Viruliferous Insects Research Articles

Beet curly top virus affects vector biology: the first transcriptome analysis of the beet leafhopper.

Curly top disease, caused by beet curly top virus (BCTV), is among the most serious viral diseases affecting sugar beets in western USA. The virus is exclusively transmitted by the beet leafhopper (BLH, Circulifer tenellus) in a circulative and non-propagative manner. Despite the growing knowledge on virus-vector interactions, our understanding of the molecular interactions between BCTV and BLH is hampered by limited information regarding the virus impact on the vector and the lack of genomic and transcriptomic resources for BLH. This study unveils the significant impact of BCTV on both the performance and transcriptome response of BLHs. Viruliferous BLHs had higher fecundity than non-viruliferous counterparts, which was evident by upregulation of differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) associated with development, viability and fertility of germline and embryos in viruliferous insects. Conversely, most DETs associated with muscle movement and locomotor activities were downregulated in viruliferous insects, implying potential behavioural modifications by BCTV. Additionally, a great proportion of DETs related to innate immunity and detoxification were upregulated in viruliferous insects. Viral infection also induced notable alterations in primary metabolisms, including energy metabolism, namely glucosidases, lipid digestion and transport, and protein degradation, along with other cellular functions, particularly in chromatin remodelling and DNA repair. This study represents the first comprehensive transcriptome analysis for BLH. The presented findings provide new insights into the multifaceted effects of viral infection on various biological processes in BLH, offering a foundation for future investigations into the complex virus-vector relationship and potential management strategies for curly top disease.

First Report of a Mastrevirus (Geminiviridae) Transmitted by the Corn Leafhopper.

Maize striate mosaic virus (MSMV; genus Mastrevirus) was recently reported in maize plants in Brazil and also detected by metagenomic analyses in the corn leafhopper, Dalbulus maidis (DeLong & Wolcott). Although these findings suggested that D. maidis is a potential vector, no transmission studies have been performed. Here, we tested the transmission of MSMV by D. maidis from field-collected infected plants and plants infected with MSMV via leafhopper-mediated transmission in the laboratory; all plants were confirmed positive for MSMV by PCR. In each one of three transmission replicates, aviruliferous D. maidis nymphs and adults were confined together on a source plant during a 4-day acquisition access period (AAP) and subsequently transferred to healthy maize seedlings (10 individuals per test plant) in a series of 4-day inoculation access periods (IAPs). We also tested transmission by the corn aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) and by mechanical inoculation of healthy maize seedlings. Only D. maidis transmitted MSMV, with overall transmission rates of 29.4 and 39.5% on field-collected infected plants and 18.5% on infected plants in laboratory. D. maidis transmitted MSMV until the third (8 to 12 days after the AAP) or fourth successive IAP (12 to 16 days), with gradual loss in transmission efficiency and rate of viruliferous insects over time, suggesting a persistent but nonpropagative mode of transmission. Infected test plants showed mottling symptoms with mild chlorotic streaks and height reduction. This is the first report of transmission of a mastrevirus by D. maidis, facilitating the completion of Koch's postulate for MSMV.

Detection of Strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV) and Identification of Viruliferous Insects Associated with Strawberry Plants (Fragaria sp.) in Bali

Plant pests and diseases cause decreases in strawberry yield in Bali, including plant viruses. Strawberry vein banding virus (SVBV) is a virus that infects strawberry plants and is transmitted by insects. However, studies about this disease in Bali are still limited. This study aimed to detect SVBV within insect bodies and determine the insect species of its vector. Methods used included (1) sampling; (2) detection of SVBV from insect bodies using primers (SVBV F/SVBV R) and PCR; and (3) molecular identification of viruliferous insect with primers (LCO 1490 F/HCO 2198 R) using PCR and sequencing analysis. This study successfully detected SVBV DNA in an insect from three insect families associated with strawberry plants in Pancasari Village, Buleleng Regency, Bali. Results from the nucleotide sequences analysis in SVBV viruliferous insects indicate that the insect was Myzus persicae.

