Probing and feeding characteristics of the greenhouse whitefly in association with host‐plant acceptance and whitefly strains

Abstract

Host-plant and whitefly strain effects and their interactions on the probing and sap feeding of the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), have been investigated in this study using the DC-EPG (Electrical Penetration Graph) technique. Whiteflies generally displayed fewer but longer probes on highly acceptable cucumber than on less acceptable tomato. Both whitefly strains, the T(omato)-strain and the C(ucumber)-strain, showed a significantly lower number of phloem phases on cucumber than on tomato. However, the duration of total phloem phases achieved by either of the whitefly strains on these two host plants was not significantly different. These data indicate that a more continuous phloem feeding has occurred on cucumber plants. Indeed, the percentage of phloem feeding time after the first sustained phloem phase (longer than 15 min) was higher on cucumber for the C-strain whiteflies. When comparing these two whitefly strains, the T-strain whiteflies probed less frequently but longer than the C-strain whiteflies did on both host plants. Also, the T-strain whiteflies displayed a longer duration of total phloem phases on tomato. An interaction between the whitefly strain and plant effects was detected on a parameter, which showed that whiteflies probed significantly longer before reaching the first phloem phase on the host plants that had been previously experienced. In conclusion, both plant species and whitefly strains affect whitefly's probing and feeding behaviour, though plant effects are much stronger.

Effects of plant tissue factors on the acceptance of four greenhouse vegetable host plants by the greenhouse whitefly: an Electrical Penetration Graph (EPG) study

“…This result indicates that the acceptance of a host plant by whitefly may be modulated by previous experience on that plant, and this modulation can occur within hours. Similar results have been reported previously by van Lenteren & Noldus (1990) and Lei et al (1998). When whitefly are transferred from a poor to a good host plant, they accept the good plant more readily (as defined by longer feeding and more oviposition on that plant) than when transferred from a better or equally good host plant (van Lenteren & Noldus, 1990).…”

Electronically monitored stylet penetration pathway of woolly apple aphid,Eriosoma lanigerum(Homoptera: Aphididae), on apple(Malus domestica)

“…The technique has been used to monitor other insect species such as white flies on tomato, cucumber, and sweet pepper leaves (Janssen et al 1989;Lei et al 1996Lei et al , 1998Jiang et al 1999), thrips on cucumber leaves and chrysanthemum petals (Harrewijn et al 1996a,b), and mealybugs on cassava plants (Calatayud et al 2001). In this paper we discuss the different characteristics in EPG waveforms of woolly apple aphid on lignified plant tissues as described by Eames & Laurence (1925).…”

Anomalous stylet punctures of phloem sieve elements by aphids

“…Three probing phases, each comprising one ore more waveforms have been distinguished. The technique has been used in many applied studies, such as host plant resistance ( Van Helden & Tjallingii, 1993;Caillaud et al, 1995;Lei et al, 1998) and virus transmission (Prado & Tjallingii, 1994;Martin et al, 1997) as well as in fundamental studies (Tjallingii & Hogen Esch, 1993). Aphid EPGs show many brief intracellular punctures of plant cells by the aphid stylets.…”