Jeremy Irvine

Jeremy Irvine

he/him/il

He is a Vanier Scholar and PhD student investigating integrated pest management in forage seed systems. He is deeply committed to science communication, and much of his work centers on building inclusive communities both within and beyond academia.

Effects of Phytoplasma Infection on Aster Leafhopper (Macrosteles quadrilineatus) Settling Behavior and Development on Brassica napus

This project examines how aster yellows phytoplasma (AYp) infection in canola (Brassica napus L.) affects the behavior and performance of its vector, the aster leafhopper (Macrosteles quadrilineatus Forbes).

Using two-choice and no-choice bioassays, we evaluated:

  • settling preferences of AYp-infected and uninfected leafhoppers
  • nymph production and survival on AYp-infected vs uninfected B. napus
  • developmental performance on B. napus compared with a reference host, Arabidopsis thaliana

At two weeks post-infection, leafhoppers showed a significant preference for AYp-infected plants, but this preference disappeared by four weeks. Uninfected leafhoppers produced significantly more nymphs on AYp-uninfected plants than on infected plants, yet overall survival on B. napus was poor and no individuals completed development. Phytoplasma titers increased over time and corresponded with symptom severity.

These results indicate that AYp infection briefly alters vector settling behavior, but B. napus is a marginal host that does not support full leafhopper development, with important implications for vector–pathogen dynamics and disease epidemiology in canola systems.