Assessing aphids potato virus Y-transmission efficiency: A new approach

► An alternative method was developed to optimize aphid PVY-transmission efficiency. ► In vitro plantlets and electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique were used. ► Aphid feeding behaviour link to virus acquisition process is species-specific. ► High transmission efficiencies are reported for Myzus persicae and Sitobion avenae. ► A weak virus transmission efficiency is not compensated by a large number of vectors.