Diversity analyses of corn leaf aphid Rhopalosiphum maidis (Hemiptera: Aphididae) endosymbiotic microbiome and soil microbiome—preliminary results

The corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch (Hemiptera: Aphididae), microbial symbiont and 9 soil-type microbial diversities were genetically analyzed along a gradient of maize management systems that includes 3 different crop control strategies from 3 climatic regions. The central point of interest was to assess whether any similarity could be detected between the corn leaf aphid’s rapid distribution increase throughout mainland Europe and variation in its endosymbiont microbiome diversity. According to the results, it was detected that the bacterial community differs between regions. The obligate symbiont Buchnera aphidicola dominated across all climate regions, while facultative symbionts such as Serratia symbiotica and Wolbachia varied in relative abundance under different temperature conditions. Fewer effects of soil types were detected. Our study comprises analyses about a pest aphid and its associated symbiont community in relation to ambient temperature conditions, and as such, we believe it may well help in the development of new control strategies.