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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #338068
Title: Evaluation of potential new sources of melon host plant resistance to the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci

Author
item NATWICK, ERIC - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item Wintermantel, William - Bill
item GILBERTSON, ROBERT - University Of California
item Blanco, Scott
item McCreight, James - Jim

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/8/2017
Publication Date: 6/3/2017
Citation: Natwick, E.T., Wintermantel, W.M., Gilbertson, R.L., Blanco, S.G., McCreight, J.D. 2017. Evaluation of potential new sources of melon host plant resistance to the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. 3rd Hemipteran-Plant Interactions Symposium. June 4-8, 2017, Madrid, Spain. p. 214.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Melon (Cucumis melo L.) genotypes that support fewer numbers of whitefly could reduce the frequency or the amount of insecticide applications required to keep the insects in check, as was the case with cotton where measurable resistance to whitefly in some genotypes reduced the number of sprays, thus reducing production costs while ensuring a marketable product (Chu et al. 1998. J. Cotton Sci. 2:1–9). Melon germplasm has been reported to have low-level resistance to sweetpotato whitefly, e.g., PI 313970 and TGR 1551. We evaluated these and other potential sources of low-level resistance to sweetpotato whitefly Biotype B, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 (SPWF-B) in field (Holtville) and greenhouse (Salinas) tests. Evaluation of eight potential sources of SPWF-B resistance in fall 2013 and spring 2014 identified PI 145594 as a potential of resistance and PI 116482 as a potential source of extreme susceptibility. In addition, PI 122847 was identified as a potential source of SPWF-B resistance in an ad hoc comparison with susceptible ‘Top Mark’ in 2014. The resistance reactions of 11 putative sources were evaluated in spring field tests in 2015 and 2016 for numbers of adults and immatures in insecticide and no insecticide treatments. Greenhouse evaluation of putative SPWF-B resistance sources utilized no-choice tests for: oviposition, egg-to-adult survival, and insect growth index. Field evaluations found PI 313970 and PI 122847 as potential antixenosis resistance sources based on SPWF-B adults and immatures levels. Greenhouse tests indicated: TGR 1937, PI 161375 and PI 122847 are potential resistance sources based on oviposition; TGR 1551 = TGR 1937 > PI 313970 are potential resistance sources based on reduced egg-to-adult survival; and TGR 1551, PI 123689 are potential resistance sources based on the insect growth index.