Diverse strains of aster yellows phytoplasma are associated with the potato leafhopper (Empoasca fabae) in Eastern Canada

Phytoplasmas are cell wall-less bacteria that are transmitted by phloem-feeding insects. In Canada, insect vectors of this pathogen are leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), and they can contribute to significant economic losses. As climate change alters the composition and movement of insect communities, migratory species such as the potato leafhopper (Empoasca fabae, Harris 1841), one of the most abundant leafhoppers in Quebec, may play an emerging role in phytoplasma diseases. Although E. fabae is not currently confirmed to act as a vector, its frequent presence and abundance in fields, along with its potential to acquire phytoplasmas, deserve further investigation. In this study, we tested DNA from E. fabae collected in strawberry fields for the presence of Candidatus Phytoplasma using PCR, as well as inbred colonies for their ability to transmit this pathogen. The amplicons amplified from positive samples were cloned and sequenced to identify phytoplasma groups and subgroups. Our findings confirmed the presence of multiple Aster Yellows (16SrI-related) phytoplasma strains in E. fabae, based on phylogenetic analysis, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profiling, and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profiles. However, the transmission assays did not show vector competence. We propose that although this leafhopper species hosts multiple, possibly new, phytoplasma subgroups, its capacity to transmit the disease remains limited and likely depends on high population density. Overall, these findings emphasize the importance of monitoring common pests like E. fabae as indicators of phytoplasma diversity in Eastern Canadian agricultural systems.