Dataset Information

What has changed in the outbreaking populations of the severe crop pest whitefly species in cassava in two decades?

ABSTRACT: High populations of African cassava whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) have been associated with epidemics of two viral diseases in Eastern Africa. We investigated population dynamics and genetic patterns by comparing whiteflies collected on cassava in 1997, during the first whitefly upsurges in Uganda, with collections made in 2017 from the same locations. Nuclear markers and mtCOI barcoding sequences were used on 662 samples. The composition of the SSA1 population changed significantly over the 20-year period with the SSA1-SG2 percentage increasing from 0.9 to 48.6%. SSA1-SG1 and SSA1-SG2 clearly interbreed, confirming that they are a single biological species called SSA1. The whitefly species composition changed: in 1997, SSA1, SSA2 and B. afer were present; in 2017, no SSA2 was found. These data and those of other publications do not support the 'invader' hypothesis. Our evidence shows that no new species or new population were found in 20 years, instead, the distribution of already present genetic clusters composing SSA1 species have changed over time and that this may be in response to several factors including the introduction of new cassava varieties or climate changes. The practical implications are that cassava genotypes possessing both whitefly and disease resistances are needed urgently.

SUBMITTER: Ally HM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6794263 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

What has changed in the outbreaking populations of the severe crop pest whitefly species in cassava in two decades?

Ally Hadija M HM Hamss Hajar El HE Simiand Christophe C Maruthi M N MN Colvin John J Omongo Christopher A CA Delatte Helene H

Scientific reports 20191015 1

High populations of African cassava whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) have been associated with epidemics of two viral diseases in Eastern Africa. We investigated population dynamics and genetic patterns by comparing whiteflies collected on cassava in 1997, during the first whitefly upsurges in Uganda, with collections made in 2017 from the same locations. Nuclear markers and mtCOI barcoding sequences were used on 662 samples. The composition of the SSA1 population changed significantly over the 20-year ...[more]

PMID: 31615997

Similar Datasets

Project description:Over the past three decades, highly increased whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) populations have been observed on the staple food crop cassava in eastern Africa and associated with ensuing viral disease pandemics and food insecurity. Increased whitefly numbers have also been observed in other key agricultural crops and weeds. Factors behind the population surges on different crops and their interrelationships are unclear, although in cassava they have been associated with specific populations within the Bemisia tabaci species complex known to infest cassava crops in Africa. This study carried out an in-depth survey to understand the distribution of B. tabaci populations infesting crops and uncultivated plant hosts in Uganda, a centre of origin for this pest complex. Whitefly samples were collected from 59 identified plant species and 25 unidentified weeds in a countrywide survey. Identities of 870 individual adult whiteflies were determined through mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 sequences (651 bp) in the 3' barcode region used for B. tabaci systematics. Sixteen B. tabaci and five related whitefly putative species were identified based on > 4.0% nucleotide divergence, of which three are proposed as novel B. tabaci putative species and four as novel closely related whitefly species. The most prevalent whiteflies were classified as B. tabaci MED-ASL (30.5% of samples), sub-Saharan Africa 1 (SSA1, 22.7%) and Bemisia Uganda1 (12.1%). These species were also indicated to be the most polyphagous occurring on 33, 40 and 25 identified plant species, respectively. Multiple (≥ 3) whitefly species occurred on specific crops (bean, eggplant, pumpkin and tomato) and weeds (Sida acuta and Ocimum gratissimum). These plants may have increased potential to act as reservoirs for mixed infections of whitefly-vectored viruses. Management of whitefly pest populations in eastern Africa will require an integration of approaches that consider their degree of polyphagy and a climate that enables the continuous presence of crop and uncultivated plant hosts.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10340-021-01355-6.

Dataset Information

What has changed in the outbreaking populations of the severe crop pest whitefly species in cassava in two decades?

Publications

What has changed in the outbreaking populations of the severe crop pest whitefly species in cassava in two decades?

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets