Transmission of Pantoea agglomerans—A paratransgenic control agent—Within a Homalodisca vitripennis population

Paratransgenic control of pests can be an alternative to chemical control, which is associated with environmental contamination, and higher input cost. We have recently developed paratransgenic control strategy to block transmission of the Pierce's disease pathogen-Xylella fastidiosa by its arthropod vector-Homalodisca vitripennis (the glassy-winged sharpshooter) using antimicrobial peptide-expressing strains of Pantoea agglomerans. In the present study, we report horizontal transmission of one of such P. agglomerans strains from H. vitripennis. This process indicates that P. agglomerans can self-sustain in a population of H. vitripennis and, thus, can provide paratransgenic control of X. fastidiosa in field. These results also provide basis for future field studies.