Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus Benefits Population Growth of the Q Biotype of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Abstract

Plant viruses can directly influence their insect vectors, and indirectly through their shared host plant, altering their behavior and performance in a mutualistic or rather antagonistic manner. One of the most studied begomovirus, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), may also facilitate the expansion of its vector, the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Considering the likely expansion of the disease and its major vector, we studied the direct and the indirect effects of a Mediterranean isolate of this virus (TYLCV-IL) on the biological performance of the Q biotype of B. tabaci. The following parameters were examined: development time and viability of nymphs, sex ratio, fecundity, and fertility and longevity. The results varied from positive to neutral depending on the parameter and the effect studied. TYLCV accelerated nymphal developmental and increased male longevity of B. tabaci when viruliferous insects developed on TYLCV-immune eggplants (direct effects). An indirect, positive effect of TYLCV-infected plants was observed on fecundity of B. tabaci, which laid more eggs on virus-infected than on noninfected tomato plants. Our results show that TYLCV enhances the population increase of its whitefly vector and that there is a high risk of rapid expansion of both the virus and its vector-the MED species of B. tabaci-into new areas when both agents interact together.

Keywords: Begomovirus; insect-plant-pathogen interaction; whitefly.