Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata (2012) 144, 191-201

Jia Wang, Xiao-Li Bing, Meng Li, Gong-Yin Ye and Shu-Sheng Liu (2012)
Infection of tobacco plants by a begomovirus improves nutritional assimilation by a whitefly
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 144 (2), 191-201
Abstract: The invasive Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) cryptic species (formerly referred to as the B 'biotype') of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) complex has become a major crop pest worldwide due to its global invasion as well as epidemics of begomoviruses it transmits. Previous studies demonstrated that MEAM1 performed better on tobacco [Nicotiana tabacum L. (Solanaceae)] plants infected by Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) than on uninfected plants. However, mechanisms underlying the interactions are not completely understood. In this study, we compared the composition of sugars and amino acids in the phloem sap of uninfected and TYLCCNV-infected tobacco plants with or without whiteflies feeding on the plants. No significant differences were detected in terms of amino acid profiles, percentage of essential amino acids, and sugars:amino acids ratio. However, whiteflies feeding on TYLCCNV-infected plants excreted comparatively a lower percentage of amino acids, especially essential amino acids, or proportionally a higher level of sugars than those feeding on uninfected plants, suggesting that whiteflies feeding on virus-infected plants are able to achieve a more balanced nutritional assimilation. We also compared the honeydew excreted by viruliferous and non-viruliferous whiteflies feeding on cotton [Gossypium hirsutum L. (Malvaceae)], a non-host plant for TYLCCNV, to test the direct effects of the virus on whiteflies. Although the amino acids profiles in honeydew were similar between viruliferous and non-viruliferous whiteflies, the sugars:amino acids ratio in honeydew excreted by viruliferous whiteflies was lower than that of non-viruliferous whiteflies, suggesting that the viruliferous whiteflies assimilated a more imbalanced nutrition with proportionally more sugar. Taken together, our data indicate that although a plant virus may exert negative direct effects on its vector, feeding by the vector on virus-infected plants may improve nutritional assimilation and consequently performance of the vector.
(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): Shu-Sheng Liu

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
transmission/dispersal of plant diseases

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
	Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)