The Whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)

Abstract

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is a species complex containing at least 35 morphologically indistinguishable cryptic species. Some members of the complex are pests of agricultural and horticultural crops in temperate and tropical regions. During the past 20 years, two species of the complex, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (hereafter MEAM1) and Mediterranean (hereafter MED), which have been commonly referred to as the B and Q `biotypes', have risen to international prominence due to their global invasions. In the middle-1990s, the MEAM1 species invaded China most probably with the import of infested plants and seedlings and has become a pest since the late 1990s. In 2003, the MED species of the B. tabaci complex was first recorded in China and it is now the dominant species in the Yangtze River Valley and eastern coastal areas. In this chapter, we first reviewed the invasion histories of MEAM1 and MED whiteflies in China and their negative effects. Then, the research progresses on behavior, biotic, environmental and molecular mechanisms of MEAM1 and MED whitefly invasions and replacement of native whitefly species were discussed. Finally, the strategies for whitefly management in China were summarized. These research efforts have provided solid foundation for future investigations on the molecular mechanisms of whitefly invasions and are expected to open important avenues for the discovery of novel strategies for whitefly management in China.