Control of Bemisia tabaci by entomopathogenic fungi isolated from arid soils in Argentina

Entomopathogenic Hypocreales were isolated from arid soils in Argentina using Tenebrio molitor as bait and tested for their biological performance at 30°C and 45–65% RH. Conidial germination was tested in three vegetable oils (sunflower, olive and maize) at two concentrations (1% and 10%) to evaluate their compatibility for further liquid formulations. According to radial growth and germination results, we selected four isolates to test their pathogenicity against second instar B. tabaci nymphs with the selected oil formulations at 30°C. CEP381 and CEP401 showed the highest radial growth. Isolates CEP381, CEP401, CEP413 and CEP409 (Metarhizium spp.) had similar germination percentages as compared with water control when germinated on either sunflower, olive or maize oils at 10% v/v. The highest mortality of B. tabaci was observed for the isolates CEP381 in sunflower oil and CEP401 in olive oil. Molecular identification of isolates was performed using ITS4–5 primers. All isolates belong to the Metarhizium core group. Tested isolates could grow and infect B. tabaci nymphs at 30°C in some of the vegetable oils as carriers, providing new possibilities for integrated pest management of Bemisia tabaci.     

Particulate surface waxes of whiteflies: morphology, composition and waxing behaviour

ABSTRACT The morphology and lipid composition of wax particles and their application to the body surface of adults were examined in the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), and the glasshouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood). The wax particles are extruded from plates found on the abdomen of both species. Their form is determined by the templates (modified microtrichia) from which they are extruded. The emerging ribbons are broken off by rakes on the hind tibiae and applied to the rest of the body in a similar manner for both species. Triacylglycerols comprise 65–75% of the lipid in these particles, with hydrocarbons accounting for 3–7% of the total in B. tabaci and only 0.6-1% in T.vaporariorum. Although distinct compositional differences exist between the species, the hydrocarbons in both are fully saturated and contain n -alkanes and branched molecules having eighteen to forty carbon atoms. Possible roles of these wax particles in reducing water flux, protecting against harmful radiation, and providing a barrier to microorganisms are discussed.     

Response of Eretmocerus eremicus to skylight and plant cues in a vertical flight chamber

In the southwestern United States, Eretmocerus eremicus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is a native parasitoid of the Bemisia complex (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). However, little information currently exists on its potential as a biological control agent of whiteflies or on the factors that influence its tendencies to disperse. In this study, we examined the flight behavior of male and female E. eremicus in response to skylight (here simulated by a mercury-vapor lamp) and plant cues (a 550-nm filtered light) in a vertical flight chamber. Approximately 90% of the parasitoids took off in response to the skylight cue. Both sexes were capable of sustained flights in excess of 60 min; however, males had higher rates of climb than females (3.31±0.17 and 2.63±0.19 cm s^–1, respectively). When a plant cue was presented during the parasitoid's phototactic flight, four relatively distinct responses were observed. Fifty-one percent of the individuals responded to the plant cue throughout their flight by flying toward or by landing on the cue. The majority of these parasitoids were females. Approximately 12% of the wasps exhibited an intermittent, positive response to the plant cue. Twenty percent exhibited a `migratory' response. These parasitoids, which were predominantly males, failed to respond to the plant cue until they had flown for a considerable period. Finally, 17% failed to respond to the target during their flight. Approximately 37% of the individuals that showed a positive response to the plant cue actually landed on it and the majority of these were female. The differential response to the plant cue by male and female parasitoids could be, in part, because females are driven to locate hosts in which to oviposit, and males are driven to find mates.     

Maternal Inheritance of a Single Somatic Animal Cell Displayed by the Bacteriocyte in the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci

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The red imported fire ant,Solenopsis invicta,modifies predation at the soil surface and in cotton foliage

Red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta, are generalist predators that can have major impacts on foliar arthropod communities in agricultural systems; however, their effects as predators at the soil surface have not been adequately characterized. We examined the contribution of fire ants to predation at the soil surface and in cotton foliage at two sites and over the course of two field seasons in Georgia, using egg masses of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. To assess interactions between fire ants and other arthropod species, we also measured the densities of edaphic predators and honeydew‐producing hemipterans at both sites. The sites occurred in different growing regions (Piedmont and Coastal Plain), and allowed us to characterize the importance of fire ants as predators under different climatic and soil conditions. Fire ant suppression decreased egg predation at both field sites, and predation by fire ants at the soil surface was equal to if not greater than that in cotton foliage. However, the impact of fire ants on predation varied between sites, likely due to differences in climate and the composition and activity of the extant arthropod communities. Our study also indicates that fire ant suppression is associated with decreases in the density of honeydew‐producing insects, and increasing abundance of whiteflies on the plants coincided with a decrease in egg predation at the soil surface. This finding suggests the mutualism between ants and whiteflies may lead to a shift in predation intensity from edaphic towards plant‐based food webs.     

