Epidemiological aspects of phytoplasmas in Chilean grapevines.

Some Auchenorrhyncha specimens were captured, identified and tested to verify phytoplasma presence in Chilean vineyards; many of them belong to the subfamily Delthocephalinae and Agalliinae (family Cicadellidae) and to the families Cixiidae and Delphacidae, all known as potential phytoplasma vectors. Several individuals were positives to phytoplasma presence, in particu- lar Amplicephalus curtulus Linnavuori & De Long, in which were detected phytoplasmas belonging to subgroup16SrI-B and 16SrXII-A, and Paratanus exitiosus (Beamer) positive to phytoplasmas of the subgroups 16SrI-B, 16SrVII-A and 16SrXII-A. Phytoplasmas belonging to subgroup 16SrI-B and 16SrVII-A were identified in Convolvulus arvensis L. and Polygonum avicu- lare L.; to subgroup 16SrXII-A in C. arvensis; and to subgroup16SrVII-A in Galega officinalis L. In three cases grapevine sam- ples, weeds and insects collected in the same vineyard were positives to phytoplasmas of the same subgroup.