Improving our understanding of and our ability to manage many of the insect-transmitted plant viruses requires the use of the vector. Insect transmission of plant viruses is a tritrophic interaction, and as such requires the manipulation of insects, virus, and plant. Vectors must be reared in large numbers and manipulated in such a way as to insure high rates of transmission to test plants. The basics of rearing and manipulating the whitefly, Bemisa tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), a vector of plant viruses belonging to several emerging plant virus genera, representing a large number of economically significant viruses is presented.
Total time
~2–4 weeks (colony establishment + viral acquisition + plant inoculation and symptom observation)
Model organism
Bemisia tabaci (whitefly)
Steps
1
Maintain whitefly colony growth and reproduction
Manage rearing conditions, host plants, and population density to sustain a viable whitefly colony over multiple generations.
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2
Establish new whitefly colony from source population
Transfer whiteflies from existing stock or field-collected populations onto suitable host plants under controlled environmental conditions.
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3
Handle whiteflies with minimal stress and loss
Use appropriate collection, transfer, and containment techniques to manipulate whiteflies while preserving their vitality and transmission competence.
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4
Allow whiteflies to acquire plant virus
Permit virus-free whiteflies to feed on virus-infected plants for a defined acquisition period to develop infectious status.
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5
Introduce virus-carrying whiteflies to test plants
Transfer virus-laden whiteflies onto healthy test plants and maintain them under conditions favoring virus transmission.
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6
Confirm successful virus transmission to plants
Monitor inoculated plants for characteristic viral symptoms or use diagnostic assays to verify transmission establishment.
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