Publications by authors named "Michela Berta"
Article Synopsis
- Most sap-feeding insects, like the pear psyllid, rely on bacteria for essential nutrients, but little is known about how these bacteria's populations change seasonally.
- A study using quantitative PCR tracked the dual endosymbionts "Candidatus Carsonella ruddii" and "Ca. Psyllophila symbiotica" in Cacopsylla pyricola over a year, finding that immature psyllids had the highest levels of both bacteria.
- The density of Carsonella stayed stable during the growing season but dropped during the non-vegetative period, while Psyllophila levels fluctuated throughout the year, suggesting different metabolic roles in the host's life stages.
