Abstract
The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is one of the most invasive pest species worldwide. Q and B biotypes are the two most devastating species within the B. tabaci complex. Bemisia tabaci can vector hundreds of plant viruses that seriously threaten crop production. Endoparasitoid, Encarsia formosa Gahan, is widely used to control whiteflies, however, little is known about the effects of virus-infected plants on E. formosa parasitism of B. tabaci. Here, we reported that tomato, which was infected with Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV), altered the host selection of E. formosa between B. tabaci Q and B biotypes. On healthy tomato plants, parasitism and host selection by E. formosa did not differ between the 3rd-instar nymphs of B. tabaci Q and B biotypes. On TYLCV-infected tomato plants, however, B. tabaci Q biotype were significantly more attractive to E. formosa than B biotype. When TYLCV-infected tomato plants were infested with B. tabaci Q or B biotype, volatile profiles differed quantitatively but not qualitatively. Olfactometer assays suggested that the preference of E. formosa to Q over B biotype was associated with an elevated level of β-Myrcene, β-Ocimene, β-Caryophyllene, and α-Humulene from TYLCV-infected tomato plants.
Highlights
Parasitoid wasps, during foraging, may encounter various and multiple situations or factors, such as insect species and these insect-borne pathogens; this would make the parasitoids foraging more complicated and difficult (Ponzio et al, 2013, 2016a; Li et al, 2014; Martini et al, 2014; Mauck et al, 2015)
On tomato leaves in the laboratory, parasitism of 3rd-instar nymphs of B. tabaci by E. formosa females did not differ between biotype Q and B on Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV)-free tomato plants (P = 0.834, Figure 1A)
When tomato plants were not infected with TYLCV in Ytube olfactometer assays, the naive E. formosa females showed no significant preference for plants infested with 3rd-instar nymphs of biotype Q vs. biotype B of B. tabaci (P = 0.424, Figure 2)
Summary
Parasitoid wasps, during foraging, may encounter various and multiple situations or factors, such as insect species and these insect-borne pathogens; this would make the parasitoids foraging more complicated and difficult (Ponzio et al, 2013, 2016a; Li et al, 2014; Martini et al, 2014; Mauck et al, 2015). Numerous evidences have indicated that the pathogen, herbivory or ovipositioninduced plant volatiles are important infochemicals and reliable indicators to many parasitoid species for seeking and locating their hosts (McCormick et al, 2012; Li et al, 2014; Martini et al, 2014; Mauck et al, 2015; Ponzio et al, 2016a,b).
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