Effect of previous infestation of tomatoes by Bemisia tabaci or Trialeurodes vaporariorum on the fitness of these whitefly species
Author of the article:CHEN Chun-Li1,2** ZHI Jun-Rui1*** KUANG Xian-Ju2 GE Feng2***
Author's Workplace：1. Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guizhou Provincal Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region , Guiyang 550025, China; 2. State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pests and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100101, China
Key Words： Bemisia tabaci biotype B, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, population parameters, interaction via host tomato, induced resistance
Abstract： [Objectives] To investigate the interspecific interactions between Bemisia tabaci and Trialeurodes vaporariorum mediated by the tomato host-plant, specifically the effect of previous infestation of tomatoes by either B. tabaci or T. vaporariorum on the development, growth, adult longevity and female fecundity of B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum. [Methods] Tomatoes were experimentally infested with either B. tabaci B biotype or T. vaporariorum and the subsequent development, growth, reproduction and so on of each pest species was systematically monitored. [Results] (1) Prior infestation with B. tabaci significantly improved the development, longevity, and female fecundity of T. vaporariorum, and furthermore, if B. tabaci were removed, these effects disappeared instantly. Prior infestation with T. vaporariorum significantly shortened the pupal stage of B. tabaci, but the absence of T. vaporariorum was not beneficial to the oviposition of B. tabaci, significantly reducing its intrinsic rate of natural increase and net reproductive rate. (2) Prior infestation of T. vaporariorum reduced female fecundity and adult longevity of B. tabaci but previous infestation of B. tabaci significantly increased the female fecundity of T. vaporariorum. Prior infestation by B. tabaci significantly reduced the female fecundity of B. tabaci. (3) A time delay was apparent in the above effects. The beneficial effects of prior infestation with B. tabaci on the development, longevity and fecundity of T. vaporariorum appeared after the egg stage and shortening the pupal stage of B. tabaci also required early induction. The beneficial effects of prior infestation of T. vaporariorum on T. vaporariorum were also not apparent until the adult stage. [Conclusion] B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum affect each other through their common host-plant, the tomato. Previous infestation with B. tabaci significantly promoted the development of the eggs and larvae of T. vaporariorum whereas previous infestation by T. vaporariorum was not beneficial to the development of B. tabaci.