' traits-points ii, iii, and iv-focusing on those most relevant to epidemic in Apulia. Among the vectors' bioecological traits influencing the epidemic in olive trees, we emphasize the following: natural infectivity and transmission efficiency, phenological timing of both nymphal and adult stage, the role of seminatural vegetation as a vector reservoir in the agroecosystem and landscape, and preferential and directional dispersal capabilities. Despite the research on vectors carried out in Europe in the last decade, key uncertainties on insect vectors remain, hampering a thorough understanding of pathogen epidemiology and the development of effective and targeted management strategies. Our goal is to provide a structured and contextualized review of knowledge on vectors' key traits in the Apulian epidemic, highlighting information gaps and stimulating novel research pathways on pathosystems in Europe. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.