Surveillance and Management of Arthropod Vectors of Plant Pathogens: A Strategic Way to Prevent New Threats to Crops and Forests

The introduction and spread of new and/or re-emerging plant pests and diseases are responsible for severe losses in agricultural production, with negative economic, environmental, and social impacts. Despite technical and regulatory improvements in surveillance and diagnostic processes, the risks of pest invasion have dramatically worsened in recent decades because of globalization, the increased movement of people, plants, and their products, and changes in climate and land use patterns. Among these factors, global warming is expected to have a profound effect on the incidence of pests and diseases in previously unsuitable areas, fostering unpredictable outbreaks and epidemics.Arthropod vectors, mainly insects and mites, can play a critical role in the expansion of invasive plant pathogens. Infectious specimens present in plant trade can act as carriers for the introduction of pathogens into new areas. Similarly, vectors already present in the invaded area can contribute to the further spread of the pathogen after its entry. Examples of potentially threatening vectors include psyllid vectors of Candidatus Liberibacter spp., associated with Huanglongbing, one of the most destructive and widespread citrus diseases; the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, which transmits several plant viruses affecting important food crops worldwide; and xylem-feeding hemipteran vectors of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, among others. The surveillance, interception, and management of arthropod vectors of plant pathogens are strategic measures to prevent and control new threats to crops and forests.In this context, knowledge of the various biological aspects of arthropod vectors, as well as of the mechanisms underlying plant - vector - pathogen relationships, is of fundamental importance. This Research Topic aims to address the biology, ecology, genetics, behavior, pathogen transmission of arthropod vectors. Manuscripts are expected to also cover control-related aspects, whether chemical, biological, or integrated, and special attention will be given to diagnostic tools for pathogen detection in vectors. Acting as “spy insects,” these vectors can serve as powerful tools for the early detection of pathogens in new areas, even before disease symptoms become evident on plants, which can take considerable time to appear. Topic editors: Sabrina Bertin, Wannes Dermauw Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81294/surveillance-and-management-of-arthropod-vectors-of-plant-pathogens-a-strategic-way-to-prevent-new-threats-to-crops-and-forests