Bacterial diversity and community structure differences between ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ infected and non-infected insect vectors in North Italy vineyards

In the present study, we described the bacterial diversity and community structure of the ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ infected and non-infected insect vectors (Cicadella viridis, Dictyophara europaea, Euscelis incisus, Euscelidius variegatus, Philaenus spumarius, and Psammotettix alienus), newly discovered in northern Italy alongside the main vector Hyalesthes obsoletus and a known host but non-vector, Cicadella viridis. A total of 300 individuals were captured with sweep entomological net and pooter in mid-June 2018 and transferred to the laboratory in 100% alcohol for molecular analyses. ‘Ca. P. solani’ was detected by nested PCR-based amplification of the stamp gene using as templates the total nucleic acids extracted from the insect specimens. Depending on the result of this PCR, specimens were separated into the “infected” and “non-infected” groups. A total of 14 individuals per species (7 specimens per group) were sent to Personal Genomics (Verona, Italy) for Illumina sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene