Fourth International Bemisia Workshop International Whitefly Genomics Workshop
Invasion and response: Impacts of bemisia on worldwide agriculture
Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, Apopka, FL, USA. Correspondence: lsosborn@ufl.edu; www.mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/lso
The historical record reveals that Bemisia tabaci has caused damage to agricultural crops for more than 80 years. However, this pest was generally considered a minor or even a non-pest in most agricultural systems until the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. During the past 20 years the impact this pest has had on agriculture has been staggering. Why, after almost 80 years, has this whitefly reached such a pest status that we are attending the 4th International Workshop to discus its management and biology? The two workshops in Duck Key this week will address some of the issues that have contributed to this heighten pest status. During my presentation, I will discuss the impact this pest has had on agriculture and why we should pay very close attention to Bemisia tabaci. This insect should severe as a model of an invasive species. Why has this pest become so invasive? What can we learn from the worldwide invasion of the B and Q biotypes that can be useful in mitigating new invasions? Can we learn lessons so that we won’t be attending International Workshops on other common pests such as Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess), Aphis gossypii Glover or Myzus persicae (Sulzer) in the near future? During the period from 1986 to 2000, 150 new exotic arthropods found their way into Florida and became established (Thomas 2000). Bemisia tabaci is not listed in this document probably because it was not treated as an actionable or unique insect in Florida or the United States. Contaminated imports were allowed to proceed to their destination unless a significant infestation was detected. What was different about existing populations of B. tabaci (probably A biotype) and the populations that made their why into Florida in the 1980’s (probably B-biotype)? It has been postulated that sensitivity to pesticides, reproductive capacity, host range, and “toxic” salivary secretions differ between the biotypes. Most of these factors probably contributed to the displacement of the A-biotype and the elevation of Bemisia tabaci to one of the most serious pests of commercial agriculture. The one contributing factor that we influence by our actions is pesticide resistance. All things being equal, a resistant strain has a significant competitive advantage in agriculture systems that predominantly rely on pesticides to manage pests. We have not, nor do we currently regulate arthropods below the species level. The detection of the Q-biotype has brought this topic into sharper focus and fostered an evaluation of the issue. I will discuss how regulating arthropods at a level that requires specialized and often slow techniques for identification could negatively impact our ability to protect agriculture.
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