Partial genome sequencing and study of acaricide resistance of mite Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes), the citrus leprosis virus vector

• Grant number: 05/02948-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2005
• End date: October 31, 2008
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy
• Principal Investigator: Juliana de Freitas Astúa
• Grantee: Berghem Morais Ribeiro
• Host Institution: Instituto Agronômico (IAC). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The phenomenon of chemical resistance is one of the main problems associated to arthropod control. Many arthropods are considered important agricultural pests and disease vectors worldwide. The false spider mite (Brevipalpus phoenicis) vectors Citrus leprosis virus (CiLV), the causal agent of the main viral disease on citrus in Brazil, especially in São Paulo state. To control the mite and therefore the disease, 70 million dollars are spent each year. Some mite populations presenting resistance against dicofol, hexythiazox and propargite have been reported. On the other hand, molecular markers have been used to detect and monitor resistant populations of various arthropods; with those developed from genome sequences being usually more robust than the randomic ones. The importance of Brevipalpus as vector of important diseases, its wide host range, its cosmopolitan habit, and its unusual interesting genome (it has only two chromosomes and is haploid), make this mite a strong candidate to have its genome sequenced. Here, we propose to partial sequence the B. phoenicis genome in order to develop molecular markers associated to chemical resistance in susceptible and resistance populations to multiples acaricides.