Attività

Our research focuses on the biology, ethology and epidemiology of insect vectors, phytoplasma-vector relationships, vector symbionts, Thrips-tospovirus relationships and Mealybug vectors of grapevine viruses.

Areas of Scientific Expertise

Biology, ethology and epidemiology of insect vectors (leafhoppers, planthoppers and psyllids) of grapevine phytoplasmas (‘Candidatus Phytoplasma vitis’, ‘Ca. Phytoplasma solani’), fruit tree phytoplasmas (‘Ca. Phytoplasma mali’, ‘Ca. Phytoplasma pyri’ and ‘Ca. Phytoplasma prunorum’), and of plant diseases that may or do emerge, with possible economic damage for Europe and the Mediterranean basin (e.g. ‘Ca. Phytoplasma phoenicium’). Ecology of phytoplasma vectors: seasonal and daily movement, spatial dispersal, life cycle and population dynamics, natural infectivity of vectors, identification of new vectors.

Phytoplasma-vector relationships: phytoplasma fate and multiplication in leafhoppers and psyllids, gene expression in healthy and phytoplasma-infected leafhoppers, molecular determinants of phytoplasma transmission specificity (in vitro and in vivo interactions of the phytoplasma membrane proteins Amp and Imp and insect proteins).

Vector symbionts: Investigation of interactions occurring between insect vectors of plant pathogens and microbial symbionts residing in their body. Studies have been carried out and are ongoing concerning: i) the composition of insect microbial communities; ii) the role of symbionts in insects; iii) the insect response to symbiont infection; iv) the interaction between symbionts and pathogen transmission.

Thrips-tospovirus relationships: Studies on the system thrips-tospovirus, and in particular Frankliniella occidentalis-Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) to asses: i) relationships between thrips spread and tospovirus diffusion in crops of north-western Italy to implement an integrated pest and disease management; ii) vector ability in transmitting different viral isolates in laboratory leaf disk assays, and detection of virus in thrips by molecular analysis; iii) identification of new tospovirus vector thrips; iv) development of gene silencing in thrips by Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) technology to evaluate the possible effects on interactions F. occidentalis-TSWV.

Mealybug vectors of grapevine viruses (Ampeloviruses, Grapevine Leaf Roll associated viruses 1 and 3, and Vitiviruses, Grapevine Virus A): characterization of virus transmission and virus-vector relationships for the associations between Planococcus ficus/Pl. citri/Heliococcus bohemicus and GLRaV1/GLRaV3/GVA.

Development of molecular markers for the identification of vector species, biotypes and haplotypes.

Research Facilities

• Microscopy: stereomicroscopes, optical microscopes, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, video camera-assisted microscope.
• Molecular biology laboratory fully equipped for nucleic acids purification, processing, analyses, PCR, real time PCR, cloning…
• Insect rearing: climatic chambers for insect rearings (10 climatized chambers), several insect proof screenhouses, an insect-proof greenhouse, insect cages…
• Chemical ecology of insect vectors: olfactometer, electroantennogram apparatus.

Research Group

Prof. Alberto Alma: biology and ecology of plant- and leafhopper vectors of phytoplasmas, leafhopper and planthopper symbionts

Prof. Domenico Bosco: phytoplasma-leafhopper relationships, phytoplasma transmission biology, epidemiology and control of phytoplasma diseases, mealybug vectors of grapevine viruses, molecular systematics of vectors

Prof. Luciana Tavella: biology and behaviour of thrips vector of tospoviruses, thrips-virus interactions

Prof. Rosemarie Tedeschi: biology and ecology of psyllid vectors of phytoplasmas, phytoplasma-psyllid relationships

PhD students, Post-Docs and research technicians are members of this research group.