Abstract
Multi-directional interactions occur among plant hosts, Brevipalpus mites and the plant viruses they transmit. Such interactions should be considered when evaluating the severity of a disease such as citrus leprosis. The current understanding of Brevipalpus-transmitted viruses relies on the capability of the vector to transmit the disease, the persistence of the virus in the host plant and the ability of the disease to spread. Previously, we discussed the Citrus leprosis virus (CiLV) and its importance and spread over the past decade into new areas of South and Central America, most recently into southern Mexico and Belize. Here, we address key questions to better understand the biology of the mite vector, fitness costs, and the peculiarities of Brevipalpus mite reproduction, virus survival, transmissibility and spread, and the expansion of the host plant range of Brevipalpus species vectoring the disease.
Highlights
Multi-directional interactions occur among plant hosts, Brevipalpus mites and the plant viruses they transmit
We address key questions to better understand the biology of the mite vector, fitness costs, and the peculiarities of Brevipalpus mite reproduction, virus survival, transmissibility and spread, and the expansion of the host plant range of Brevipalpus species vectoring the disease
This requires a closer look at their biology to determine the relationship of the species within the complex that vector diseases with the invasive viruses, such as citrus leprosis and related plant viruses
Summary
Previous papers have reviewed the basic biology of several Brevipalpus species on citrus, tea and other plants (Oomen 1982; Haramoto 1969, Chiavegato 1986, Childers et al 2003a, b). In mite populations on citrus from the Tocantins State in Brazil (Domingues and Rodrigues 1999) and Florida, males have been observed guarding the immature female teleiochrysalis stage followed by mating, once the adult female emerges (Fig. 1) This same behavior had been reported in the Tetranychoidea superfamily (Collins et al 1993). The spread and economic importance of Citrus leprosis virus (CiLV) into new areas of South and Central America (including Belize) and most recently into southern Mexico has been alarming (Table 1) The spread of this disease across such a large area could be associated with the great increase in the number of hectares of citrus under production in the region (host density) as well as the movement of infected plants and mites from areas where the disease has established. Uruguay Bolivia Venezuela Guatemala Panama Costa Rica Colombia Mexico (Chiapas) Mexico (Tabasco) Honduras Mexico (Oaxaca) Mexico (Campeche) Belize
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