Molecular characterization and first report of Wolbachia strains of the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in populations from Argentina

The grapevine moth Lobesia botrana is a major pest of vineyards worldwide. Chemical insecticides and the sexual confusion technique are used to reduce damage. Several biological control approaches are being studied, including the use of the obligate intracellular bacteria Wolbachia, however, this method has been little explored. To use this bacterium for pest control it is necessary to know if the target pest is infected. The aim of this study was to examine Wolbachia infection in L. botrana populations from different vine growing areas of San Juan, Argentina. Lobesia botrana were captured in vineyards using sticky traps with pheromones. Wolbachia infection was diagnosed using a specific PCR test and fully characterized using Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) analyses. All populations tested were positive for Wolbachia, representing the first record of Wolbachia strains in grapevine moths from Argentina. The MLST analyses showed that Wolbachia strain belongs to supergroup B, clustering with other Wolbachia moth strains. More research is needed to understand the relationship between the grapevine moth and Wolbachia and how to use this to manage pests.