Bemisia tabaci: A Statement of Species Status

Abstract

Bemisia tabaci has long been considered a complex species. It rose to global prominence in the 1980s owing to the global invasion by the commonly named B biotype. Since then, the concomitant eruption of a group of plant viruses known as begomoviruses has created considerable management problems in many countries. However, an enduring set of questions remains: Is B. tabaci a complex species or a species complex, what are Bemisia biotypes, and how did all the genetic variability arise? This review considers these issues and concludes that there is now sufficient evidence to state that B. tabaci is not made up of biotypes and that the use of biotype in this context is erroneous and misleading. Instead, B. tabaci is a complex of 11 well-defined high-level groups containing at least 24 morphologically indistinguishable species.

IPM in the transgenic era: a review of the challenges from emerging pests in Australian cotton systems

“…Over the past 10 years, B-biotype Bemisia tabaci (silverleaf whitefly) has gradually become a pest across the Australian cotton industry. This pest excretes sticky honeydew that contaminates cotton lint and reduces its value (Gunning et al 1995;De Barro et al 2011). It was first reported in cotton regions in 1994 (Gunning et al 1995), and the first major outbreak occurred in the northern production regions of central Queensland in 2001-02.…”

“…It was first reported in cotton regions in 1994 (Gunning et al 1995), and the first major outbreak occurred in the northern production regions of central Queensland in 2001-02. The reasons for the incremental rise in pest status of this species are complex, but essentially the invasive B-type silverleaf whitefly displaces the endemic nonpest Bemisia tabaci biotype (De Barro et al 2011), with resultant pest outbreaks occurring once the B-biotype becomes the dominant strain. Since 2001, outbreaks have been reported from virtually all cotton regions.…”

Plantas hospedantes de Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemíptera: Aleyrodidae), en áreas colindantes al cultivo de tomate, en la región este de Panamá

“…Aproximadamente, más de 600 especies pertenecientes a 74 familias de plantas, en agroecosistemas tropicales y subtropicales, presentan las diferentes fases de desarrollo de B. tabaci (Naik et al, 2003;Cuéllar y Morales, 2006). La capacidad de adaptación del grupo Medio Oriente-Asia Menor 1 (Middle East Asia Minor 1, MEAM1, anteriormente referida como biotipo B) de B. tabaci (De Barro et al, 2011;Lee et al, 2013) a este elevado número de especies vegetales, dificulta su manejo (Morales, 2006). Esta condición biológica favorece la diseminación de begomovirus, aunado a la capacidad del vector del grupo MEAM1 (Cuéllar y Morales, 2006).…”

“…Esta condición biológica favorece la diseminación de begomovirus, aunado a la capacidad del vector del grupo MEAM1 (Cuéllar y Morales, 2006). En Panamá, la predominancia de este grupo de B. tabaci y el desplazamiento del grupo del Nuevo Mundo (New World, NW, anteriormente referido como biotipo A) por el grupo MEAM1 (De Barro et al, 2011;Lee et al, 2013), es consecuencia de un proceso natural confirmado en otras regiones hortícolas de América Latina (Morales, 2006;Cuéllar y Morales, 2006). El daño directo causado por B. tabaci provoca desórdenes fisiológicos en la planta, entre estos la madurez irregular del fruto en el cultivo del tomate (Cuéllar y Morales, 2006).…”

Large-scale, spatially-explicit test of the refuge strategy for delaying insecticide resistance

“…We studied the B biotype of B. tabaci, also known as the Asia Minor-Middle East 1 species, which is a key pest of cotton and other crops in Arizona and worldwide (16). The insect growth regulators pyriproxyfen (a juvenile hormone analog) and buprofezin (a chitin synthesis inhibitor) are selective insecticides that have been used for whitefly control in Arizona cotton (Gossypium spp.)…”