HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by HACKETT, K. J. Articles by WHITCOMB, R. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by HACKETT, K. J. Articles by WHITCOMB, R. F. Agricola Articles by HACKETT, K. J. Articles by WHITCOMB, R. F.

The Spiroplasma Motility Inhibition Test, a New Method for Determining Intraspecific Variation among Colorado Potato Beetle Spiroplasmas

¹ Insect Biocontrol Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705
² Institute of Plant Protection, Department of Biological Control and Quarantine, Miczurina 20, 60–318 Pozna, Poland
³ Biometrical Consulting Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

^* Corresponding author. Mailing address:Insect Biocontrol Laboratory, USDA, ARS, Room 214, Building 011A, BARC-W, Beltsville, MD 20705. Phone: (301) 504-6325. Fax: (301) 504-5104. E-mail: khackett{at}asrr.arsusda.gov.

ABSTRACT

The Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, is a major holarctic pest of solanaceous crops. Presumably, this insect spread from Solanum species in central America to the Mexican plateau, and this was followed by multiple invasions of North America and Europe. Attempts are being made to control this beetle by using a genetically modified spiroplasma that occurs naturally in its gut. In the current study, spiroplasmas isolated from beetles collected in North America and Poland exhibited serologic (spiroplasma motility inhibition test) and genomic (restriction fragment length polymorphism) profiles that suggest that there were multiple spiroplasma introductions. Two serovars were identified; one is found in northern North America and at high elevations in Poland, and the other is found in southern North America and at low elevations in Poland. The patterns of genovar distribution coincide with the serovar patterns. The existence of such biovars—intraspecific taxal units reflected by serologic and genomic differences—should be taken into consideration when taxonomies are developed and strains are chosen for biocontrol.