Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)

Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)

Genetic Diversity Assessment of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Whitefly in Vegetable and Crop Fields of Hormozgan Province Using ISSR Markers

Document Type : Research paper-English

Authors
M. Haghani 1
R. Ameripour 2
A. Bagheri 3
A. Sedaratian-Jahromi 1
1 Associate Professor, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
2 M.Sc. Graduate, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Plant Protection Research Department, Hormozgan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bandar Abbas, Iran.
10.22055/ppr.2025.50511.1838
Abstract
Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is one of the most significant agricultural pests worldwide due to its extensive distribution and highly polyphagous nature, with over 500 host plant species reported. During the 2017–2018 cropping season, we assessed the genetic diversity of B. tabaci populations across 12 major vegetable-growing regions in Hormozgan Province, Iran. Genetic variation was analyzed using six ISSR primers. Binary data analysis revealed genotype similarity values ranging from 0.09 to 0.94, with an average similarity of 0.52. The overall high genetic similarity suggests limited genetic diversity among the sampled populations based on the selected primers. Nevertheless, the broad range of similarity values indicates that the ISSR markers were effective in detecting genetic variation. The highest similarity (94%) was observed between tomato field samples from Minab and Fin, followed by 88% similarity between eggplant samples from Minab and tomato samples from Fin, and 83% similarity between tomato and eggplant samples within Minab. Cluster analysis showed that groups with larger sample sizes exhibited greater genetic similarity. The occurrence of samples from the same geographic region in separate clusters, and samples from different regions within the same cluster, suggests that geographic isolation is not a primary factor influencing genetic differentiation in these populations.
Keywords
Biotype
Genetic diversity
Whitefly
ISSR marker
Subjects
Anonymous. (2004). Bemisia tabaci. Bulletin European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization, 34: 281-288.
Anonymous. (2018). Agricultural Jihad Statistics for the Crop Year 2018-19 Ministry of Jihad Agriculture, Deputy Minister of Planning and Economy. Information and Communication Technology Center, 2: 1-166.
Basij, M., Talebi, KH., Hosseininaveh, V. & Salami, S.A. (2019). Silencing of CYP6CM1 gene of cotton whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) using RNAi technique. Plant Protection, 42(1): 79-89. https://doi.org/10.22055/ppr.2019.14471
Cordeiro, E.M., Campbell, J.F., Phillips, T. & Akhunov, E. (2019). Isolation by distance, source-sink population dynamics and dispersal facilitation by trade routes: impact on population genetic structure of a stored grain pest. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 9(5): 1457-1468.
De Barro, P., Liu, S. S., Boykin Okalebo, L., & Dinsdale, A. (2011). Bemisia tabaci: A Statement of Species Status. Annual Review of Entomology. 56 :1–19. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-112408-085504
Dong, C., Fang-Hao, W., Bao-Yun, X., Qing-Junb, W. & You-Jun, Z. (2008). Comparative Analysis of Population Genetic Structure in Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) Biotypes B and Q Based on ISSR Marker. Agricultural Sciences in China, 7(11): 1348-1354.
Elahi-nia, S.A. (2007). Vegetable and summer diseases and methods of combating them. University of Guilan Publications, second edition, 584 pages.
H El-Sappah, A., Qi, S., A Soaud, S., Huang, Q., M Saleh, A., AS Abourehab, M., ... & Li, J. (2022). Natural resistance of tomato plants to Tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13: 1081549. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1081549
Fekrat, L. & Shishehbor, P. (2004). Biological characteristics and life table of cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius on aubergine at different constant temperatures. Plant Protection, 27(1): 21-30. https://doi.org/ 10.22055/ppr.2004.12762
Fontes, F. V. H. M., Colombo, C. A. & Lourenção, A. L. (2012). Structure of genetic diversity of Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) populations in Brazilian crops and locations. Science Agriculture, 69 (1): 47-53.
Gangwar, R. K. & Gangwar, C. (2018). Lifecycle, Distribution, Nature of Damage and Economic Importance of Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Acta Scientific Agriculture, 2(4): 36-39.
Gautam, S., Crossley, M. S., Dutta, B., Coolong, T., Simmons, A. M., Silva, A. D., Snyder, W. E. & Srinivasan, R. (2020). Low Genetic Variability in Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 Populations within Farmscapes of Georgia, USA. Insects, 11(12): 834.  https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11120834
Gippet, J.M., Liebhold, A.M., Fenn-Moltu, G. & Bertelsmeier, C. (2019). Human-mediated dispersal in insects. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 35: 96-102.
