Transmission of Cassava brown streak virus by Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)

• Published in: Journal of phytopathology Vol. 153; no. 5; pp. 307 - 312
• Main Authors: Maruthi, M.N, Hillocks, R.J, Mtunda, K, Raya, M.D, Muhanna, M, Kiozia, H, Rekha, A.R, Colvin, J, Thresh, J.M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin, Germany Blackwell Verlag GmbH 01-05-2005; Blackwell
• Subjects: Bemisia afer; Bemisia tabaci; Biological and medical sciences; Cassava brown streak virus; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; insect vectors; Ipomovirus; Manihot esculenta; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; plant viruses; Plant viruses and viroids; Potyvirus; RT-PCR; vector; virus transmission; whitefly; Africa; Tanzania; Plant pathology; Microbiology; Plant pathogen; Insecta; Transmission; Homoptera; Dicotyledones; RT-PCR; Angiospermae; whitefly; Euphorbiaceae; Adult; Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; Vector; Human; Cassava brown streak virus; Manihot esculenta; Bemisia afer; Virus; Vegetable crop; Arthropoda; Ipomovirus; Bemisia tabaci; Environment; Aleyrodidae; Spermatophyta; Tuber plant; Invertebrata; Detection; Potyviridae
• ISSN: 0931-1785; 1439-0434
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0434.2005.00974.x

Two whitefly species, Bemisia afer (Priesner & Hosny) and B. tabaci (Gennadius) were used in transmission experiments with Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) (Ipomovirus; Potyviridae). Adults of whiteflies were given access to CBSV by containing them in clip cages on CBSV‐infected cassava plants. Whiteflies were then transferred, together or separately, to CBSD‐susceptible cassava plants of var. ‘Albert’ in a controlled environment. In glasshouse experiments, whiteflies were caged with CBSV‐infected and virus‐free cassava plants. Transmission of CBSV was sporadic and occurred in three of seven experiments when inoculated by B. afer and B. tabaci or B. tabaci alone, but not by B. afer alone. However, rate of transmission was low (maximum 22%) even when using high whitefly numbers of up to 120 per target plant. Successful transmission was confirmed by the detection of CBSV by reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Spread of cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) in the field in Tanzania coincided with increases in whitefly numbers; further supporting the evidence that B. tabaci is a vector of CBSV. The results of this study establish for the first time that B. tabaci is the vector of CBSV, similar to other ipomoviruses.