D3083: Vector competence and effect of hop latent viroid infection on cannabis aphids and western flower thrips in hemp (Cannabis sativa)

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L) cultivation is a quickly growing industry in the United States after its change in legal status in 2014. The growth of the hemp industry has introduced several unknowns for growers, including pathogens that were previously unknown to affect Cannabis. Hop-latent Viroid (HLVd) is a new pathogen affecting hemp and is becoming a huge concern for growers worldwide. First reported in 2019 in California, HLVd has since become widespread in the hemp industry across North America and Canada. HLVd causes detrimental symptoms such as “dudding” of plant growth and trichome production, causing an overall reduction in the yield of cannabinoids, considerably lowering its economic value. HLVd is known to be spread mechanically across plants, however there is little information associated with possible vectors of HLVd, nor is there information regarding the effects, if any, HLVd infection has on associated arthropods. Acquisition and transmission assays were performed to evaluate the vector competence of common hemp pests in transmitting HLVd to hemp to determine the ability to uptake, maintain, and transmit HLVd to clean (uninfected) hemp plants. Additionally, HLVd-infected plants will be infested with these hemp pests and monitored for potential effects on arthropod life-history traits such as fecundity and survival. Outcomes of this research, with their practical implications for disease prevention and management, will provide hemp growers and producers with a better understanding of the disease and management strategies to avoid economic losses, offering them hope for a more secure and profitable future.