INSECT TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS CAUSING LITTLE CHERRY DISEASE

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Abstract
Little cherry virus disease of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) was transmitted under screenhouse conditions by 3 species of leafhoppers (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) out of 24 species tested. Macrosteles fascifrons (Stal), the 6-spotted leafhopper, transmitted the disease in seven tests; Scaphytopius acutus (Say), the sharp-nosed leafhopper, transmitted it once; and Psammotettix lividellus (Zett.) transmitted it once. The transmissions were made from diseased sweet cherry trees of the variety Lambert to indicators of the varieties Star or Sam. With the exception of 1 transmission, 2 to 4 years were necessary following inoculation for unmistakable expression of symptoms in the indicators. M. fascifrons was also implicated in 18 successful transmissions to mature sweet cherry trees grown in the open.