Distribution frequency of endosymbionts and genetic characterisation of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on Fabaceous host plants in India

Abstract

A study was carried out to determine the genetic diversity and distribution of known endosymbionts in the populations of Bemisia tabaci from three host plants (soya bean, mungbean and subabool). The presence of five endosymbiont (Portiera, Rickettsia, Wolbachia, Cardinium and Arsenophonus) were checked in B. tabaci populations. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial cytochrome I gene showed the presence of Asia II-1 and Asia II-7 genetic groups for B. tabaci. Individual were perused for symbiotic bacterial infection using specific primers targeting 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA gene. Portiera was present in all the B. tabaci samples. However, differences were observed in the circulation frequencies of secondary endosymbionts among the B. tabaci populations. A noteworthy difference was observed in the distribution frequency of Cardinium in between soyabean and subabool along with mungbean and subabool with the p-values as 0.037 and 0.001, respectively. The irregular presence of secondary endosymbionts supports the supposition that each endosymbiotic bacterium not only has a role in the survival but may also have a role in the polyphagous nature of B. tabaci. It also delivers an elementary evidence for progressive studies by targeting the endosymbionts for control measures of this notorious insect pest.