Identification of candidate insect vectors of Grapevine red blotch virus by means of an artificial feeding diet

The ability of an insect to vector a plant virus has traditionally been determined through controlled greenhouse transmission experiments that are notoriously resource- and time-consuming and of unreliable outcome. Therefore, before committing to these protracted experiments, it is important that researchers identify biologically viable candidate vectors. This study presents an approach for identifying potential insect vectors of circulative plant viruses that significantly reduces the time-to-results while also reducing costs and required resources. This artificial transmission protocol, using a buffered sucrose solution as the virus recipient in place of a living plant, also eliminates plant-to-plant variation in susceptibility to infection, allowing assessment of virus–insect compatibility required for successful transmission of persistent viruses. To validate this approach, species of hemipteran insects, including leafhoppers, froghoppers, aphids, sharpshooters, and treehoppers, were subjected to an artificial feeding system to determine their ability to vector the emerging Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) (family: Geminiviridae). Test insects were allowed to feed on a potted grapevine infected with GRBV for 3 days and then transferred to tubes containing the sucrose solution partitioned by a thinly stretched Parafilm™ membrane. After 3 days of feeding through the membrane, viruliferous test insects were stored for species identification and the sucrose solutions were tested by conventional polymerase chain reaction for the presence of GRBV DNA. Out of all the insects tested (n = 395) only nine treehoppers from two different species successfully transmitted GRBV to the sucrose solutions, indicating a high likelihood of vector capability, to be validated by greenhouse or field experiments.

Evidence of no horizontal or vertical transmission of tomato severe rugose virus by Bemisia tabaci MEAM1

AbstractBemisia tabaci is important in agriculture worldwide, mainly because it is a vector of numerous plant viruses, probably the most important of which are members of the genus Begomovirus. Dozens of begomoviruses have been reported to infect tomato plants in Brazil, although tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV) predominates in tomato crops. ToSRV, found so far only in Brazil, is efficiently transmitted by B. tabaci MEAM1. However, no studies have assessed the occurrence of vertical and horizontal transmission of the virus in the insect, which may have epidemiological consequences affecting disease management. This study evaluated the possibility of transmission of ToSRV between whiteflies during copulation and transovarial transmission from viruliferous females of B. tabaci MEAM1 to their progeny. Transmission of ToSRV did not occur during mating between males and females of B. tabaci MEAM1. Aviruliferous males and females confined with viruliferous insects of the opposite sex were also unable to transmit the virus to tomato plants. ToSRV was detected, by PCR, in the ovaries of viruliferous females of B. tabaci MEAM1 but not in eggs, nymphs, or adults of the progeny of viruliferous females. Adult progeny of viruliferous females also did not transmit ToSRV to tomato plants. Together, the results indicate that vertical and horizontal transmission of ToSRV by B. tabaci MEAM1 is unlikely. Sustainable management of the tomato golden mosaic disease caused by ToSRV should continue to focus on using resistant varieties, managing sources of inoculum around tomato fields, and rational chemical control of the vector.

Rice virus release from the planthopper salivary gland is independent of plant tissue recognition by the stylet.

The transmission of plant viruses by arthropod vectors is closely related to feeding behavior. For persistently transmitted viruses, virus release means that virus moves through the salivary gland microvillus barriers of insects into plant via the stylet. However, whether virus release is dependent on plant tissue and component recognition by the stylet is unclear. In this study, the small brown planthopper (SBPH) and two rice viruses transmitted by it were used as a model to explore this question. After the viruliferous insects penetrated a stretched membrane without plant tissue structure and ingested liquid food (rice sap, nutrient solution or water), both viruses were detected in the liquid food after only a 6 min inoculation access period, suggesting that the viruses were released from SBPH salivary gland independent of plant tissue and component recognition by the stylet. In subsequent electrical penetration graph (EPG) analysis, N4a-like and N4b-like waveforms, similar to N4a (phloem salivation before ingestion) and N4b (sieve element ingestion), were observed during SBPH penetrating the membrane, exhibiting normal feeding activity of planthopper on membrane, which further demonstrated that virus release from salivary gland was along with feeding activity, without the stylet sensing plant tissue. EPG analysis and identification of salivary proteins indicated more active feeding behavior and efficient salivation in viruliferous planthoppers. These results suggest that the rice virus is released from insect salivary gland independent of plant tissue and component recognition by the stylet, and the simple virus release mode facilitates virus transmission by vectors. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Improved efficacy of neonicotinoid in tablet formulation on the control of\xa0tomato chlorosis virus by controlling the vector Bemisia tabaci

