PCR detection of viruliferous Bemisia tabaci
A rapid, specific and simple PCR technique has been developed in Wisconsin (US) to detect tomato yellow leaf curl geminivirus (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) and tomato mottle geminivirus in their insect vector Bemisia tabaci (EPPO A2 quarantine pest). In fact, in this study, the B biotype of Bemisia tabaci (B. argentifolii) has been used. With this method, it was possible to detect both viruses in individual B. tabaci carrying either tomato yellow leaf curl or tomato mottle. The authors concluded that this method is particularly useful for epidemiological and disease management studies in the field.
Sources
Mehta, P.; Wyman, J.A.; Nakhla, M.K.; Maxwell, D.P. (1994) Polymerase chain reaction detection of viruliferous Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) with two tomato-infecting geminiviruses.
Journal of Economic Entomology, 87 (5), 1285-1290.