Carbohydrate and amino acid composition of phloem sap and honeydew produced by Bemisia tabaci

Abstract

A Florida strain of sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), was found to have an expanded range which includes several new food crops. To determine why, we examined how it processes plant nutrients. The amino acid and carbohydrate content of phloem sap from poinsettia and pumpkin and of honeydew produced by the Florida strain were analysed. Honeydews produced by a strain from Arizona feeding on both plants were also analysed. Poinsettia phloem sap contained 15 amino acids; 14 of these were in pumpkin phloem sap. Almost all the same amino acids were in the honeydews produced by the two strains on the two hosts. Approximately half of the amino acids found in the honeydew were at concentrations which were significantly lower than concentrations in the phloem sap. Honeydew from both hosts contained six additional amino acids. The major one was glutanine which may be used to expel nitrogen. Carbohydrates in phloem sap and honeydew were common transport sugars, like sucrose. Both honeydews contained trehalulose, a disaccharide not previously associated with insects. Both strains processed phloem sap and honeydew from both plants in the same manner, but the Florida strain produced significantly larger quantities of honeydew; it is therefore assumed to process more phloem sap. Since this strain has access to more phloem sap it also has access to more of the amino acids which are in short supply in the phloem sap of some plants allowing it to broaden its range.