1. | Ascertain the entire bacterial diversity and community composition of individual psyllid specimens from 25 psyllid species. |
2. | Demonstrate the presence of Carsonella in each individual. |
3. | Identify the dominant S-endosymbionts that may be complementing the role of Carsonella and evolving towards obligate mutualism. |
4. | Establish the relative bacterial titre relationships of P- and S-endosymbionts across a subset of seven psyllid species. |
5. | Test the previously raised hypothesis that gall-forming species contain a lower diversity of endosymbionts because plant galls may be a more stable nutrient source than unmodified leaf tissue and, more generally, the impact of ecological niche on bacterial community structure. |
6. | Test if there are differences in S-endosymbiont incidence and prevalence within psyllid species across locations (including between native and invasive ranges). |
7. | Detect potential signatures of incipient symbiont complementation or replacement in terms of loss or acquisition of multiple S-endosymbionts. |
8. | Detect potential plant pathogens vectored by psyllid species. |