Determination Of The Putative Insect Vector Of Napier Grass Stunt Phytoplasma Using Molecular And Bioassay Techniques In Western Kenya

Sampling insects in and around Napier grass fields revealed that 21 Homopteran insectrnspecies exploit Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach 1827) canopy. LeafhopperrnCicadulina sp., and plant hoppers; Leptodelphax dymas Young, and Sogatella manenthornHorvath, are the most dominant Napier canopy insects. This study developed a LooprnMediated Isothermal Amplification of DNA (LAMP) for rapid detection of phytoplasma 16SrnrDNA. LAMP was simple, sensitive, specific, robust and very rapid Napier Grass Stuntrnphytoplasma (Ngs-phytoplasma) detection technique. After a 20 days of phytoplasmarnAcquisition Access Period (AAP) on diseased Napier grass and 30 days latency period onrnhealthy grasses, Cicadulina sp., Exitianus sp 5., and Cofana spectra Distant tested positive forrnNgs-phytoplasma indicating that they interact with Ngs-phytoplasma in circulative manner.rnThe ability of these Napier Canopy insects to vector Ngs-phytoplasma was confirmed byrnMembrane feeding and Natural transmission experiments, incriminating the white leafhopper,rnCofana spectra Distant to be the leading insect vector of Ngs-phytoplasma though Cicadulinarnsp., and Exitianus sp 5 cannot be ruled out as additional vector(s).rnKey Words: Homoptera of Napier grass canopy, Loop mediated isothermal amplification ofrnDNA (LAMP), Napier grass stunt phytoplasma (Ngs-phytoplasma), Transmissionrnexperiments.

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