Novel but stable endosymbionts have contrasting effects on aphid dispersal and plant feeding damage in the cereal pest Diuraphis noxia.

Transinfected endosymbionts in Diuraphis noxia have contrasting effects on crop damage and dispersal, with Rickettsiella increasing damage and reducing dispersal, and Regiella decreasing both.

• Why it matters: Understanding how endosymbionts influence pest behavior and plant damage could inform new strategies for pest control, addressing the need for sustainable crop protection methods.
• What they did: Researchers transinfected Rickettsiella viridis and Regiella insecticola into D. noxia and examined their effects on population growth, alate production, dispersal, and crop damage, observing stable maintenance and contrasting impacts.
• The result: Rickettsiella increased feeding damage and suppressed dispersal, while Regiella reduced both aphid population growth and feeding damage, suggesting potential for endosymbiont-based pest management approaches.