ScienceDaily (Jan. 19, 2007) — A tiny whitefly is responsible for spreading a group of plant viruses that cause devastating disease on food, fiber, and ornamental crops, say plant pathologists with The American Phytopathological Society (APS).

According to Judith Brown, professor of plant sciences at the University of Arizona's Department of Plant Sciences, the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (B. tabaci), is the exclusive insect vector (transmitter) for a large group of emerging plant viruses that infect several hundred plant species worldwide. "Once considered an obscure whitefly, B. tabaci is now among the most invasive and economically damaging insects to agriculture, spanning food and fiber crops, and certain nursery grown ornamentals, with the ability to infest more than 500 plant species," she said.

This whitefly and the plant viruses it transmits are no longer restricted to their native habitats or contained by natural geographic boundaries. "The increased importance of new and emerging plant viral pathogens is directly related to the adaptive capacity of B. tabaci and its ability to exploit agricultural systems," Brown said. B. tabaci has proven difficult to control partly because of its tendency to develop insecticide resistance.

"As the population levels of the whitefly B. tabaci continue to remain robust, new species of plant viruses will continue to emerge and cause damaging diseases in food and fiber crops," Brown said.

Early virus and vector detection, information about their distribution and host range, and knowledge about the mode of virus transmission by this whitefly are essential for managing the emerging plant viruses and the vector populations. Continued research to learn more about the biology and genetics of both the plant viruses and the whitefly is also needed.

More information on this insect and the plant viruses it transmits is available on the APS website at http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/btabaci/. APS is a non-profit, professional scientific organization.

The research of the organization's 5,000 worldwide members advances the understanding of the science of plant pathology and its application to plant health.

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. (Image courtesy of United States Department of Agriculture, WHITEFLY KNOWLEDGEBASE)

Related Stories

Whiteflies And Plant Viruses Can Help Each Other To Speed Up Biological Invasion (Feb. 2, 2007) — An invasive whitefly has developed mutualistic relationships with the plant viruses it transmits and is able to increase its population much faster on virus-infected plants than on healthy plants, ...  > read more

Plant Pathologists Explore Using Fungi To Control Plant Diseases (June 15, 2005) — The use of endophytes, non-harmful fungi, bacteria, or viruses that naturally grow inside plants, is an emerging tool for managing plant diseases, say plant pathologists with The American ...  > read more

Three Viruses Threaten Watermelon, Squash, Pumpkins, Cucumbers And Now Green Beans (Apr. 24, 2008) — Agricultural scientists have made recommendations to help growers deal with several whitefly-transmitted viruses that threaten cucurbits and other crops in that state. In recent years, the number of ...  > read more

Plant Pathologists: Rust Disease Impacting Ornamental Plant Production (Feb. 18, 2004) — An increase in the spread of rust diseases could have devastating results on the fast-growing ornamental crop industry, say pathologists with The American Phytopathological Society ...  > read more

Search ScienceDaily

HoneyBee Decline