Genetic diversity and geographic distribution of Bemisia tabaci and Trialeurodes vaporariorum in Costa Rica

The tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) cryptic species complex and of the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) are extensively reported as destructive pests in vegetable crops worldwide. A survey was conducted in 2011 and 2012 to determine the occurrence and genetic diversity present in the populations of these whiteflies in the major vegetable production areas of Costa Rica. Insect samples were collected from sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and weeds present in commercial crops either in open field or greenhouse conditions. PCR‐RFLP analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (mtCOI) sequences of 621 whitefly individuals confirmed the presence of the Mediterranean (MED) type of the B. tabaci and of T. vaporariorum in most sampled regions. Also, individuals of the Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) type of the B. tabaci were observed in low numbers. Contingency analyses based on type of crop, geographical region, whitefly species, year of collection and production system confirmed that T. vaporariorum was the most frequent species in vegetable production areas in Costa Rica, both in greenhouses and in open fields. B. tabaci MED is likely spreading to new areas of the country, whereas B. tabaci MEAM1 was mostly absent or rarely found. Comparisons of mtCOI sequences from B. tabaci individuals revealed the presence of four B. tabaci sequence haplotypes (named MED‐i, MED‐ii, MEAM1‐i, MEAM1‐xviii) in Costa Rica, three of them identical to B. tabaci haplotypes previously reported in the Western Hemisphere and other parts of the world. Analysis of sequences of T. vaporariorum individuals revealed a more complex population with the presence of 11 haplotypes, two of which were identical to T. vaporariorum sequences reported from other countries.     

A new record for Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) species complex of Turkey

In this study, species complex of Turkish Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) populations was determined by PCR‐based DNA analysis. According to phylogenetic analyses, the B. tabaci samples have been identified within three generic groups. A major part of the samples belonged to two invasive species, either Middle East–Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) or Mediterranean (MED). In addition to these two invasive species, several samples collected from greenhouses and cotton fields have been found to be related to Middle East–Asia Minor 2 (MEAM2), which is the first record of Turkish B. tabaci species complex.     

Species and endosymbiont diversity of Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on vegetable crops in Senegal

Bemisia tabaci‐transmitted geminiviruses are one of the major threats on cassava and vegetable crops in Africa. However, to date, few studies are available on the diversity of B. tabaci and their associated endosymbionts in Africa. More than 28 species have been described in the complex of B. tabaci cryptic species; among them, 2 are invasive pests worldwide: MED and MEAM1. In order to assess the species diversity of B. tabaci in vegetable crops in Senegal, several samplings in different localities, hosts and seasons were collected and analyzed with nuclear (microsatellite) and mitochondrial (COI) markers. The bacterial endosymbiont community was also studied for each sample. Two species were detected: MED Q1 and MEAM1 B. Patterns of MED Q1 (dominance on most of the samples and sites, highest nuclear and mitochondrial diversity and broader secondary endosymbiont community: Hamiltonella, Cardinium, Wolbachia and Rickettsia), point toward a predominant resident begomovirus vector group for MED Q1 on market gardening crops. Furthermore, the lower prevalence of the second species MEAM1 B, its lower nuclear and mitochondrial diversity and a narrower secondary endosymbiont community (Hamiltonella/Rickettsia), indicate that this genetic group is exotic and results from a recent invasion in this area.     

Abundance of Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and its parasitoids on vegetables and cassava plants in Burkina Faso (West Africa)

