Development of a tetraplex reverse transcription digital PCR (RT-dPCR) assay for three carlaviruses and an ilarvirus infecting hop and viral titer quantification in different tissue types.

The hop plant (Humulus lupulus) is an economically important perennial species of plant due to its role in beer production. While the majority of hop production occurs in central Washington State, local production in regions around the United States is gaining popularity due to local micro-breweries wanting to use locally grown hops in their production. In Florida, production has recently increased, and while most hop plants are grown from tissue culture, the development of a cost-effective diagnostic assay for hop viruses is critical to ensure planting material is clean.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Platocerella (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) from palms in Costa Rica, a key to the genus and an updated molecular phylogeny of available New World Otiocerinae.

The genus Platocerella is a monotypic otiocerine genus (Derbidae: Otiocerinae: Otiocerini) reported from Guyana. A new species of Platocerella associated with palms is herein described from Costa Rica. Molecular data for the barcoding region cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 18S rRNA gene, and D9-D10 expansion region of the 28S rRNA gene is provided to produce a preliminary phylogenetic tree including the new species and related taxa to place the new species relative to other otiocerine planthoppers.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Myconus (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea: Achilidae) from the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica.

Recent surveys of palm-associated planthoppers in Costa Rica have revealed many new species, primarily in the families Derbidae and Cixiidae, but also Myconus jacquelinae Bahder & Bartlett, in the Achilidae. Here a new species of Myconus from the the Osa peninsula is described as Myconus florae sp. n.

Development of a TaqMan Assay for the Detection of ' Phytoplasma brasiliense' and Assessment by High-Resolution Melt Curve Analysis.

' Phytoplasma brasiliense' (CPB) is a phytoplasma originally discovered in South America and is known to infect a wide variety of economically important crops. It is most prevalent in spp., where it causes witches broom symptoms, and papaya, where it causes bunchy top.

A new species of Oecleus (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoromorpha: Cixiidae) from the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica.

Recent palm survey work in Costa Rica focusing on planthoppers has resulted in the discovery of several new taxa, primarily in Cixiidae and Derbidae. In addition to sampling palms directly, light trapping has been utilized to collect a broader range of planthoppers that may not be found on palms. During a light trapping event at the Cotinga Biological station on the Osa peninsula in Costa Rica, a cixiid was collected and subsequently determined to be an unidentified species in the genus Oecleus Stl.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Bothriocera (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cixiidae) from coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) in Jamaica.

Recent survey work in Jamaica on palm-associated planthoppers seeks to identify putative vectors of the lethal yellowing phytoplasma. Herein, a new species of planthopper, Bothriocera harthi sp. n.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Anotia (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) from the Los Angeles cloud forest in Costa Rica.

Recent survey work in Costa Rica has resulted in the discovery of new species of derbid and cixiid planthoppers associated with palms. During this survey, one species belonging to the genus Anotia has been discovered and described, A. firebugia.

DNA degradation in Haplaxius crudus (Hemiptera: Cixiidae) and Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) on yellow sticky traps in Florida.

Lethal bronzing (LB) and huanglongbing (HLB) are harmful plant diseases causing significant economic losses in Florida agriculture. Both diseases are caused by bacteria that are transmitted by Hemipteran insect vectors. Accurate detection of pathogens within insect vectors can help provide a better understanding of disease epidemiology.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Shellenius (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Derbidae) from palms in Costa Rica.

The genus Shellenius is a small taxon of planthoppers in the family Derbidae (Otiocerinae: Otiocerini) found in the eastern United States and Mesoamerica. A new species of Shellenius associated with palms is herein described from Costa Rica. Molecular data for the barcoding region cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 18S rRNA gene is provided to produce a preliminary phylogenetic tree for related taxa and support placement of the novel taxon in Shellenius.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Melanoliarus (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea: Cixiidae) from coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) in Trinidad.

During a survey in Trinidad and Grenada for putative vectors of palm lethal decline phytoplasmas, three species of planthopper in the genus Melanoliarus (Hemiptera, Cixiidae) were collected. Melanoliarus maidis was collected from coconut palms in Grenada, M. kindli was collected from grasses in a coconut plot in Trinidad and a new species of Melanoliarus was collected from coconut palms in Trinidad.

