Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata (2008) 129, 316-324

Jun-Bo Luan, Yong-Ming Ruan, Li Zhang and Shu-Sheng Liu (2008)
Pre-copulation intervals, copulation frequencies, and initial progeny sex ratios in two biotypes of whitefly, Bemisia tabaci
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 129 (3), 316-324
Abstract: The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) is a species complex, and its systematic classification requires controlled crossing experiments among its genetic groups. Accurate information on pre-copulation intervals, copulation frequencies, and initial frequency of egg fertilization of newly emerged adults is critical for designing procedures for collecting the virgin adults necessary for these experiments. In the literature, considerable variation is reported between B. tabaci populations, with respect to the length of the pre-copulation interval and the initial frequency of egg fertilization. Here, we used a video-recording method to observe continuously the copulation behaviour of the Mediterranean/Asia Minor/Africa (B biotype) and the Asia II (ZHJ1 biotype) groups of B. tabaci. We also recorded the initial frequency of egg fertilization, as determined by the sex of the progeny. When adults were caged in female-male pairs on leaves of cotton plants, the earliest copulation events occurred 2-6 h after emergence; at 12 h after emergence 56-84% of the females had copulated at least once, and nearly all (92-100%) had copulated at least once by 36 h after emergence. Both females and males copulated repeatedly. Approximately 80 and 20% of copulation events occurred during the photophase and scotophase, respectively. By 72 h post-emergence, the females of the B and ZHJ1 biotypes had copulated on average 6.1 and 3.9 times, respectively. When adults were caged in groups on plants 1-13 h after emergence, 30-35% of the eggs deposited during this period were fertilized, and approximately 90% of females were fertilized by the end of the 13 h. Although timing of copulation differed in detail between the two genetic groups, the results demonstrate that B. tabaci adults can start to copulate as early as 2-6 h post-emergence and the majority of females can become fertilized on the day that they emerge.
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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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1