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a pest of many agricultural and ornamental crops worldwide and particularly in Africa. It is a complex of cryptic species, which is extremely polyphagous with hundreds of host plants identified around the world. Previous surveys in western Africa indicated the presence of two biotypes of the invasive MED species (MED‐Q1 and MED‐Q3) living in sympatry with the African species SSA and ASL. This situation constitutes one of the rare cases of local coexistence of various genetic entities within the B. tabaci complex. In order to study the dynamics of the distribution and abundance of genetic entities within this community and to identify potential factors that could contribute to coexistence, we sampled B. tabaci populations in Burkina Faso in 2015 and 2016 on various plants, and also their parasitoids. All four genetic entities were still recorded, indicating no exclusion of local species by the MED species. While B. tabaci individuals were found on 55 plant species belonging to eighteen (18) families showing the high polyphagy of this pest, some species/biotypes exhibited higher specificity. Two parasitoid species (Eretmocerus mundus and Encarsia vandrieschei) were also recorded with E. mundus being predominant in most localities and on most plants. Our data indicated that whitefly abundance, diversity, and rate of parasitism varied according to areas, plants, and years, but that parasitism rate was globally highly correlated with whitefly abundance suggesting density dependence. Our results also suggest dynamic variation in the local diversity of B. tabaci species/biotypes from 1 year to the other, specifically with MED‐Q1 and ASL species. This work provides relevant information on the nature of plant–B. tabaci‐parasitoid interactions in West Africa and identifies that coexistence might be stabilized by niche differentiation for some genetic entities. However, MED‐Q1 and ASL show extensive niche overlap, which could ultimately lead to competitive exclusion.     

Phenolics,rather than glucosinolates,mediate host choice of Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 and MED on five cabbage genotypes

Worldwide, the most two important cryptic species of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are MEAM1 (Middle East–Asia Minor 1, “B” biotype) and MED (Mediterranean, “Q” biotype). Although both B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED are polyphagous, they differ greatly in host choice and performance on various host plants. MEAM1 prefer to settle and perform better than MED on cabbage (Brassica oleracea), for example, but the underlying mechanism is largely unexplored. In the present study, we first measured the contents of the main secondary insect-resistant substances (glucosinolates and phenolics) and main nutrients (soluble proteins, total amino acids and total nitrogen) in five cabbage genotypes. We then examined the settling and oviposition choices of MEAM1 and MED on the five cabbage genotypes, respectively. The settling and oviposition preferences of both MEAM1 and MED were negatively related to the content of total phenolics rather than to the content of glucosinolates or main nutrients. Furthermore, our results showed that MEAM1 ranked the host quality of the cabbage genotypes more accurately than MED. The results at least in part indicate that total phenolics rather than glucosinolates mediate the host choice of B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED on the five cabbage genotypes.     

Genetic groups and endosymbiotic microbiota of the Bemisia tabaci species complex in Japanese agricultural sites

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is a cryptic species complex of at least 24 genetically distinct species. Thus far, one obligate and seven facultative symbiotic bacteria have been reported from the B. tabaci species complex. Both genetic groups and infected symbionts are extremely important to estimate the pest status of B. tabaci. In this study, we collected 340 whiteflies from 39 agricultural sites, covering an entire region of the B. tabaci habitat in Japan, and examined the genotypes and symbiont community composition at subspecies level. Use of the cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence technique and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene sequencing detected five genetic groups: indigenous species JpL and Asia II 6, invasive species Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean Subclade Q1 (MED Q1), and a genetic group previously undetected in Asia, Mediterranean Subclade Q2 (MED Q2). The genetic groups exhibited characteristic infection statuses with regard to their facultative symbionts, as observed in other countries. The endosymbiotic microbiota of the Japanese MED Q1 was different from that in neighbouring countries, but similar to that in the French or Uruguayan MED Q1. These results may indicate that Japanese MED Q1 species have not invaded from neighbouring countries, but from distant countries by international transportation. All Japanese MED Q2 species were infected with Rickettsia, some of which are regarded as conferring a female‐biased sex ratio and fitness benefit on B. tabaci. The results suggest that MED Q2 may be prevalent in Japan and neighbouring countries.     

