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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #373191
Research Project: Mitigating High Consequence Domestic, Exotic, and Emerging Diseases of Fruits, Vegetables, and Ornamentals

Location: Subtropical Plant Pathology Research

Title: Low frequency of horizontal and vertical transmission of cucurbit leaf crumple virus in whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius

Author
item GADHAVE, KIRAN - University Of Georgia
item GAUTAM, SAURABH - University Of Georgia
item DUTTA, BHABESH - University Of Georgia
item COOLONG, TIM - University Of Georgia
item Adkins, Scott
item SRINIVASAN, RAJAGOPALBABU - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/23/2020
Publication Date: 2/25/2020
Citation: Gadhave, K.R., Gautam, S., Dutta, B., Coolong, T., Adkins, S.T., Srinivasan, R. 2020. Low frequency of horizontal and vertical transmission of cucurbit leaf crumple virus in whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius. Phytopathology. 10. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-09-19-0337-R.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-09-19-0337-R

Interpretive Summary: Whiteflies transmit cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV) during feeding on squash, watermelon and green bean. Non-feeding transmission of CuLCrV through eggs and mating has not been investigated until this study. Although low frequencies of CuLCrV transmission through eggs and mating were detected, no infections of plants resulted from these whiteflies. Collectively, these results suggest that non-feeding modes of CuLCrV transmission may not significantly contribute to spread of CuLCrV in the field.

Technical Abstract: Whitefly transmission of the begomovirus cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV) via feeding is well established. However, transovarial and mating transmission of CuLCrV in whitefly have not been investigated until this study. Low rates of transovarial transmission (3-4%) were detected in whitefly adults and nymphs. Similarly, only a single viruliferous male was able to transmit CuLCrV by mating. Copy numbers of CuLCrV DNA A were significantly lower in non-feeding than feeding modes of transmission. No infections of plants resulted from whiteflies that acquired the virus by non-feeding modes. Taken together, these results suggest that non-feeding modes of CuLCrV transmission may not significantly contribute to spread of CuLCrV in the field.