Laboratory transmission of the citrus stubborn disease agent by a leafhopper from theCirculifer tenellus complex from the Jordan Valley

Citrus stubborn disease (=little leaf disease) is known to affect the size of citrus trees, and to reduce the quality and quantity of the fruit. The disease agent,Spiroplasma citri, was isolated and culturedin vitro from Oroblanco, orange and grapefruit orchards throughout the year from different regions in Israel. The agent was transmitted by a leaf-hopper from theCirculifer tenellus complex collected onAtriplex halimus plants in the southern Jordan Valley. The latent period of the agent in this vector was at least 10 days following a 3-day acquisition feeding onMatthiola incana plants. It was similar to that found for a primary isolation in culture medium (LP₅₀=21 days). The limitations of visual inspection for recording disease incidence in citrus groves were determined and this method was compared with other methods for detection of the disease agent (immunoassay and cultivation in a culture medium). Plants from various botanical families were tested for their ability to serve as hosts for the Israeli biotype of the beet leaf-hopper and for the stubborn disease agentS. citri. The possible role of IsraeliC. tenellus in the disease epidemiology is discussed.