Plant Viruses Transmitted by Thrips

Abstract

All thrips (order Thysanoptera) that are known to be vectors of plant viruses are identified and described. Thrips transmit plant viruses in the Tospovirus, Ilarvirus, Carmovirus, Sobemovirus and Machlomovirus genera. Tospoviruses are the cause of a number of significant emerging diseases, such as capsicum chlorosis and scape blight of onion. They infect thrips as well as plant hosts and the relationship between pathogen and vector is intimate. Once infected at the larval stage, adult thrips usually transmit tospovirsuses for life. Transmission to plant hosts occurs when thrips feed. Information on the distribution and hosts of all recognised thrips vectors is provided. Fourteen tospovirus species are described with information provided on other tospoviruses that have not yet been designated as species. The history of the research that has led to present knowledge is reviewed in chronological order for each tospovirus. The possible origin of tospoviruses is discussed. Information is presented on viruses, which are thrips-transmitted by mechanical processes, in other genera. Pathways of spread of thrips vectors in relation to the threat of tospoviruses to European agriculture are discussed.

Microsatellites reveal extensive geographical, ecological and genetic contacts between invasive and indigenous whitefly biotypes in an insular environment

“…In the past two decades, B. tabaci has become a major problem both as a pest and as vector of plant viruses, especially begomoviruses Jones, 2003;Varma & Malathi, 2003). However, it has been well known since the 1950s that this species covers several distinct entities named ' biotypes' (Bird & Maramorosch, 1978).…”

Suitability of various prey types for the development of Propylea japonica (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

“…The whitefly causes damage through feeding, honeydew production and resultant sooty mold, and disease transmission (Jones, 2003). Although this pest has been known as a sporadic pest of cotton in China for a long time, its B-biotype has not become an important pest in northern China until 2000 (Wu et al, 2002) and has spread to 19 provinces to date (Ren et al, 2001).…”

Ocorrência de Stethorus (Stehtorus) minutalus Gordon & Chapin (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) predando Bemisia tabaci biótipo B (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) em algodoeiro no Brasil

“…Ataca grandes culturas, plantas ornamentais e hortaliças tanto em sistema de cultivo protegido quanto em campo (Ahmad et al 2002, Chen et al 2004. O ataque da mosca-branca ocasiona signifi cativa redução na produção vegetal, devido à sucção de seiva, à indução de desordem fi siológica à planta, e também porque a mosca-branca age como vetor de vírus patogênicos em muitas plantas (Byrne & Miller 1990, Ahmad et al 2002, Jones 2003. Além disso, a excreção de substâncias açucaradas (honeydew) sobre as folhas da planta pelo inseto proporciona o desenvolvimento da fumagina que, por sua vez, inibe a fotossíntese bem como a respiração da planta (Byrne & Miller 1990, Davidson et al 1994 e ocasiona a depreciação de frutos (Alomar et al 2006), tal como melão e tomate.…”