Investigating dispersal abilities of Aphrophoridae in European temperate regions to assess the threat of potential Xylella fastidiosa-based pathosystems

Modeling the potential spread of Xylella fastidiosa can document contingency plans in northern Europe, so far uncolonized by bacterium. Through mark–release–recapture (MRR) and flight-mill experiments, flight capacity two vectors for temperate Europe was studied: Philaenus spumarius, reported southern European vector, Aphrophora salicina, a xylem-specialist feeding on host plants X. fastidiosa. salicina displayed significantly better performances than P. spumarius. In flight-mills, average distance flown was, respectively, 623 m vs. 102 maximal 6.16 km 1.54 2.5 h. MRRs, A. travelled more 30 single flight, with interception 80 after days, highlighting that dispersal is driven connectivity plant quality. spumarius mainly jumped, 1 movements length 32 27 days. Models estimated spumarius' daily mean at 1.5 salicina's 3.5 m. Although only small part population moves over very long distances, this pool efficient insects could already be sufficient to effectively an epidemic. As Salicaceae have been as bacterium, association Aphrophoridae riparian areas create bacterium reservoirs corridors allowing transportation medium distances.