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Title: INFECTION OF WHITEFLY (BEMISIA ARGENTIFOLII) NYMPHS AND CULTURED CELLS WITH THE CHILO IRIDOVIRUS

Author
item Funk, Cornelius
item DAVIDSON, ELIZABETH - ASU, TEMPE, AZ
item Hunter, Wayne

Submitted to: International Poxvirus and Iridovirus Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii, is a major agricultural pest in tropical and temperate areas world-wide. To date, no viral pathogens of this insect have been reported. We have introduced the Chilo iridovirus (CIV) into both cultured cells and nymphs of this insect. Nymphs were infected by feeding the virus in diet on an artificial rearing system. Virus was detected by PCR and by electron microscopy in both cells and nymphs, but was not found to be highly pathogenic to nymphs. The whitefly cells showed cytopathic effects by day 6 of the infection which included the formation of distinct inclusions in the cytoplasm. Infection of B. argentifolii by CIV raises the possibility of using CIV for genetic manipulation, and suggests that more pathogenic viral isolates may be found for this insect.