Interactions between Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean and Begomoviruses in Solanaceous and Leguminous Crops

• Grant number: 24/22251-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Renate Krause Sakate
• Grantee: Renate Krause Sakate
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Gabriel Madoglio Favara

Abstract

Begomoviruses are the largest group of viruses transmitted by whiteflies. The Tomato Severe Rugose Virus (ToSRV) is a begomovirus responsible for causing diseases and productivity losses in solanaceous crops, especially in tomatoes and peppers. In Brazil, the whitefly B. tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) has been the predominant species since 1990. B. tabaci Mediterranean (MED) was detected in the country in 2014, and since then, high infestations of the insect, mainly in protected solanaceous crops in the state of São Paulo, have been reported. After the detection of B. tabaci MED, many doubts arose about the epidemiology of viruses transmitted by whiteflies, particularly begomoviruses. Recent results obtained by our group showed that four populations of B. tabaci MED collected in the state of São Paulo did not transmit ToSRV and Tomato Rugose Mosaic Virus (ToRMV) to tomatoes, nor the Bean Golden Mosaic Virus (BGMV) to beans. However, B. tabaci MEAM1 transmitted the begomoviruses with high efficiency. These results highlight the importance of understanding the differential transmission of begomoviruses by whitefly species and suggest that the prevalence of B. tabaci MED may alter the epidemiological scenario of begomoviruses in the field. To better understand the interaction of B. tabaci MED with begomoviruses and to verify the advancement of the cryptic Mediterranean species in protected environments and in the field, this proposal aims to monitor bean and solanaceous fields for the presence of viruses and whiteflies, as well as to understand the interaction of ToSRV with the insect B. tabaci MEAM1 and MED, considered respectively vector and non-vector of this virus. The insect will be dissected into its main parts (intestine, salivary glands) and the virus quantified by digital PCR, to understand the barriers imposed by a non-vector whitefly. Collections will be made in conventional and organic production areas for tomatoes and peppers, to eliminate the interference of chemical products on the predominance of the insect and the transmitted viruses, enabling epidemiological monitoring in these areas. All these results together will allow a better understanding of the complex relationships between virus x vector x plant and provide management subsidies for the insect and the virus in solanaceous and leguminous crops. (AU)