Bulletin of Entomological Research (2011) 101, 211-220

D.B. Sun, J. Xu, J.B. Luan and S.S. Liu (2011)
Reproductive incompatibility between the B and Q biotypes of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci in China: genetic and behavioural evidence
Bulletin of Entomological Research 101 (2), 211-220
Abstract: The B and Q 'biotypes' of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) have been invading many parts of the world and causing severe damage to a range of crops. Recent phylogenetic analyses indicate that B and Q are cryptic species within the B. tabaci species complex. Although various attempts have been made to examine the reproductive compatibility between B and Q, few studies have tested the fertility of the F1 females and so the extent of possible gene flow remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a series of crossing experiments and behavioural observations to examine in detail the reproductive compatibility between the B and Q biotypes collected from Zhejiang, China, a region recently invaded by these whiteflies. Crossing experiments between the two biotypes using either single-pairs or small groups demonstrated that proportions of females in the F1 progeny were only 0-2% in the inter-biotype crosses compared to 58-68% in the intra-biotype treatments. Furthermore, all inter-biotype F1 females were sterile. Continuous video observations showed that B and Q adults very rarely copulated, and copulation occurred only when adults of opposite sex from different biotypes were enclosed in dense cohorts for a relatively long period of time. These data show that the B and Q biotypes examined in this study are completely isolated in reproduction. The isolation was due to mainly a copulation barrier, but post-copulation barriers were also involved.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Jun-Bo Luan, Shu-Sheng Liu

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1		China (south)
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MED		China (south)