Eliane D Quintela1, Aluana G Abreu2, Julyana F Dos S Lima3, Gabriel M Mascarin2, Jardel B Dos Santos4, Judith K Brown5. 1. EMBRAPA Arroz e Feijão, Santo Antônio de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil. eliane.quintela@embrapa.br. 2. EMBRAPA Arroz e Feijão, Santo Antônio de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil. 3. Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. 4. Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Tocantins, Lagoa da Confusão, Tocantins, Brazil. 5. School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) was observed to have completed its reproductive cycle from the egg to the adult on maize (Zea mays L.). Field and screenhouse studies were carried out to investigate the durability of this putative and unprecedented adaptation to a grass host. RESULTS: Analysis of the mitochondrial COI gene sequence identified the maize-associated B. tabaci as the exotic B biotype (major clade North Africa-Mediterranean-Middle East). Results showed that whiteflies migrated from soybean crops and successfully established in maize plants. Females exhibited a preference for oviposition primarily on the first and second leaves of maize, but were also able to colonise developing leaves. A high, natural infestation on maize (193.3 individuals, all developmental stages) was observed within a 7.1 cm2 designated 'observation area'. Whiteflies collected from naturally infested maize leaves and allowed to oviposit on maize seedlings grown in a screenhouse developed from egg to adulthood in 28.6 ± 0.2 days. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of the B biotype completing its development on maize plants. This surprising anomaly indicates that the B biotype is capable of adapting to monocotyledonous host plants, and importantly, broadens the host range to include at least one species in the Poaceae.
BACKGROUND:Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) was observed to have completed its reproductive cycle from the egg to the adult on maize (Zea mays L.). Field and screenhouse studies were carried out to investigate the durability of this putative and unprecedented adaptation to a grass host. RESULTS: Analysis of the mitochondrial COI gene sequence identified the maize-associated B. tabaci as the exotic B biotype (major clade North Africa-Mediterranean-Middle East). Results showed that whiteflies migrated from soybean crops and successfully established in maize plants. Females exhibited a preference for oviposition primarily on the first and second leaves of maize, but were also able to colonise developing leaves. A high, natural infestation on maize (193.3 individuals, all developmental stages) was observed within a 7.1 cm2 designated 'observation area'. Whiteflies collected from naturally infested maize leaves and allowed to oviposit on maize seedlings grown in a screenhouse developed from egg to adulthood in 28.6 ± 0.2 days. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of the B biotype completing its development on maize plants. This surprising anomaly indicates that the B biotype is capable of adapting to monocotyledonous host plants, and importantly, broadens the host range to include at least one species in the Poaceae.
Authors: Karla de Castro Pereira; Eliane Dias Quintela; Vinicius A do Nascimento; Daniel José da Silva; Dannilo V M Rocha; José Francisco A Silva; Steven P Arthurs; Moacir Rossi Forim; Fabiano Guimarães Silva; Cristiane de Melo Cazal Journal: Plants (Basel) Date: 2022-04-22
Authors: Karla de Castro Pereira; Eliane Dias Quintela; Daniel José da Silva; Vinicius Alves do Nascimento; Dannilo V M da Rocha; José Francisco Arruda E Silva; Moacir Rossi Forim; Fabiano Guimarães Silva; Cristiane de Melo Cazal Journal: Molecules Date: 2018-08-16 Impact factor: 4.411
Authors: Andrew Kalyebi; Sarina Macfadyen; Andrew Hulthen; Patrick Ocitti; Frances Jacomb; Wee Tek Tay; John Colvin; Paul De Barro Journal: Insects Date: 2021-03-22 Impact factor: 2.769
Authors: Jorge R Paredes-Montero; Muriel Rizental; Eliane Dias Quintela; Aluana Gonçalves de Abreu; Judith K Brown Journal: Ecol Evol Date: 2022-01-23 Impact factor: 2.912