title: Host suitability comparison between the MEAM1 and AsiaII 1 cryptic species of Bemisia tabaci in cotton-growing zones of Pakistan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bemisia tabaci is a cryptic species complex. In Pakistan, members of the complex, MEAM1 and AsiaII 1, are the predominant species infesting cotton. The biology of the two on cotton, collard, cucumber and tomato was studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all cases there were significant interactions between species and host. MEAM1 developmental periods did not differ significantly across hosts, whereas AsiaII 1 developed more slowly on vegetables than on cotton. MEAM1 survival was highest on tomato (53.5 ± 1.1%), while AsiaII 1 survived best on cotton (67.3 ± 11.6%). MEAM1 longevity and fecundity were highest on tomato (14.7 ± 1.7 days and 82.4 ± 9.9 eggs), while AsiaII 1 longevity and fecundity were highest on cotton (23.7 ± 2.5 days and 135.2 ± 13.6 eggs). The MEAM1 intrinsic rates of increase (r(m)) on cotton and vegetable were similar (0.08-0.10), whereas the AsiaII 1 r(m) on cotton (0.15) was higher than on vegetables (0.11-0.13). The biology of MEAM1 from Pakistan was compared with published studies; it had a consistently slower rate of development, lower percentage survival, lower adult longevity, longer generation time, lower net reproductive rate and lower r(m).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MEAM1 performed similarly across all hosts, whereas AsiaII 1 performed better on cotton. The comparison between the Pakistani MEAM1 with published studies suggests that the invasive MEAM1 may have higher performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Muhammad Z
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naveed
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noor ul Ane
authors.forename: Shun-Xiang
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Barro
authors.forename: Bao-Li
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005298:Fertility; D003368:Gossypium / Q000469:parasitology*; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D058865:Introduced Species; D008136:Longevity; D010154:Pakistan; D011157:Population Dynamics; D014675:Vegetables / Q000469:parasitology*
keywords: Bemisia tabaci; Pakistan; cotton; host plant; life table; vegetable