The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), is responsible for significant yield losses in many crops, including potato, by sucking the phloem sap and transmitting a number of plant viruses. B. tabaci is a complex of cryptic species which is commonly designated as genetic groups. The B. tabaci genetic groups differ biologically with respect to host plant preference, insecticidal resistance, reproduction capacity, and ability to transmit begomoviruses. Therefore, understanding genetic variation among populations is important for establishing crop-specific distribution profile and management. We sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene of B. tabaci collected from major potato growing areas of India. BLAST analysis of the 24 mtCOI sequences with reference Gene Bank sequences revealed four B. tabaci genetic groups prevailing in this region. mtCOI analysis exhibited the presence of Asia II 1, Asia II 5, Asia 1, and MEAM1 B. tabaci genetic groups. Our study highlighted that a new genetic group Asia II 5 has been detected in Indo-Gangetic Plains. Further virus-vector relationship study of ToLCNDV with Asia II 5 B. tabaci revealed that females are efficient vector of this virus as compared to males. This behavior of females might be due to their ability to acquire more virus titer than males. This study will help in better understanding of whitefly genetic group mediated virus diseases.
Keywords: Begomoviruses; Bemisia tabaci; Genetic groups; Indo-Gangetic plains; ToLCNDV; mtCOI.
© King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology 2021.