Identification of Green-Leaf Volatiles Released from Cabbage Palms () Infected with the Lethal Bronzing Phytoplasma.

Lethal bronzing (LB) is a fatal infection that affects over 20 species of palms (Arecaceae) and is caused by the phytoplasma ' Phytoplasma aculeata'. This pathogen causes significant economic losses to landscape and nursery companies in Florida, USA. Recently, the vector was determined to be the planthopper which was more abundant on LB-infected palms.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Tico (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) on palms in Costa Rica.

Tico is a small genus of planthopper comprised of four species primarily known from Costa Rica, with one species known from Trinidad and Venezuela. Recent survey work has documented multiple new species from palms and other broadleaf monocots in Costa Rica. Herein, a new species, Tico villablanca sp.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Haplaxius from Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Cixiidae).

Haplaxius is a large genus of New World cixiid planthoppers. The genus is of particular interest because Haplaxius crudus can transmit palm infecting phytoplasmas and the recent discovery of additional Haplaxius on palms during survey work highlights the need to fully understand the diversity of this genus on palms. Herein, a new species, Haplaxius cotinga sp.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Jamaha (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Nogodinidae) from the Northeastern coast of Jamaica.

A new species of Jamaha Gnezdilov & O'Brien, 2008, is described from Jamaica and compared with other species in the genus. A key to the species of Jamaha is provided. Molecular data for the five-prime region of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and 18S rRNA gene is provided and compared to available Colpopterini, with other Nogodinidae as the outgroup, for a preliminary phylogenetic analysis.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Haplaxius (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Cixiidae) from disturbed submontane rainforest in Jamaica.

Haplaxius is a large genus of cixiid planthopper found in the New World. The genus is of particular interest due to the ability of H. crudus to transmit the phytoplasmas for lethal decline in various palm species, primarily in the Caribbean and Florida, U.

A new species of planthopper from Costa Rica in the genus Herpis (Hemiptera: Derbidae) from palms in the cloud forest.

Recent survey efforts in Costa Rica have documented many new species of planthoppers, primarily in the families Derbidae and Cixiidae, on palms. Recently, a specimen was collected sweeping palms in the Los Angeles cloud forest in Costa Rica and was identified as belonging to the genus Herpis (Derbidae). It was subsequently determined to represent a previously undescribed species.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Anchimothon (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) on palms from Costa Rica.

Anchimothon is a small genus of derbid planthoppers known from Mesoamerica and northern South America. Recent survey efforts in the Caribbean basin have documented many new taxa of fulgoroids from palms. During this survey, a novel taxon identified as Anchimothon was collected from palm seedlings at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Tico (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Derbidae) on palms from lowland tropical rainforest in Costa Rica.

Recently, the genus Tico Bahder Bartlett was described as part of ongoing research focused on planthopper diversity on palms in Costa Rica to accommodate two new species and the transfer of one species from Cenchrea Westwood. Herein, a new species of Tico is described from palms and Heliconia spp. at the La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica.

A new species of planthopper in the genus Myconus (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea: Achilidae) from the Los Angeles Cloud Forest, Costa Rica.

Recent survey work in Costa Rica has resulted in the discovery of a wide variety of undescribed species of planthoppers in the families Derbidae and Cixiidae. During a light trapping event in the Los Angeles cloud forest, a large planthopper was collected and determined to belong to the genus Myconus in the family Achilidae. Herein, the novel taxon is described with accompanying molecular data for the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, 18S rRNA gene, and histone 3 (H3) gene and an updated key for the New World Myconus is provided.

Acquisition and Transmission of the Lethal Bronzing Phytoplasma by Using Infected Palm Spear Leaves and Artificial Feeding Media.

Lethal bronzing (LB) is a fatal palm disease caused by the phytoplasma ' Phytoplasma aculeata'. This disease causes significant economic losses in palm industries and landscapes. The American palm cixiid, , recently was identified as the vector of the phytoplasma.