Neonicotinoid insecticides are used for preventing insects from transmitting plant viruses. This group of chemicals are easily taken up by plants and translocated to different tissues and are applicable for soil treatment in sustained-release tablets, which greatly reduces environmental contamination compared to foliar spray. The goal of this study was to examine the efficacy of thiamethoxam, acetamiprid and nitenpyram in tablet formulation against whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, the vector of tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Effective 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, and nitenpyram on B. tabaci were 2.18, 0.46 and 0.18 μg/g plant tissue, respectively. In vitro test showed that tablets of 10 mg nitenpyram applied in seedbed with thiamethoxam transplanting treatment showed 80.9% control of B. tabaci on tomato and 75.5% of ToCV after 32 days of transplanting. Therefore, neonicotinoid tablets were an effective strategy of soil treatment in controlling viruliferous insects and ToCV with reduced environmental contamination.

Coat protein 3 of Rice tungro spherical virus is the key target gene for development of RNAi mediated tungro disease resistance in rice

Rice tungro disease (RTD) is the most important viral disease of rice which limits its production and productivity in major rice growing regions of the world. The disease is caused by the combined action of Rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) and Rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV). The RTBV is primarily responsible for symptom development while RTSV encodes proteins required for virus transmission. In this study, we developed an RNAi gene construct containing highly conserved partial sequences of coat protein 3 (CP3) gene of RTSV. The transgenic rice plants were developed in the background of japonica rice cultivar Taipei-309 through Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation. The transgene showed stable inheritance as determined by PCR and Southern hybridization analyses. Two homozygous transgenic lines from the T4 generation were inoculated by virus through viruliferous insect vectors. These lines showed highly resistant phenotypes against the tungro disease which was further supported by studies of plant morphology and yield attributes. Also, the transgenic lines showed an inability to transmit the virus complex which could be due to suppression of RTSV proteins involved in virus transmission through insects. This study shows that CP3 of RTSV is a key target gene for development of RNAi mediated tungro disease resistance in rice.

Proximal remote sensing to differentiate nonviruliferous and viruliferous insect vectors – proof of concept and importance of input data robustness

Proximal remote sensing is being widely studied as a noninvasive method to partially automate diagnostics of plants and insects. The hypothesis that proximal remote sensing can be used to differentiate specimens of adult beet leafhoppers (Circulifer tenellus) that were nonviruliferous or viruliferous for beet curly top virus (BCTV) was tested. A key aspect of applications of proximal remote sensing is the ‘robustness’ or repeatability of input reflectance data. Many factors may contribute to low input reflectance data robustness; these include: (i) issues related to the consistency of proximal remote sensing conditions (light intensity and spectral composition, ambient temperature), (ii) insect specimen preparation (projection angle, storage and handling), and (iii) insect specimen characteristics (age, growing conditions, variety/biotype, host plant). This study demonstrates that nonviruliferous and viruliferous specimens of adult beet leafhoppers possess unique body reflectance features and, therefore, can be differentiated. However, insect specimen preparation (removal of wings and placement) markedly affected the classification accuracy. Addition of experimental noise to input reflectance data was conducted to simulate varying degrees of input reflectance data robustness. The potential of developing reflectance‐based diagnostic tools for detection of plant pathogenic viruses in insects is discussed, with an emphasis on input data robustness.

Maize Iranian mosaic virus infection promotes the energy sources of its insect vector, Laodelphax striatellus

AbstractMaize Iranian mosaic virus (MIMV, family Rhabdoviridae) causes an important disease in cereal crops in Iran. It is transmitted by the planthopper Laodelphax striatellus in a persistent, propagative manner. In the present study, the effect of MIMV on the energy reserves of L. striatellus was studied by comparing energy contents in viruliferous and non‐viruliferous insects. Results showed that MIMV‐infected male and female adults, and nymphs stored 1.82, 2.24 and 1.7‐fold more total energy reserves than non‐viruliferous individuals. This is consistent with a 2.55‐fold increase of the total energy (sum of energy sources in nymphs and adults) of viruliferous compared to non‐viruliferous specimens. A significant increase in glycogen (2.26‐fold), carbohydrate (2.13‐fold), lipid (1.63‐fold) and protein (1.96‐fold) was documented in viruliferous insects compared to non‐viruliferous insects. Based on these results, we conclude that MIMV enhances the energy reserves of its vector and therefore, may play a vital role in the ecology of L. striatellus.