Diversity of secondary endosymbionts among different putative species of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci

Abstract Endosymbionts are important components of arthropod biology. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a cryptic species complex composed of ≥ 28 putative species. In addition to the primary endosymbiont Portiera aleyrodidarum, six secondary endosymbionts (S‐endosymbionts), Hamiltonella, Rickettsia, Wolbachia, Cardinium, Arsenophonus and Fritschea, have been identified in B. tabaci thus far. Here, we tested five of the six S‐endosymbiont lineages (excluding Fritschea) from 340 whitely individuals representing six putative species from China. Hamiltonella was detected only in the two exotic invaders, Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED). Rickettsia was absent in Asia II 1 and MED, scarce in Asia II 3 (13%), but abundant in Asia II 7 (63.2%), China 1 (84.7%) and MEAM1 (100%). Wolbachia, Cardinium and Arsenophonus were absent in the invasive MEAM1 and MED but mostly abundant in the native putative species. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses revealed that some S‐endosymbionts have several clades and different B. tabaci putative species can harbor different clades of a given S‐endosymbiont, demonstrating further the complexity of S‐endosymbionts in B. tabaci. All together, our results demonstrate the variation and diversity of S‐endosymbionts in different putative species of B. tabaci, especially between invasive and native whiteflies.     

Cover Caption

The whitefly vector of viruses Bemisia tabaci is one of the major threats on cassava and vegetable crops in Africa. More than 28 species have been described in the complex of B. tabaci cryptic species; among them, two are invasive pests worldwide (MEAM1 and MED), bearing a large and species specific endosymbiont community. To date, this is the first time that MEAM1and MED were described in Senegal together with their prevalence and associated endosymbiont community on vegetable crops (see pages 386–398). Photo by Antoine Franck, CIRAD, UMR PVBMT.     

Multiplex loop‐mediated isothermal amplification assay for the identification of three major whitefly species in the greenhouse

A multiplex loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) assay was developed for the identification of three species of whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, Bemisia tabaci Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED), major pests in the greenhouse. Each of the specific LAMP primer sets was designed based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene sequence. The mLAMP reactions using primer mixtures labelled with fluorescent dye were performed at 63°C for 60 min and centrifuged with polyethyleneimine. Thus, T. vaporariorum, MEAM1 and MED were clearly identified by the colour precipitates under UV light. The mLAMP procedure described in this study is cost‐effective and can be performed in the field not only in the laboratory, because this method is a single analysis and does not need a special gene amplification device.     

The ability to manipulate plant glucosinolates and nutrients explains the better performance of Bemisia tabaci Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 than Mediterranean on cabbage plants

The performance of herbivorous insects is greatly affected by host chemical defenses and nutritional quality. Some herbivores have developed the ability to manipulate plant defenses via signaling pathways. It is currently unclear, however, whether a herbivore can benefit by simultaneously reducing plant defenses and enhancing plant nutritional quality. Here, we show that the better performance of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci Middle East‐Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1; formerly the “B” biotype) than Mediterranean (MED; formerly the “Q” biotype) on cabbage is associated with a suppression of glucosinolate (GS) content and an increase in amino acid supply in MEAM1‐infested cabbage compared with MED‐infested cabbage. MEAM1 had higher survival, higher fecundity, higher intrinsic rate of increase (r_m), a longer life span, and a shorter developmental time than MED on cabbage plants. Amino acid content was higher in cabbage infested with MEAM1 than MED. Although infestation by either biotype decreased the levels of total GS, aliphatic GS, glucoiberin, sinigrin, glucobrassicin, and 4OH‐glucobrassicin, and the expression of related genes in cabbage, MED infestation increased the levels of 4ME‐glucobrassicin, neoglucobrassicin, progoitrin, and glucoraphanin. The GS content and expression of GS‐related genes were higher in cabbage infested with MED than with MEAM1. Our results suggest that MEAM1 performs better than MED on cabbage by manipulating host defenses and nutritional quality.     

Genetic identification of members of the Bemisia tabaci cryptic species complex from South Africa reveals native and introduced haplotypes

