Aster yellows phytoplasma witches' broom (AYMB;: 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris') increases survival rates of Macrosteles quadrilineatus and Dalbulus maidis on various plant species

Aster yellows phytoplasmas (AYPs) increase the fecundity of the leathopper vector Macrosteles quadrilineatus, and expands the host range preference of the monophagous insect, Dalbulus maidis. The objective of this study was to assess whether aster yellows phytoplasma strain witches' broom (AY-WB) also affects survival and plant host preferences of these leafhoppers. The complete genome of AY-WB is sequenced and can be used to study the phytoplasma effect on insect-plant interactions at the molecular level. M quadrilineatus is an effective vector of AY-WB to Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynhold, Nicotiana benthamiana L., lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), China aster (Callistephus chinensis Nees) and maize (Zea mays L.). So far, we have observed an increase in survival of M quadrilineatus and D. maidis on AY-WB infected plants over healthy plants for all of these plant species.