Investigation of Viruliferous Insect Rate of Planthoppers Captured by Smart Sky Net Trap (SSNT) in Korea during 2015-2017

Investigation of Viruliferous Insect Rate of Planthoppers Captured by Smart Sky Net Trap (SSNT) in Korea during 2015-2017

Nanopore Sequencing as a Surveillance Tool for Plant Pathogens in Plant and Insect Tissues

Plant pathogens are constantly emerging and spreading into new areas and there are often limited postdiagnosis treatment options for infection, making surveillance key to their control. Here we present results from a study testing the efficacy of a portable nanopore-based massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technology for use in the detection of diverse plant pathogens in selected samples. The Oxford MinION device was coupled with whole transcriptome amplification (WTA) to sequence the metatranscriptome of plant and insect tissues infected with either Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus or plum pox virus. Results showed that this methodology is useful for detecting unsuspected viral and bacterial pathogens in plant and insect tissues. The percentage of generated reads assigned to plum pox virus was 95% from infected tissue and 3% from the viruliferous insect, Myzus persicae. Diaphorina citri sequencing led to 22% of the reads mapping as Ca. L. asiaticus. Plum pox virus and Ca. L. asiaticus were detected in both tissue and insect samples near the beginning of each sequencing run, demonstrating the capability of this methodology to obtain results rapidly. This approach also proved the capability of this system to determine the major components of the insect vector's microbiome and the specific strain of small-genome, high-titer pathogens.

Bioassays on the role of tomato, potato and sweet pepper as sources of Tomato chlorosis virus transmitted by Bemisia tabaci MEAM1

Tomato chlorosis virus, transmitted by Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 in a semipersistent manner, is widely spread in solanaceous producing region in Brazil, as tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), potato (S. tuberosum) and sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum). The interactions between tomato, potato and sweet pepper in the virus acquisition and transmission processes by the vector were studied. ToCV-infected potato and tomato plants were used as sources of inoculum for the vector, which subsequently transmitted the virus to tomato, potato, and sweet pepper plants in choice tests of inoculated species. For no choice tests, having tomato as the source of inoculum, ToCV transmission rates for tomato, potato and sweet pepper were 53.3%, 50%, and 16.6%, respectively. When ToCV-infected potato was the source of inoculum, the transmission rates for tomato, potato and sweet pepper were 30%, 46.6 and 3.3%, respectively. In the trials with free-choice and ToCV-infected tomato as the source of inoculum, virus transmission rates for tomato, potato and sweet pepper were 50%, 35 and 0%, respectively. With ToCV-infected potato as source of inoculum, transmission rates were 25%, 10 and 0% for tomato, potato and sweet pepper, respectively. When viruliferous insects were used in trials with free-choice for the vector, transmission rates were 40%, 45 and 0% for tomato, potato and sweet pepper, respectively. Based on statistical analysis using the logistic regression model, tomato was the best source of inoculum, while sweet pepper was the least susceptible to infection and less preferred by whiteflies than the other Solanaceae species.

Settling preferences of the whitefly vector Bemisia tabaci on infected plants varies with virus family and transmission mode

AbstractVirus infection may change not only the host‐plant phenotypic (morphological and physiological) characteristics, but can also modify the behavior of their insect vector in a mutualistic or rather antagonistic manner, to promote their spread to new hosts. Viruses differ in their modes of transmission and depend on vector behavior for successful spread. Here, we investigated the effects of the semi‐persistently transmitted Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV, Crinivirus) and the persistent circulative Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV, Begomovirus) on alighting preferences and arrestment behavior of their whitefly vector Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) on tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Santa Clara, Solanaceae). The vector alighting preferences between infected and uninfected plants in choice assays were apparently influenced by the presence of ToCV and ToSRV in the whiteflies or by their previous exposure to infected plants. The observed changes in vector behavior do not seem to benefit the spread of ToCV: non‐viruliferous insects clearly preferred mock‐inoculated plants, whereas ToCV‐viruliferous insects landed on mock‐inoculated and ToCV‐infected plants, indicating a partial change in insect behavior – ToCV was able to directly affect the preference of its vector B. tabaci, but this change in insect behavior did not affect the virus spread because viruliferous insects landed on mock‐inoculated and infected plants indistinctly. In contrast, ToSRV‐viruliferous insects preferred to land on mock‐inoculated plants, a behavior that increases the probability of spread to new host plants. In the arresting behavior assay, the majority of the insects remained on mock‐inoculated plants when released on them. A greater number of insects moved toward mock‐inoculated plants when initially released on ToCV‐ or ToSRV‐infected plants, suggesting that these viruses may repel or reduce the nutritional quality of the host plants for B. tabaci MEAM1.

