Extraction and reintroduction of Homalodisca vitripennis reovirus (HoVRV) collected from Texas glassy-winged sharpshooter populations

The glassy-winged sharpshooter Homalodisca vitripennis is an invasive pest and important vector of Xylella fastidiosa, a xylem-limiting bacteria that causes Pierce’s Disease in grapes as well as other agricultural diseases. The primary method of managing the spread of Xylella is controlling its insect vector populations. Methods such as chemical control are not target specific and lead to problems such as residue contamination, injury to non-target organisms, and insecticide resistance. Identifying agents that can impact H. vitripennis populations is the goal of a biological control strategy. In this study, we have extracted whole Homalodisca vitripennis reovirus or HoVRV from populations of H. vitripennis collected in Texas. HoVRV is a novel virus that harbors pathogenic potential with regard to GWSS. We have also reintroduced HoVRV into GWSS populations through feeding. Increased amounts of HoVRV ingestion can lead to weakened populations of GWSS that are more susceptible to control methods such as insecticides. This decreases the amount of insecticide needed to produce a desired mortality rate in insect populations. This is crucial in economizing insect vector management in many forms of agriculture.