• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.4
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• pp.635-639
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• 2012

The present study was initiated to find out the insect vector of mulberry dwarf phytoplasma. Among the collected insects from mulberry cultivation region, the sucking insects (Hishimonas sellatus, Bothrogonia japonica and Balclutha punctata) were selected for transmission of mulberry dwarf phytoplasma. Sucking insects, H. sellatus and B. punctata successfully transmitted phytoplasma to healthy seedling mulberry and periwinkle plants by inoculation-feeding. Typical dwarf symptom was observed in mulberry tree, but very slender twigs on stem and formatted small leaves were found on periwinkle plants, which are typical witches' broom symptoms. The phytoplasmas were detected in all samples exception sucking insects B. japonica using phytoplasma universal primer pair R16F2n/R2.