Details on Bemisia tabaci biotype B in India
As reported in EPPO RS 2000/148, Bemisia tabaci biotype B (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) has recently been reported for the first time in India. In May 1999, in Karnataka (district of Kolar), populations of B. tabaci on tomatoes increased drastically (1000 fold that observed previously). Studies showed that these populations belonged to the B biotype of B. tabaci. This increase of whitefly populations was associated with a severe tomato leaf curl disease which caused complete crop failure. Molecular studies revealed the presence of a begomovirus which presented 94% nucleotide sequence identity with Tomato leaf curl begomovirus - Bangalore. The authors expressed serious concerns about the introduction of the B biotype of B. tabaci in India, as it was already associated with a severe disease outbreak.
Sources
Banks, G.K.; Colvin, J.; Chowda, Reddy, R.V.; Maruthi, M.N.; Muniyappa, V.; Venkatesh, H.M.; Kiran Kumar, M.; Padmaja, A.S.; Beitia, F.J.; Seal, S.E. (2001) First report of the Bemisia tabaci B Biotype in India and an associated Tomato leaf curl virus Disease Epidemic.
Plant Disease, 85(2), p 231.