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci cryptic species complex contains some important agricultural pest and virus vectors. Members of the complex have become serious pests in South Africa (SA) because of their feeding habit and their ability to transmit begomovirus species. Despite their economic importance, studies on the biology and distribution of B. tabaci in SA are limited. To this end, a survey was made to investigate the diversity and distribution of B. tabaci cryptic species in eight geographical locations (provinces) in SA, between 2002 and 2009, using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) sequences. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of members from two endemic sub‐Saharan Africa (SSAF) subclades coexisting with two introduced putative species. The SSAF‐1 subclade includes cassava host‐adapted B. tabaci populations, whereas the whiteflies collected from cassava and non‐cassava hosts formed a distinct subclade, referred to as SSAF‐5, and represent a new subclade among previously recognized southern Africa clades. Two introduced cryptic species, belonging to the Mediterranean and Middle East–Asia minor 1 clades, were identified and include the B and Q types. The B type showed the widest distribution, being present in five of the eight provinces explored in SA, infesting several host plants and predominating over the indigenous haplotypes. This is the first report of the occurrence of the exotic Q type in SA alongside the more widely distributed B type. Furthermore, mtCOI PCR‐RFLP was developed for the SA context to allow rapid discrimination between the B, Q and SSAF putative species. The capacity to manage pests and disease effectively relies on knowledge of the identity of the agents causing the damage. Therefore, this study contributes to the understanding of South African B. tabaci species diversity, information needed for the development of knowledge‐based disease management practices.     

A one‐step,single tube,duplex PCR to detect predation by native predators on invasive Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 and Frankliniella occidentalis

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) MEAM1 (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), two important invasive species, are serious agricultural pests. In this study, a one‐step, single tube, duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was developed to allow rapid, specific, and sensitive identification of B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis in predator guts. The system and conditions used for the duplex PCR were optimized. The species specificity of the duplex PCR determined by comparison against non‐targets that might interact with B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis showed that oligonucleotide primers amplified nuclear gene target sequences present only in B. tabaci MEAM1 or F. occidentalis. The limits of detection were 9.53 ng μl^?1 for B. tabaci MEAM1 and 8.94 ng μl^?1 for F. occidentalis. Within a field cage study, in which predators Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Orius sauteri (Poppius) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) were allowed to feed on B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis for 10 h, the B. tabaci MEAM1 DNA was detectable in 100% of H. axyridis and O. sauteri, and F. occidentalis DNA was detectable in 80% of H. axyridis and 90% of O. sauteri; this implicated that B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis remains could be detected in native predator guts simultaneously. The accuracy and reliability of the assay suggested strongly that the duplex PCR optimized for B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis is sensitive and specific for both invasive insects and is therefore useful in early diagnosis and monitoring of B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis infections, and can be used to identify domestic predator species and food web relationships.     

A shift of vector specificity acquired by a begomovirus through natural homologous recombination

Recombination is common in plant viruses such as geminiviruses, but the ecological and pathogenic consequences have been explored only in a few cases. Here, we found that a new begomovirus, tomato yellow leaf curl Shuangbai virus (TYLCSbV), probably originated from the recombination of Ageratum yellow vein China virus (AYVCNV) and tobacco curl shoot virus (TbCSV). Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation showed that TYLCSbV and AYVCNV have similar levels of infectivity on tomato and tobacco plants. However, the two viruses exhibit contrasting specificities for vector transmission, that is, TYLCSbV was efficiently transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean (MED) rather than by the whitefly B. tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), whereas AYVCNV was more efficiently transmitted by MEAM1. We also showed that the transmission efficiencies of TYLCSbV and AYVCNV are positively correlated with the accumulation of the viruses in whitefly whole bodies and organs/tissues. The key coat protein amino acids that determine their accumulation are between positions 147 and 256. Moreover, field surveys suggest that MED has displaced MEAM1 in some regions where TYLCSbV was collected. Viral competition assays indicated that TYLCSbV outcompeted AYVCNV when transmitted by MED, while the outcome was the opposite when transmitted by MEAM1. Our findings suggest that recombination has resulted in a shift of vector specificity that could provide TYLCSbV with a potential selective transmission advantage, and the population shift of whitefly cryptic species could have influenced virus evolution towards an extended trajectory of transmission.     

