The use of DNA markers for pest management - Clonal lineages and population biology of grape phylloxera

Abstract

Grape phylloxera, Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, is an important pest of grapevines, Vitis vinifera. The distribution and frequency of grape phylloxera genotypes varies within infested regions of Australia, suggesting the introduction of separate lineages of D. vitifoliae, which has important implications for the management of this pest. In this study, we apply six nuclear DNA microsatellite markers to characterize different phylloxera genotypic classes and present a comprehensive summary of the spatial distribution of D. vitifoliae genotypic lineages within Australian vineyards. Comparisons of mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome oxidase I) sequences are also performed, supporting previous conclusions..