Molecular and spatial analyses reveal new insights on Bois noir epidemiology in Franciacorta vineyards

Bois noir (BN) grapevine disease is associated with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (CaPsol), a pathogen complex ecology including multiple insect vectors and plant hosts. A key point to improve the effectiveness of BN control strategies consists in determining epidemiological role ground-cover weeds. The present study employed multidisciplinary approach, based on application spatial (spatial analysis by distance indices) molecular (stamp gene typing) analyses, identify weeds potential epidemiology northern Italy. Generated data showed that addition Convolvulus arvensis, one main CaPsol inoculum sources, Chenopodium album, Polygonum aviculare Trifolium repens were found epidemiology. typing highlighted strains prevalent symptomatic grapevines characterised stamp sequence variants St19, St11 (nettle-related) St5 (bindweed-related). latter was also Hyalesthes obsoletus weeds, suggesting their association bindweed-related On other hand, nettle-related occasionally H. Considering obsoletus-mediated transmission occurs mainly young instars, further investigations will confirm if, bindweed nettle, Franciacorta can represent larval developmental hosts and, consequently, act as reservoirs for grapevine. Moreover, studies are needed clarify relationship between such alternative vectors.