Exploring chemosensory receptors in Cicadellidae leafhoppers

Chemical sensing has extensively been studied in insects such as moths, flies and beetles. Decades of research in this area has revealed a prominent role for odors in guiding nearly all vital behaviors, and results have been applied to pest management strategies, including monitoring, trapping and mating disruption. Considerably less is known about the chemical ecology and chemosensory systems of hemipteran insects, especially leafhoppers that prominently vector plant disease pathogens, such as phytoplasma bacteria. In this study, we investigated the repertoires of chemosensory receptors from the odorant receptor, gustatory receptor and ionotropic receptor gene families for the Colladonus leafhoppers, C. reductus and C. geminatus, as well as the beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus. Collectively, these leafhoppers species transmit phytoplasma bacteria that cause X-disease and potato purple top in cherry trees and potato, respectively. A better understanding of the chemosensory systems of these species may inform improved pest management strategies aimed at reducing the spread of the phytoplasma pathogens that these insects transmit.