Genome-wide identification and analysis of sulfatase and sulfatase modifying factor genes in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

The invasive pest whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is a complex species, of which Middle East-Minor Asia 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED) are the two most damaging members. Previous research showed that cabbage is frequently infested with MEAM1 but seldomly with MED, and this difference in performance is associated with glucosinolate (GS) content. Some insects can modify GS using glucosinolate sulfatase (SULF), the activity of which is regulated by sulfatase modifying factor 1 (SUMF1); therefore, to increase our understanding of different performances of MEAM1 and MED on cabbage plants, we identified and compared nine putative SULFs and one SUMF in MEAM1 and MED. We found that the lengths of two genes, BtSulf2 and BtSulf4, differed between MEAM1 and MED. The messenger RNA levels of BtSulf4 increased more than 20-fold after MEAM1 and MED adults were exposed to GS, but BtSulf2 expression was only induced by GS in MEAM1. Knockdown of BtSulf2 and BtSulf4 in MEAM1 resulted in a substantial increase in the mortality of GS-treated adults but not in MED. These results indicate that differences in BtSulf2 and BtSulf4 sequences and/or expression may explain why MEAM1 performs better than MED on cabbage. Our results provide a basis for future functional research on SULF and SUMF in B. tabaci.     

利用TaqMan等位基因技术鉴定烟粉虱MEAM1和MED隐种

MEAM1和MED是烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci两种重要的外来入侵隐种, 在我国部分地区常混合发生, 对我国农业生产造成了不同程度的危害和损失。尤其是MED隐种危害寄主范围更广, 对多种杀虫剂具有较高抗性, 防治上更为困难。因此, 如何快速鉴定烟粉虱MEAM1和MED隐种, 对于烟粉虱防治策略的选择具有十分重要的意义。本研究选择线粒体细胞色素氧化酶I(mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I, mtDNA COI)基因保守区域内的单核苷酸多态性（SNP）为靶标, 应用等位基因聚合酶链式反应技术, 借助TaqMan-MGB荧光染色标记探针, 建立了一种鉴定烟粉虱MEAM1和MED隐种的等位基因选择性PCR方法, 并对北京11个区县的14个烟粉虱种群进行了隐种鉴定。结果表明, 北京地区14个烟粉虱种群样本与已知烟粉虱MED隐种种群在荧光值分布上聚为一簇, 为MED隐种。该鉴定方法具备SNP基因分型的优点, 可快速、 可靠、 高通量地鉴定烟粉虱MEAM1和MED, 为烟粉虱隐种鉴定及遗传分化研究提供了新的可选途径。     

Patterns of host cell inheritance in the bacterial symbiosis of whiteflies

Whiteflies possess bacterial symbionts Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidium that are housed in specialized cells called bacteriocytes and are faithfully transmitted via the ovary to insect offspring. In one whitefly species studied previously, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1, transmission is mediated by somatic inheritance of bacteriocytes, with a single bacteriocyte transferred to each oocyte and persisting through embryogenesis to the next generation. Here, we investigate the mode of bacteriocyte transmission in two whitefly species, B. tabaci MED, the sister species of MEAM1, and the phylogenetically distant species Trialeurodes vaporariorum. Microsatellite analysis supported by microscopical studies demonstrates that B. tabaci MED bacteriocytes are genetically different from other somatic cells and persist through embryogenesis, as for MEAM1, but T. vaporariorum bacteriocytes are genetically identical to other somatic cells of the insect, likely mediated by the degradation of maternal bacteriocytes in the embryo. These two alternative modes of transmission provide a first demonstration among insect symbioses that the cellular processes underlying vertical transmission of bacterial symbionts can diversify among related host species associated with a single lineage of symbiotic bacteria.     

Natural enemy impacts on Bemisia tabaci (MEAM1) dominate plant quality effects in the cotton system

