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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #352379
Title: Expanding knowledge of the host range of Tomato chlorosis virus and host plant preference of Bemisia tabaci MEAM1

Author
item ESQUIVEL FARINA, ARNALDO - Universidade De Sao Paulo
item MARQUEZ REZENDE, JORGE ALBERTO - Universidade De Sao Paulo
item Wintermantel, William - Bill

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/28/2019
Publication Date: 4/17/2019
Citation: Farina, A.E., Rezende, J.A.M., Wintermantel, W.M. 2019. Expanding knowledge of the host range of Tomato chlorosis virus and host plant preference of Bemisia tabaci MEAM1. Plant Disease. 103(6):1132-1137. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-18-1941-RE.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-18-1941-RE

Interpretive Summary: The crinivirus Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) is often found in tomato crops in Brazil, with variable incidence, but associated with prevalence of its primary vector, the sweetpotato whitefly. ToCV control is difficult because there are no resistant commercial varieties or hybrids available and chemical spray for control of the whitefly vector is not effective. We conducted a partial host range evaluation of a Brazilian isolate of ToCV, the preference of the sweetpotato whitefly for laying eggs on different plant species susceptible to the virus, and subsequent transmission to tomato plants. The host range study showed that among 80 plant species experimentally inoculated, 23 were susceptible to ToCV, including six new hosts. Whitefly preference varied among the susceptible plant species based on numbers of eggs laid by the whiteflies, as well for ToCV infection. ToCV-infected eggplant, tomato, and Chenopodium quinoa were used as sources of inoculum for transmission to tomato plants. Mean numbers of whitefly eggs on eggplant, tomato, and Chenopodium quinoa plants were 10.6, 2.7, and 0.0 eggs/cm2, respectively, and mean infection of the target tomato plants were 3%, 76.6%, and 0%, respectively. Further study is necessary to evaluate the importance of ToCV-susceptible host plants under field conditions and their efficiency as sources of inoculum for virus acquisition and transmission to tomato crops.

Technical Abstract: The crinivirus Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) is often found in tomato crops in Brazil, with variable incidence, and always associated with prevalence of its primary vector, B. tabaci MEAM1. ToCV control is difficult because there are no resistant commercial cultivars available and chemical spray for control of the whitefly vector has not been effective. The present study evaluated the partial host range of a Brazilian isolate of ToCV, preference of B. tabaci MEAM1 for oviposition on different plant species identified as susceptible to the virus, and subsequent transmission to tomato plants in order to to elucidate the epidemiological importance of non-tomato sources of inoculum. Twenty-three of 80 species experimentally inoculated in host range assays were susceptible, including six new hosts. The susceptible species showed variable preference for whitefly oviposition, as well for ToCV infection in free-choice transmission tests. When ToCV-infected eggplant, tomato, and Chenopodium quinoa, for which the means of oviposition of B. tabaci were 10.6, 2.7, and 0.0 eggs/cm2, respectively were separately used as sources of inoculum for virus transmission to tomato plants, means of infected plants were 3%, 76.6%, and 0%, respectively. Further study is necessary to evaluate the importance of ToCV-susceptible host plants under field conditions and their efficiency as sources of inoculum for virus acquisition and transmission to tomato crops.