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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #130870
Title: TOMATO MOTTLE VIRUS (TOMOV) EFFECTS WHITEFLY OVIPOSITION AND ADULT SURVIVORSHIP ON HEALTHY TOMATO

Author
item McKenzie, Cindy

Submitted to: Silverleaf Whitefly Research, Action and Technology Transfer Plan
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/25/2002
Publication Date: 12/10/2002
Citation: Mckenzie, C.L. 2002. Tomato mottle virus (tomov) effects whitefly oviposition and adult survivorship on healthy tomato. Silverleaf Whitefly Research, Action and Technology Transfer Plan.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The effect of plant viruses on the reproductive potential of the vector is key to understanding geminivirus epidemiology and developing effective control measures. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of tomato mottle virus (ToMoV) on whitefly (WF) oviposition and survival rates on healthy tomato. Adult Bemisia tabaci biotype B were obtained from USHRL laboratory colonies. In each experiment, one male and one female WF of unknown age from healthy or ToMoV-infected WF colonies were confined in clip cages attached to the terminal leaf of the third fully expanded leaflet of a healthy cv. Florida Lanai plant. A minimum of 8 replicates was used for all treatments. Experiments were repeated five times. Results were pooled over experiments for mean comparison. In the last two experiments, progeny from cohorts used in the oviposition clip cage experiments (n = 15) were used to include survival to adult emergence which was evaluated 30 days after egg lay to ensure that all viable whiteflies had emerged. WF infected with ToMoV deposited significantly more eggs (F=19.51; df=1,80; P less than 0.01) on healthy tomato leaves than nonviruliferous WF (~40%). No significant difference between virus-infected and nonviruliferous WF for the number of adults emerged or the proportion of those adults surviving from the egg stage was detected. No significant correlation between the number of eggs deposited per female and progeny survival rates on healthy tomato for WF infected w/or w/out the virus was detected. Insect adaptation to the host-plant is a critical factor that should be considered on a host-by-host basis when evaluating insect biology and vector-host-plant interactions for polyphagous insect species.