Insights Into the Ecology of Grapevine red blotch virus in a Diseased Vineyard.

Limited information is available on the spread of Grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV, genus Grablovirus, family Geminiviridae) in vineyards. To investigate ecological aspects of red blotch disease spread, sticky cards to catch flying insects were placed in 2015 (April to November) and 2016 (March to November) in a vineyard study site in California where disease incidence increased by nearly 20% between 2014 and 2016. Subsets of insect species or taxa were removed from sticky card traps and individual specimens were tested for the presence of GRBV by multiplex polymerase chain reaction. GRBV was consistently detected in Spissistilus festinus (Membracidae), Colladonus reductus (Cicadellidae), Osbornellus borealis (Cicadellidae), and a Melanoliarus sp. (Cixiidae). Populations of these four candidate vectors peaked from June to September, with viruliferous S. festinus peaking from late June to early July in both years. An assessment of co-occurrence and covariation between the spatial distribution of GRBV-infected vines and viruliferous insects identified a significant association only with viruliferous S. festinus. These findings revealed the epidemiological relevance of S. festinus as a vector of GRBV in a vineyard ecosystem. Sequencing coat protein and replicase-associated protein gene fragments of GRBV isolates from newly infected vines and viruliferous vector candidates further suggested secondary spread primarily from local sources and occasionally from background sources.

Pest categorisation of Beet curly top virus (non-EU isolates).

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of non‐EU isolates of Beet curly top virus (BCTV) for the European Union territory. The virus causes severe diseases in beet, tomatoes and pepper crops, occurs predominantly in warm and dry zones and is reported from many countries outside the EU in particular from western USA and Mexico. New data from complete virus genomes make BCTV a well characterised virus species of which currently 11 strains are known and for which diagnostic methods are available. BCTV has a very broad host range of more than 300 species some of which may remain symptomless. Aside from vegetative propagation of infected plants, the only mode of BCTV transmission and spread is by the leafhopper Circulifer tenellus which efficiently transmits the virus in a persistent mode and which is present in several southern EU Member States. No current reports of BCTV presence in the EU exist and because of doubts about the accuracy of older reports, BCTV likely is absent from the EU territory. BCTV can enter into the EU with viruliferous insects and with imports of plants not subject to specific EU regulation. Because both the virus and its vector have a wide host range, BCTV is expected to establish and spread in the Member States where its vector is present and to cause severe diseases in sugar beet and tomato as well as in other crops. Overall, BCTV non‐EU isolates meet all the criteria evaluated by EFSA to qualify as a Union quarantine pest and do not meet the criterion of presence in the EU to qualify as a Union regulated non‐quarantine pest (RNQP). The main uncertainties concern (1) the presence of BCTV in the EU, (2) the distribution of C. tenellus and (3) the main commodities for virus entry.

Quantitative analysis of Rice stripe virus in a transovarial transmission cycle during the development and reproduction of its vector, Laodelphax striatellus.

The amount of Rice stripe virus (RSV) maintained through transovarial transmission was analyzed during the development and reproduction of its vector, Laodelphax striatellus. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR analysis was used to quantify RNA expressed from the RSV coat protein (CP) gene as an estimate of RSV content in nymphs and adults of L. striatellus at various developmental stages. The 18S ribosome RNA gene of L. striatellus was chosen as the reference for calculating RSV CP expression using the comparative Ct method. Based on the CP transcript levels, the amount of RSV did not differ significantly throughout the nymphal stage or between adult females of different ages; however, RSV content tended to increase slightly as males became older. The average RSV content in males was 1.30-2.49 times that in females. The amount of RSV in L. striatellus adults was compared between generations. The RSV content of female adults did not differ significantly between the parent and progeny populations three of three different females. L. striatellus grown to adults on a susceptible cultivar and five RSV-resistant cultivars were compared to analyze whether the amount of RSV varied among cultivars. Although the amount of RSV in L. striatellus adults differed significantly among the six rice cultivars evaluated, the difference seemed independent of whether resistance genes were present. In addition, the percentage of viruliferous insects was similar among cultivars.

