USE OF ACETONE TO FACILITATE APHID HARVESTING FOR PLANT-VIRUS TRANSMISSION ASSAYS

Acetone as an aphid anesthetic was compared with mechanical removal of aphids from leaves to enhance the harvesting and handling of large po pulations of the aphid Myzus persicae. The effect of these two procedu res on aphid virus transmission efficiency was assessed with a persist ent and a nonpersistent virus using potato leafroll virus (PLRV) and p apaya ringspot virus type W (PRSV-W), respectively. The use of acetone was 8-10 times faster and about 30% more efficient than the camel's-h air brush technique for harvesting M. persicae from leaves of turnip, Malva parviflora, and sweet pepper. Even small nymphs could be collect ed and handled easily, indicating an additional benefit of the acetone method. There were no significant differences in transmission efficie ncy of aphids harvested via acetone or the camel's-hair brush; rates w ere 60 and 54%, respectively, with PLRV and 95 and 93%, respectively, with PRSV-W. The acetone procedure was useful for handling M. persicae and possibly other aphid virus vectors also.