Phytoplasma COST FA0807 Working Group 2

Tasks of Working Group 2 "Epidemiology and Vector Ecology"

1. Establish tools to identify vector species,

2. Monitor the presence of phytoplasma diseases and their putative vectors in defined regions throughout Europe,

3. Provide data about the infectivity of vector species towards the establishment of a risk assessment system,

4. Monitor differences in vector populations to verify correlations between vector populations and efficiencies in disease spread, and

5. Establish the importance of different means of disease spread, such as seed transmission and transmission by root bridges.

Short course on insect molecular taxonomy (Ivrea and Grugliasco , 5 - 9 November 2012)

Psyllid training school held at AlPlanta, Neustadt/Germany, April 19th - April 23rd 2010

Grapevine Yellows Vector Sampling and Monitoring Training School, Bernkastel-Kues, Germany, 5th to 9th of July, 2010

Working group 2: Epidemiology and vector ecology