Flupyradifurone effectively manages whitefly Bemisia tabaci MED (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and tomato yellow leaf curl virus in tomato.

The cotton whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is among the most important pests of numerous crops and a vector of more than 100 plant viruses, causing significant crop losses worldwide. Managing this pest as well as inhibiting the transmission of major viruses such as tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) are of utmost importance for sustainable yields. The efficacy against both whitefly and virus transmission of the novel systemic butenolide insecticide flupyradifurone was investigated in this study. The inhibition of TYLCV transmission by flupyradifurone was compared to that by thiamethoxam, a neonicotinoid insecticide reported to inhibit virus transmission. The experiment was performed under high virus pressure conditions (10 viruliferous insects per plant for 48 h) using a fully characterized field strain of B. tabaci. The insecticides were foliarly applied at recommended label rates under greenhouse conditions. Flupyradifurone suppressed virus transmission by 85% while levels of suppression after thiamethoxam treatments were just 25% and significantly lower. In untreated control plots, 100% of plants were infected by TYLCV. The observed difference in the potential to suppress virus transmission is linked to a strong knockdown effect as well as prolonged feeding inhibition in flupyradifurone treatments. Flupyradifurone is shown to be an extremely useful, fast-acting, new chemical tool in integrated crop management offering simultaneous control of whiteflies and strong suppression of viral infections via its rapid knockdown action and good residual activity. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Disease outbreaks in plant-vector-virus models with vector aggregation and dispersal

While feeding on host plants, viruliferous insects serve as vectors for viruses. Successful viral transmission depends on vector behavior. Two behaviors that impact viral transmission are vector aggregation and dispersal. Vector aggregation may be due to chemical or visual cues or feeding preferences. Vector dispersal can result in widespread disease outbreaks among susceptible host plants. These two behaviors are investigated in plant-vector-virus models. Deterministic and stochastic models are formulated to account for stages of infection, vector aggregation and local dispersal between adjacent crops. First, models for a single crop are studied with aggregation included implicitly through the acquisition and inoculation rates. Second, models with aggregation and dispersal of vectors are studied when one field contains a disease-sensitive crop and another a disease-resistant crop. Analytical expressions are computed for the basic reproduction number in the deterministic models and for the probability of disease extinction in the stochastic models. These two expressions provide useful measures to assess effects of aggregation and dispersal on the rate of disease spread within and between crops and the potential for an outbreak. The modeling framework is based on cassava mosaic virus that causes significant damage in cassava crops in Africa.

Differential proteomics profiling of the ova between healthy and Rice stripe virus-infected female insects of Laodelphax striatellus.

Rice stripe virus-infected females of the small brown planthopper (SBPH, Laodelphax striatellus) usually lay fewer eggs with a longer hatch period, low hatchability, malformation and retarded or defective development compared with healthy females. To explore the molecular mechanism of those phenomena, we analyzed the differential proteomics profiling of the ova between viruliferous and healthy female insects using an isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) approach. We obtained 147 differentially accumulated proteins: 98 (66.7%) proteins increased, but 49 (33.3%) decreased in the ova of the viruliferous females. RT-qPCR was used to verify the 12 differential expressed proteins from iTRAQ, finding that trends in the transcriptional change for the 12 genes were consistent with those at the proteomic level. Differentially expressed proteins that were associated with meiosis (serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2B and cyclin B3) and mitosis (cyclin B3 and dynein heavy chain) in viruliferous ova may contribute to low hatchability and defective or retarded development. Alterations in the abundance of proteins involved in the respiratory chain and nutrition metabolism may affect embryonic development. Our study begins to explain macroscopical developmental phenomena and explore the mechanisms by which Rice stripe virus impacts the development of SBPH.