Whitefly/Virus Biology and Ecology

Current Research

Through monitoring efforts and DNA barcoding, we are studying the population dynamics, biology, and ecology of whiteflies and viruses. Our researchers are documenting changes in whitefly populations, studying the genetic bases of insecticide resistance in whiteflies, and investigating virus transmission dynamics.

Population dynamics

Publications

High Throughput Sequencing-Aided Survey Reveals Widespread Mixed Infections of Whitefly-Transmitted Viruses in Cucurbits in Georgia, USA

What Is the Spatial Extent of a Bemisia tabaci Population?

Survey of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Agricultural Ecosystems in Georgia

Species reports

Publications

First Report of Cucurbit Chlorotic Yellows Virus Affecting Watermelon in the United States

First Report of Cucurbit Chlorotic Yellows Virus in Association with Other Whitefly-Transmitted Viruses in Yellow Squash (Cucurbita pepo) in Georgia, U.S.A.

First Report of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virusin Cucurbits in Georgia, United States

First Report of Cucurbit Leaf Crumple Virus Infecting Three Cucurbit Crops in South Carolina

Vector-pathogen interactions

Publications

Whitefly-Mediated Transmission and Subsequent Acquisition of Highly Similar and Naturally Occurring Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus Variants

A Review on Transcriptional Responses of Interactions between Insect Vectors and Plant Viruses 

Virus-virus interactions in a plant host and in a hemipteran vector: Implications for vector fitness and virus epidemics

Whitefly Endosymbionts: Biology, Evolution, and Plant Virus Interactions

Low Frequency of Horizontal and Vertical Transmission of Cucurbit Leaf Crumple Virus in Whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius

Genome-wide profiling of piRNAs in the whitefly Bemisia tabaci reveals cluster distribution and association with begomovirus transmission

Host plants

Publications

Seasonal Occurrence and Reproductive Suitability of Weed Hosts for Sweetpotato Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), in South Georgia

Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.) Is a Potential Reservoir Host of Cucurbit Chlorotic Yellows Virus

Brassica carinata: New Reproductive Host Plant of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Virus Accumulation and Whitefly Performance Modulate the Role of Alternate Host Species as Inoculum Sources of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus