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10-Minute Presentation

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

10-min: P-IE, Vectors of Plant Disease

Interactions between ambrosia beetles, their associated microorganisms, and the causal agent of the Dutch elm disease

Wednesday, November 12, 2025
2:54 PM - 3:06 PM Pacific
Location: Oregon Convention Center, D137-138, OCC
Oral Presentation

    Presenting Author(s)

  • JC

    Juan Carlos Cambronero-Heinrichs (he/him/his)

    Postdoctoral Researcher
    Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
    Heredia, Heredia, Costa Rica

    • Co-Author(s)

  • AP

    Alessia Lucia Pepori

    National Research Council, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (CNR-IPSP)
    Firenze, Toscana, Italy

  • Giacomo Santoiemma (he/him/his)

    Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova
    Padova, Veneto, Italy

  • AS

    Alberto Santini

    National Research Council, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (CNR-IPSP)
    Firenze, Toscana, Italy

  • FP

    Francesco Pecori

    National Research Council, Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (CNR-IPSP)
    Firenze, Toscana, Italy

  • Davide Rassati (he/him/his)

    Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE)
    Padova, Veneto, Italy

Dutch elm disease (DED) has caused devastating pandemics in natural elm populations across Europe, North America, and Asia. The primary vectors of DED are native elm-associated bark beetles of the genus Scolytus. However, there are evidence suggesting that ambrosia beetles may also carry Ophiostoma novo-ulmi and potentially transmit it to elm trees. In this study, we explored microbial interactions and host selection mechanisms that could support the role of ambrosia beetles as vectors of O. novo-ulmi. Our study showed that females of Anisandrus dispar, Xyleborinus saxesenii, Xylosandrus crassiusculus and Xylosandrus germanus emerging from both DED-infected and healthy-logs carried O. novo-ulmi DNA. Furthermore, we showed that none of the tested ambrosia beetle fungal symbionts were adversely affected by O. novo-ulmi, while Dryadomyces spp. and the bacterial symbiont Erwinia sp. 1C4 partially restricted or inhibited O. novo-ulmi growth without fully suppressing it. Overall, these findings provide additional evidence supporting the potential role of ambrosia beetles as vectors of DED and emphasize the need for further research on this understudied insect-pathogen relationship.