DIFFERENCE IN THE TRANSMISSION OF PVY° TO POTATO AND TOBACCO BY THE POTATO APHID, MACROSIPHUM EUPHORBIAE (THOMAS): EFFECTS OF PROBING DURATION AND FREQUENCY

Abstract

AbstractThe probing behavior of the potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas), is significantly different on potato than on tobacco plants. The higher frequency of short-duration probes, ideal for the transmission of nonpersistent viruses, is the apparent cause for the higher rate of potato virus Y° (PVY°) transmission on tobacco than on potato. However, experimental augmentation of short inoculation probes by M. euphorbiae on potato and tobacco failed to increase PVY° transmission on either. These results demonstrate the absence of a causal relationship between variations in probing behavior of M. euphorbiae and variations in the transmissibility of PVY° by this vector on tobacco and potato.