BACKGROUND The fungal pathogen, Beauveria bassiana, is an efficient biocontrol agent against a variety of agricultural pests. A thorough understanding of the basic principles of insect-fungus interactions may enable the genetic modification of Beauveria bassiana to enhance its virulence. However, the molecular mechanism of insect response to Beauveria bassiana infection is poorly understood, le...

For the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii (Bellows and Perring) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae), scanning and transmission electron microscopic techniques were used to observe the characteristics of egg oviposition into both plant cells/tissues and artificial membranes, and to document the morphology of mature egg pedicles removed from the ovaries of females. The exterior of the distal portion...

The potato yellow vein disease, caused by the potato yellow vein virus (PYVV), is a limiting potato disease in northern South America. The virus can be transmitted either by the greenhouse whitefly (GWF), Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), or through vegetative propagules, such as infected tubers. Recently, GWF populations have been spotlighted as one of the main dri...

Human-mediated bioinvasions provide the opportunity to study the early stages of contact between formerly allopatric, divergent populations of a species. However, when invasive and resident populations are morphologically similar, it may be very difficult to assess their distribution in the field, as well as the extent of ecological overlap and genetic exchanges between invasive and resident po...

Intraguild predation (IGP) takes place when natural enemies that use similar resources attack each other. The impact of IGP on biological control can be significant if the survival of natural enemy species is disrupted. In the present study, we assessed whether Geocoris punctipes (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) engages in IGP on Eretmocerus eremicus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) while developing on whitefl...

The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), vectors numerous plant viruses, including Sweet potato leaf curl virus (SPLCV), a begomovirus. Experiments were conducted on seedlings of an indicator plant, the Brazilian morningglory (Ipomoea setosa Ker Gawl.), and sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] to assess acquisition, retention and transmission of SPLCV by B. tabaci. Assays were ...

BACKGROUND Plant-pathogenic begomoviruses have a complex association with their insect vectors. The interactions of begomoviruses and reproduction of their vectors are poorly understood. Bemisia tabaci is known to transmit many begomoviruses, and the spread of B. tabaci, especially the B and Q 'biotypes', has been accompanied by the epidemics of begomoviruses. One of these identified disease-ca...

The genus Crinivirus includes the whitefly-transmitted members of the family Closteroviridae. Whitefly-transmitted viruses have emerged as a major problem for world agriculture and are responsible for diseases that lead to losses measured in the billions of dollars annually. Criniviruses emerged as a major agricultural threat at the end of the twentieth century with the establishment and natura...

Examination of four species of aphid and four of whitefly showed that mannitol was present in each species of aphid, while sorbitol was present in the whitefly species. In the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, the total body content of mannitol was considerably higher at noon than during the early morning. A similar increase in the sorbitol content of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argenti...