Effect of maize stunting mollicutes on survival and fecundity of Dalbulus leafhopper vectors

The effect of corn stunt spiroplasma (CSS) on survival and fecundity of three Dalbulus leafhopper species was determined. CSS significantly reduced the survival, as measured by the time to 50% (t₅₀) and 25% (t₂₅) survival, and by the scale parameter (b) of the Weibull model, for D. elimatus and D. gelbus. Fecundity of these two species, as measured by the net and gross reproductive rates, was also reduced by CSS. CSS did not significantly affect the corn leafhopper, D. maidis. In a separate experiment, maize bushy stunt mycoplasma (MBSM) reduced the survival and fecundity of D. maidis at temperatures from 20 to 29 °C. The effect of MBSM on D. maidis survival was less severe than CSS on D. elimatus and D. gelbus; t₂₅, but not t₅₀, was reduced by MBSM. Survival times and the cohort generation time generally declined with increasing temperature. Fecundity, however, generally increased with increasing temperature.