Effect of Banana bunchy top virus on the life cycle and fecundity of its insect vector

Abstract

Pentalonia nigronervosa and Pentalonia caladii are insect vectors of Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) on banana plants. The virus that circulates in the body of its insect vector may affect the insect’s physiology or life cycle. This study aimed to determine the life cycles and fecundity of P. nigronervosa and P. caladii after they acquired BBTV. The experiment used a completely randomized design with 4 treatments, i.e., viruliferous (P1) and non-viruliferous (P2) P. nigronervosa, viruliferous (P3) and non-viruliferous (P4) P. caladii. Viruliferous and non-viruliferous aphids were obtained by feeding the insects on BBTV-infected and healthy banana leaves, respectively. The experimental results showed that both species’ life cycles and fecundity of viruliferous and non-viruliferous aphids differed significantly. Nymphs and adult periods of P1 were 2.70 days and 1.26 days shorter than those of P2, respectively; while nymphs and adult periods of P3 were 0.9 days and 1.8 days shorter than those of P4, respectively. The average fecundity of P1 (34.22+0.82) was higher than that of P2 (19.64+0.55), and P3 (25.80+0.60) was higher than that of P4 (19.32+0.45). This proves that BBTV causes a shorter life cycle and higher fekundity of aphid vectors.