Distribution and phylogenetics of whiteflies and their endosymbiont relationships after the Mediterranean species invasion in Brazil

Letícia Aparecida De Moraes,Renate Krause-Sakate,Fábio Nascimento Da Silva,Murad Ghanim,Danielle Ribeiro De Barros,Cristiane Muller,Hélio Minoru Takada,Antônio Santos,Regiane Cristina Oliveira De Freita Bueno,Vinicius Henrique Bello,Luís Fernando Maranho Watanabe,Beatriz Rosa Santos,Laura Boykin,Julio Massaharu Marubayashi,Carolina Garcia Neves,Marcelo Agenor Pavan,Mayra Juline Gonçalves,Bruno Rossitto De Marchi,Valdir Atsushi Yuki

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-32913-1

Abstract

The Bemisia tabaci is a polyphagous insect and a successful vector of plant viruses. B. tabaci is a species complex and in Brazil native species from the New World (NW) group, as well as the invasive species, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED) were reported. For better understanding the distribution of the different species four years after the Mediterranean species invasion in Brazil, whiteflies were collected from 237 locations throughout the country between the years of 2013 and 2017, species were identified and the facultative endosymbionts detected. The survey revealed that MEAM1 was the prevalent species found on major crops across Brazil. It is the only species present in North, Northwestern and Central Brazil and was associated with virus-infected plants. MED was found in five States from Southeast to South regions, infesting mainly ornamental plants and was not associated with virus-infected plants. The prevalent endosymbionts identified in MEAM1 were Hamiltonella and Rickettsia; and the mtCOI analysis revealed low genetic diversity for MEAM1. In contrast, several different endosymbionts were identified in MED including Hamiltonella, Rickettsia, Wolbachia and Arsenophonus; and two distinct genetic groups were found based on the mtCOI analysis. Monitoring the distribution of the whiteflies species in Brazil is essential for proper management of this pest.

Highlights

The Bemisia tabaci is a polyphagous insect and a successful vector of plant viruses
Over the past two decades, one of the most highlighted agricultural issue has been the emergence of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) as a polyphagous phloem-feeder colonizing more than 600 host plants[1] and being a successful vector that transmits over 300 plant virus species[2]
Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) was associated with three whitefly transmitted viruses: Cowpea mild mottle virus (CpMMV) in soybean from São Paulo and Bahia States; Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV) in tomato from São Paulo State

Summary

Introduction

B. tabaci is a species complex and in Brazil native species from the New World (NW) group, as well as the invasive species, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED) were reported. Several different endosymbionts were identified in MED including Hamiltonella, Rickettsia, Wolbachia and Arsenophonus; and two distinct genetic groups were found based on the mtCOI analysis. The tomato [Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus (Solanaceae)] crop was severely affected by MEAM1 invasion with reports of at least 14 distinct indigenous tomato-infecting begomoviruses emerging locally following the introduction of MEAM1 in Brazil[27]. The more recent survey of whiteflies in Brazil done in 2015/2016, reported a second invasion of MED in the States of São Paulo and Paraná, associated to ornamental plants[31]

Methods

Results

Conclusion