USING RAPD PCR TO DISTINGUISH BIOTYPES OF BEMISIA TABACI (HOMOPTERA:ALEYRODIDAE) IN CHINA

Abstract Ten populations of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) collected from eight fieed and ornamental crops from seven provinces/cities in China were determined using RAPD-PCR. Results showed that the 10 populations of B. tabaci could be classified into three distinct groups: a Biotype B group, a Guangxi group, and a Fujian group. The whiteflies in the Biotype B group were collected from sweetpotato and cotton in Beijing, tomato in Shandong, poinsettia in Shanghai and Guangdong, cabbage in Fujian, and hemp and eggplant in Xinjiang. The Guangxi group were collected from pumpkin in Naming, Guangxi, and the Fujian group, from sweetpotato in Fujian. It was notable that B. tabaci specimens collected on cabbage in Fujian belonged to the Biotype B group. It is clear that Biotype B does now occur in China, in Reijing, Shandong, Xinjiang, Shanghai, Fujian and Guangdong. It is likely that the Guangxi and Fujian groups are native to China.