Two new publications featuring the Olmedo-Velarde Lab are advancing our understanding of the complex relationships among plant pathogens, their arthropod vectors, and the microorganisms associated with them.
The first study focuses on leafhoppers, insects that can transmit damaging plant pathogens, including those responsible for corn stunt disease—an emerging concern for corn production in North America. Understanding the microbial communities within these insects may provide important insights into their adaptation, their ability to transmit pathogens, and opportunities for more sustainable pest and disease management.
This international collaborative study, to which the Olmedo-Velarde Lab contributed, analyzed the microbiomes of 171 leafhopper species collected across 13 countries. The work represents the largest genome-resolved survey of leafhopper-associated microbes to date and uncovered several previously undescribed bacterial lineages. The resulting genomic resource provides a foundation for investigating how these microbial communities influence leafhopper biology, pathogen ecology, and the spread of crop diseases.
The second study investigated the largely unexplored diversity of viruses associated with flat mites in Hawaiʻi. These mites are important agricultural pests, and some species transmit viruses that damage citrus, hibiscus, passion fruit, and other tropical crops.
Using high-throughput sequencing, the team identified 30 putative new viruses, recovered near-complete genomes of two known mite-transmitted plant viruses, and uncovered evolutionary links between arthropod-associated and plant-infecting viruses. In addition to expanding our understanding of plant virus evolution, the findings demonstrate how sequencing viruses directly from mite vectors could support earlier detection, strengthen agricultural biosecurity, and improve disease surveillance.
Read more about the studies:
🔗 Global leafhopper microbiomes
🔗 Flat-mite viromics in Hawaiʻi