Introduction
Objectives
This website aims to provide a comprehensive and accessible guide to the leafhopper, planthopper and froghopper vectors of phytoplasma, bacteria and virus diseases.
Species accounts include images of adult insects (and nymphs where available), taxonomic drawings of morphological features, and text on the biology and pest status of each species.
Each species account includes:
• Species Taxonomy
• Distribution
• Species Identification
• Biology & host plant interactions
• Pathogens & diseases transmitted
• Bibliography and references
The vector accounts are aimed at both professional use as well as by workers in developing countries seeking to find accurate information on identification.
This work will directly assist in identification of known vector species but should also lead to more rapid progress in discovering further vector species.
This website does not include aphids and whiteflies, which are known as vectors of many plant viruses. Guides to the identification of aphids and whiteflies are already available elsewhere.
This project attempts to bring together knowledge of both phytoplasma, bacteria and virus disease with taxonomic details of the insect vectors and be available to both plant pathologists and entomologists.
Funding
This database was initially developed through funding provided by The Leverhulme Trust in 2008.Â
The subsequent re-development of database (2019 -2021) has been undertaken as part of the BRIGIT project which was funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF), by a grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) with support from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Scottish Government.
Citation
Wilson M. R. & Turner J. A. 2021. Insect Vectors of Plant Disease. Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales. Available online at http://insectvectors.science/. [ Accessed:Â 01/12/2024 ].
