Abstract: 【Aim】To investigate whether the interspecific interaction of Nilaparvata lugens and Sogatella furcifera leads to changes in their symbiotic bacteria. 【Methods】N. lugens and S. furcifera were reared in either pure- or mixed-species cultures, and the diversity of the symbiotic bacteria of these populations was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. 【Results】The structure of the symbiotic bacterial communities of both N. lugens and S. furcifera in mixed-species culture changed significantly as compared with that of both N. lugens and S. furcifera in pure-species culture, and the symbiotic bacterial community structural convergence of N. lugens and S. furcifera  in mixed-species culture was observed. The diversity of the symbiotic bacteria of N. lugens in mixed-species culture was significantly enhanced as compared with that in pure-species culture. A total of 133 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) in N. lugens and 143 ASVs in S. furcifera were defined as potential horizontally transferred species. 【Conclusion】 Interspecific interaction between N. lugens and S. furcifera alters the symbiotic bacterial communities of the hosts, providing a new perspective of symbiotic bacteria for studying the interspecific interaction between planthoppers.

Key words: Nilaparvata lugens, Sogatella furcifera, rice pests, interspecific interaction, symbiotic bacteria