A new paper by VIRTIGATION partner UNICT published in the Journal of Applied Entomology investigated the geographic spread and diversity of the Bemisia tabaci whitefly in Italy.
Bemisia tabaci whitefly: a complex of +40 species
The Bemisia tabaci whitefly is a globally distributed pest that severely damages agricultural crops and ornamental plants by feeding on their sap. It is a complex of more than 40 species, each differing in life cycle parameters, fecundity, host preferences, insecticide resistance and efficiency of virus transmission. This devastating plant pest also harbors numerous facultative endosymbiotic bacteria that may provide fitness advantages contributing to its adaptability and global success. This is happening in a context where climate change is altering the geographic distribution of the Bemisia tabaci whitefly, enabling it to invade new environments and thus posing new challenges to horticultural value chain actors.
Population survey in horticultural areas in Sicily, Italy
Considering how the geographic distribution of the Bemisia tabaci species complex is changing rapidly, as well as the current lack of knowledge on the composition of its endosymbionts not only in Sicily, but throughout Italy. entomologists from VIRTIGATION partner UNICT conducted a population survey in the most important Sicilian horticultural production areas. The aim of this population survey was to generate and share new information which can be useful for value chain actors to develop innovative eco-compatible control strategies against this key vector of ToLCNDV, a devastating plant virus which is wreaking havoc across horticultural crops worldwide. Specifically, UNICT scientists sought to assess the species composition within the Bemisia tabaci complex, including their endosymbiont community and their geographic distribution in Sicily.
The results gathered by UNICT scientists show that the Bemisia tabaci whitefly’s MEAM1 species and two mitochondrial variants of Bemisia tabaci MED are present in pure or mixed populations. The MED Q1 presents the highest level of genetic variability within the MED populations in Sicily, having been found almost across the island. The MED Q2 was nearly exclusively detected in the Ragusa province of Sicily. MEAM1 individuals were rare and only found in two localities in the Sicilian Trapani province. The survey on endosymbionts community revealed the existence of a species specific composition, showing the lowest endosymbiont diversity in MED Q2 populations, typically characterized by only Rickettsia. Moreover, except for Portiera in MEAM1, no sequence variation was found within any endosymbiont sequence.
First report of whitefly endosymbionts sequences in Italy
Through their publication, the UNICT scientists improve current understanding of the geographic distribution and diversity of the Bemisia tabaci whitefly. Furthermore, their study defines an updated distribution map of cryptic species and phylogenetic groups of the Bemisia tabai whitefly complex, and also provides the first status on the endosymbiont community in Sicily. But more importantly, the UNICT findings represent the first report of whitefly endosymbionts sequences not only from Sicily, but from Italy as a whole.
More info about UNICT's Bemisia tabaci whitefly study
The full version of UNICT’s study in the Journal of Applied Entomology titled “Geographic distribution of Bemisia tabaci species in Sicily and patterns in facultative endosymbiont community composition” is available online here since 27 August 2023. It has been authored by UNICT’s principal investigators in VIRTIGATION, Alessia Farina, Giuseppe Cocuzza and Pompeo Suma, as well as Milan Milenovic. The dataset underlying UNICT’s peer-reviewed, open access scientific publication is available in the NCBI database. Find out more about VIRTIGATION’s scientific publications on our website here.
