Wolbachia is present in the European grapevine moth

Abstract

The European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana, has high economic impact on grapevines being one of the most harmful pests of vineyards worldwide. Wolbachia infection have not yet been reported for this moth. We systematically look for Wolbachia presence in L. botrana from three areas within the viticultural region of Alentejo (Portugal), via wsp gene specific PCR, and consistently found its presence. The interaction between the grapevine, its associated moth pest and the Wolbachia needs to be further explored, towards its potential in the development of symbiosis-based pest management strategies.