Hemiptera: Cicadellidae subfamily Deltocephalinae leafhoppers

Many leafhoppers (Insecta: Cicadellidae) transmit plant-infecting viruses and bacteria which significantly reduce agricultural crop yields every year. As part of a comparative study funded by NSF GoLife to identify genes necessary for vector competence, the genomes and transcriptomes of deltocephaline leafhoppers known to transmit phytopathogenic mollicutes (phytoplasmas and spiroplasmas) and non-vectors were obtained. Once identified, vector competence genes or transcription products can be targeted for molecular control strategies such as RNAi or molecular plant resistance.