Production of monoclonal antibodies to Tomato leaf curl Bangalore virus

Purified Tomato leaf curl Bangalore virus (ToLCBV) was injected into mice and the splenocytes were used for establishing hybridoma lines. Initial screening of culture supernatants showed that 13 lines produced antibody, and after further screening four produced functional monoclonal antibodies. Upon characterisation, these were found to be of low affinity, probably due to host protein contamination and poor yield of native virus in the original preparations. In order to circumvent these problems, the coat protein of ToLCBV was over-expressed in Escherichia coli. Fusion experiments using recombinant coat protein as antigen yielded two primary hybridoma clones G₁₁ and E4 that exhibited good affinity of binding to the antigen. Sub-cloning yielded four monoclonal antibodies G₁₁E₇E₇, G₁₁E₇G₁₂, E₄E₂ and E₄G₆. G₁₁E₇E₇ and G₁₁E₇G₁₂ successfully detected ToLCBV in infected leaf extracts of tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana, viruliferous whiteflies and weed samples. These monoclonal antibodies could also detect other type III geminiviruses such as Pumpkin yellow vein mosaic virus and Bhendi yellow vein mosaic virus. Thus these monoclonal antibodies can be used for testing field-collected samples.     

The occurrence of apical labial sensilla in the Aleyrodidae and evidence for a contact chemosensory function

Scanning electron microscopy of the apex of the labium of six species of whitefly [Aleurothrixus floccosus (Maskell), Aleyrodes spiraeoides Quaintance, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead), Parabemisia myricae (Kuwana), and Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood)], revealed that all possess seven pairs of sensilla symmetrically positioned on either side of the labial groove. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that in P. myricae, sensilla 1, 5, 6 & 7 are innervated each by a single dendrite, sensilla 2 & 4 are innervated by three dendrites each, and sensillum 3 is innervated by four dendrites. Multiple innervation of sensilla 2, 3 & 4 suggests a chemosensory or mechano-chemosensory function. Longitudinal sections of sensilla 2 & 4 showed that the sensilla were hollow with an apical pore, providing further morphological evidence for a chemosensory function. One dendrite appeared to end at the base of sensillum 2, suggesting that at least sensillum 2 has a dual mechano-chemosensory function. The presence of contact chemoreceptors on the labial tip may help explain how P. myricae can discriminate between hosts before probing.

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Zusammenfassung Untersuchungen mit dem Rasterelektronenmikroskop an sechs Spezies von Weißen Fliegen [Aleurothrixus floccusus (Maskell), Aleyrodes spiraeoides Quaintance, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), Dialeurodes citri (Ashmead), Parabemisia myricae (Kuwana), und Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood)] zeigten, daß bei allen Arten die Spitze des Labiums mit sieben Paaren von Sensillen versehen ist, die symmetrisch auf jeder Seite der Lippenspalte angeordnet sind. Die Sensillen sind klein (ca. 1–4 m lang, 0.1–0.6 m breit) und in beiden Geschlechtern aller Arten ähnlich gestaltet. Mittels Transmissionelektronenmikroskopie wurde gezeigt, daß in P. myricae die Sensillen 1, 5, 6 & 7 durch jeweils einen einzigen, die Sensillen 2 & 4 durch jeweils drei und die Sensille 3 durch vier Dendriten innerviert werden. Die multiple Innervierung der Sensillen 2, 3 & 4 läßt eine chemosensorische oder mechanisch-chemosensorische Funktion vermuten. Längsschnitte durch die Sensillen 2 & 4 lieferten weitere Hinweise auf eine chemosensorische Funktion: die Sensillen sind hohl und an der Spitze mit einer Pore versehen. Wir erhielten keine schlüssigen Beweise für die Existenz von apikalen Poren an den anderen Sensillen. Einer der Dendriten an der Sensille 2 scheint an der Sensillenbasis zu enden; dies deutet darauf hin, daß zumindest diese Sensille ein Rezeptor sowohl für mechanische als auch für chemische Reize ist. Die Existenz dieser Kontakt-Chemorezeptoren an der Labiumspitze könnte erklären, wie P. myricae bereits vor dem Probestich zwischen Wirtspflanzen zu unterscheiden vermag. Diese Ergebnisse lassen außerdem vermuten, daß die sensorischen Aspekte des Wirtsfindung bei Weißen Fliegen grundsätzlich verschieden sind von denjenigen bei Blattläusen, welche nur über mechanische Rezeptoren an der Spitze der Unterlippe verfügen.

     

Preimaginal development,adult longevity and fecundity ofEncarsia inaron (Hym.: Aphelinidae) parasitizingSiphoninus phillyreae (Hom.: Aleyrodidae) in California

A laboratory study of preimaginal development, adult longevity and fecundity ofEncarsia inaron (Walker) was conducted. Preimaginal developmental times varied with temperature, from 55–60 d at 15±1°C to 14–17 d at 30±1°C. No development took place at 10°C, which was approximately the developmental minimum estimated from regression analysis of developmental rates vs. temperature in the range 15–30°C. Development was slowed and survival was reduced at 32°C. Females lived an average of 18.6 days and laid a average of 159 eggs/female at 25°C. At 25°C, average preimaginal survival was 59.3%, and the sex ratio was 73.5% female. The net reproductive rate (R₀) forE. inaron calculated from these studies was 69.3, while the intrinsic rate of natural increase was 0.1686 individuals per individual per day. Oviposition was concentrated slightly in third instar nymphs of the host.