Molecular Detection of Grape Decline Phytoplasma in Leafhopper Species Associated with Infected Grapevines in Iran

Following recent detection of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma fraxini’, ‘Ca. P. aurantifolia’, ‘Ca. P. solani’ and ‘Ca. P. phoenicium’-related strains in Iranian vineyards, a survey was conducted in 2016–2017 in vineyards located in Qazvin province of Iran. Nested PCR analysis was performed to identify phytoplasma strains in leafhopper species. The overall, less than 5% of grapevine trees shows phytoplasma symptoms and phyto-plasma was detected in all symptomatic samples. Phytoplasma DNA was detected in two leafhopper species. Most leafhopper species in which phytoplasma DNA were detected are recorded to be grass feeders, among which, Stolbur phytoplasma vectors, i.e. Psammotettix alienus (Dahlbom 1851) and Agallia ribauti (Ossian-nilsson, 1938), showed a strong potential ability for ‘Ca. P. solani’ transmission in Qazvin vineyards. The possibility of phytoplasma transmission between leafhoppers and grapevines is discussed