Gusmao, M.R., Picanço, M.C., Zanuncio, J.C., Silva, D.J.H., & Barrigossi, J.A.F. (2005). Standardised sampling plan for Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in outdoor tomatoes. Scientia Horticulturae, 103 (4): 403-412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2004.04.005
Hameed, S., Hameed, S., Sadia, M. & Malik, S.A. (2012). Genetic diversity analysis of Bemisia tabaci populations in Pakistan using RAPD markers. Electronic Journal of Biotechnology, 15 (6): 1-9.
Liu, T. X., Stansly, P. A. & Gerling, D. (2015). Whitefly parasitoids: distribution, life history, bionomics, and utilization. The Annual Review of Entomology, 7 (60): 273-92.
Martin, J.H. (1987). An identification guide to common whitefly pest species of the world (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae). Tropical Pest Management, 33: 298-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670878709371174
Misaka, B. C., Wosula, E. N., Marchelo-d’Ragga, P. W., Hvoslef-Eide, T. & Legg, J. P. (2020). Genetic Diversity of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) Colonizing Sweet Potato and Cassava in South Sudan. Insects, 11 (58): 1-15.
Oerke, E.C. (2006). Crop losses to pests. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 144(1): 31-43.
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859605005708
Oyarieme, H.W., Otiti, J. & Obros, O. (2024). A Review on genetic variations within and between populations: a population genetic perspective. American Research Journal of Biosciences, 9: 1-10.
Park, Y., Nam, H. Y., Baek, S., Lee, S. H. & Lee, J. H. (2019). Population genetic structure of Bemisia tabaci MED (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Korea. Plos One, 14 (7): 1-17.
Parrella, G., Scassillo, L., and Giorgini, M. (2012). Evidence for a new genetic variant in the Bemisia tabaci species complex and the prevalence of the biotype Q in southern Italy. Journal of Pest Science, 85 (2):227–238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-012-0417-2
Perring, T.M., Cooper, A.D., Rodriguez, R.J., Farrar, C.A. & Bellows, T.S. (1993). Identification of a whitefly species by genomic and behavioral studies. Science, 259(5091), 74-77. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.8418497
Prasad, A., Sharma, N., Hari-Gowthem, G., Muthamilarasan, M. & Prasad, M. (2020). Tomato yellow leaf curl virus: impact, challenges, and management. Trends in Plant Science, 25(9): 897-911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2020.03.015
Queiroz, P. R., MartinS, E. S., Klautau, N., Lima, L., Praça, L. & Monnerat, R. G. (2016). Identification of the B, Q, and native Brazilian biotypes of the Bemisia tabaci species complex using Scar markers. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, 51 (5): 555-562.
Reineke, A., Karlovsky, P. & Zebitz, C. P. W. (1998). Preparation and purification of DNA from insects for AFLP analysis. Insect Molecular Biology, 7(1): 95-99.
Restoux, G., Hossaert-Mckey, M., Benrey, B. & Alvarez, N. (2010). The effect of host plant and isolation on the genetic structure of phytophagous insects: A preliminary study on a bruchid beetle. European Journal of Entomology, 107(3): 299-304.
Roy, P., Sogir, S.B. & Basak, T. (2023). On the polymorphism information content (PIC)–a practical application for the DNA sequencing data. European Journal of Medical and Health Research, 1(1): 21-29.
Sami, M.A., Kamali, K., Jalali Javaran, M. & Talebi, A.A. (2007). Application of Rapid-PCR to determine the polymorphism of local populations of white cotton in Iran. Journal of Agricultural Knowledge, 17 (1): 151-163.
Tamilnayagan, T., Suganthy, M., Renukadevi, P. & Ganesan, M. (2019). Genetic Diversity of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Ash Gourd in India. Journal of Entomological Science, 54 (2): 121-130.
Thangavel Boopathi, T., Mohankumar, S., Charan, G., Pillaika, M.S., Sundaram, K., Singh, S. B., Aravindraj, R., Preetha, B., Meena, K.S. & Chandrasekar, K. (2019) Host-based genetic divergence in populations of an exotic spiralling whitefly, Aleurodicus dispersus (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). European Journal of Entomology, 116: 221-228.
Weber, H. (1931). Lebensweise und umweltbenziehungen von Trialeyrodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Homoptera: Aleurodinae). Zeitschrift für Morphologie und Ö kologie der Tiere, 23: 575-753.
Xiao-jun, G., Qiong, R., Fan, Z., Chen, L., Hong-yu, Z. & Xi-wu, G. (2012). Diversity and Genetic Differentiation of the Whitefly Bemisia tabaci Species Complex in China Based on mtCOI and cDNA-AFLP Analysis. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 11(2): 206-214.
Yu, Z., JianWei, Z., YuXian, H. & Jian, H. (2012). Genetic diversity of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) natural populations in Fujian province based on RAPD and ISSR marker. Fujian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 27(5): 518-523.
 © 2025 by the authors. Licensee SCU, Ahvaz, Iran. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0 license) (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.
Plant Protection (Scientific Journal of Agriculture)
Volume 48, Issue 3
Autumn 2025
Pages 43-54