Viral infection of tobacco plants improves performance of Bemisia tabaci but more so for an invasive than for an indigenous biotype of the whitefly.
The ecological effects of plant-virus-vector interactions on invasion of alien plant viral vectors have been rarely investigated. We examined the transmission of Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) by the invasive Q biotype and the indigenous ZHJ2 biotype of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, a plant viral vector, as well as the influence of TYLCCNV-infection of plants on the performance of the two whitefly biotypes. Both whitefly biotypes were able to acquire viruses from infected plants and retained them in their bodies, but were unable to transmit them to either tobacco or tomato plants. However, when the Q biotype fed on tobacco plants infected with TYLCCNV, its fecundity and longevity were increased by 7- and 1-fold, respectively, compared to those of the Q biotype fed on uninfected tobacco plants. When the ZHJ2 biotype fed on virus-infected plants, its fecundity and longevity were increased by only 2- and 0.5-fold, respectively. These data show that the Q biotype acquired higher beneficial effects from TYLCCNV-infection of tobacco plants than the ZHJ2 biotype. Thus, the Q biotype whitefly may have advantages in its invasion and displacement of the indigenous ZHJ2 biotype.
Liu
Jian
J
Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029, China.
Li
Meng
M
Li
Jun-min
JM
Huang
Chang-jun
CJ
Zhou
Xue-ping
XP
Xu
Fang-cheng
FC
Liu
Shu-sheng
SS
D000818:Animals; D053839:Begomovirus / Q000235:genetics; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006430:Hemiptera; D008297:Male; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000821:virology*
D004279:DNA, Viral