1. Plant quality (bottom‐up effects) and natural enemies (top‐down effects) affect herbivore performance. Furthermore, plant quality can also influence the impact of natural enemies. 2. Lower plant quality through reduced irrigation increased the abundance of the cryptic species from the Bemisia tabaci complex [hereafter B. tabaci Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1)], but not its natural enemies on cotton. It was therefore predicted that lower plant quality would diminish the impact of natural enemies in regulating this herbivore. 3. Over three cotton seasons, plant quality was manipulated via differential irrigation and natural enemy abundance with insecticides. Life tables were used to evaluate the impact of these factors on mortality of immature B. tabaci (MEAM1) over nine generations. 4. Mortality of B. tabaci (MEAM1) was consistently affected by natural enemies but not by plant quality. This pattern was driven by high levels of sucking predation, which was the primary (key) factor associated with changes in immature mortality across all irrigation and natural enemy treatments. Dislodgement (chewing predation and weather) and parasitism contributed as key factors in some cases. Analyses also showed that elimination of sucking predation and dislodgement would have the greatest effect on overall mortality. 5. The top‐down effects of natural enemies had dominant effects on populations of B. tabaci (MEAM1) relative to the bottom‐up effects of plant quality. Effects were primarily due to native generalist arthropod predators and not more host‐specific aphelinid parasitoids. The findings of this study demonstrate the important role of arthropod predators in population suppression and validate the importance of conservation biological control in this system for effective pest control.     

Bemisia tabaci in Iraq: Population structure,endosymbiont diversity and putative species

Whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are major pests of many crops worldwide. Bemisia tabaci is a cryptic species complex composed of more than 39 putative species. Understanding which putative species of B. tabaci are predominant in an area is vital for effective pest management since they may vary considerably with respect to insecticide resistance, host plant range and virus transmission. Here, for the first time, the genetic diversity, the symbiont diversity and population structure of B. tabaci in Iraq were studied. Fourteen populations were analysed using mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (mtCO1) sequencing and microsatellite genotyping. Symbiotic bacteria were identified using 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA sequencing. MtCO1 sequencing detected two putative species of B. tabaci. The predominant putative species in Iraq was Middle East-Asia Minor (MEAM) 1 subcladeB2. In addition, one individual was MEAM1-subcladeB. The second putative species was a single individual of MEAM2. The microsatellite data indicated low genetic diversity, with no biologically informative clustering. All MEAM1 individuals harboured one primary symbiont, Portiera aleyrodidarum, and most (96%) have two secondary symbionts: Hamiltonella sp. and Rickettsia sp. This study has identified the genetic diversity and population structure of B. tabaci in Iraq. Further investigation is needed to update the pest status of B. tabaci in this region. The current data, combined with investigations into the capacity of the various putative species to transmit plant viruses, especially tomato yellow leaf curl virus, will aid pest management and horticultural production.     

Cloning of a putative extracellular Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase and functional differences of superoxide dismutases in invasive and indigenous whiteflies

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are a group of important antioxidant defense enzymes. In this study, a putative extracellular Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (ecCuZnSOD) complementary DNA was cloned and characterized from the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the expression level of Bt‐ecCuZnSOD was more than 10‐fold higher in the invasive Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) than in the native Asia II 3 species of the B. tabaci species complex. After exposure to low temperature (4 °C), the expression of Bt‐ecCuZnSOD gene was significantly up‐regulated in MEAM1 but not in Asia II 3. Furthermore, the expression level of B. tabaci intracellular CuZnSOD (Bt‐icCuZnSOD), Bt‐ecCuZnSOD and mitochondrial MnSOD (Bt‐mMnSOD) was compared after transferring MEAM1 and Asia II 3 whiteflies from favorable (cotton) to unfavorable host plants (tobacco). On cotton, both CuZnSOD genes were expressed at a higher level in MEAM1 compared with Asia II 3. Interestingly, after transferring onto tobacco, the expression of Bt‐ecCuZnSOD was significantly induced in Asia II 3 but not in MEAM1. On the other hand, while Bt‐mMnSOD was expressed equally in both species on cotton, Bt‐mMnSOD messenger RNA was up‐regulated in MEAM1 on tobacco. Consistently, enzymatic activity assays of CuZnSOD and MnSOD demonstrated that CuZnSOD might play an important protective role against oxidative stress in Asia II 3, whereas MnSOD activation was critical for MEAM1 whiteflies during host adaptation. Taken together, our results suggest that the successful invasion of MEAM1 is correlated with its constitutive high activity of CuZnSOD and inducible expression of MnSOD under stress conditions.