Development and reproduction of Brevipalpus yothersi on orange fruits infected with Citrus leprosis virus C

ABSTRACT

Plant-pathogenic viruses cause physiological and biochemical changes in the host plant as well as direct and indirect effects on the biology and behaviour of the vector. Brevipalpus yothersi Baker is considered the main vector of Citrus leprosis virus C (CiLV-C). Under laboratory conditions, we studied the effect of feeding on CiLV-C-infected oranges compared with virus-free oranges, on the duration of the life cycle of B. yothersi and the longevity and fecundity of adult female progeny. Life table parameters were estimated and compared between both populations. No virus was detected in virus-free treatments, while the virus was always detected in mites feeding on virus-infected fruit; this was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. The duration of the developmental stages of B. yothersi was similar between both mite populations, and no differences in the longevity and fecundity of adult female progeny was observed. In the life table analysis R₀ (net reproductive rate), DT (doubling time), λ (finite rate of increase) and R_m (intrinsic rate of increase) had lower values for mites feeding on virus-infected oranges than for mites feeding on uninfected oranges. In contrast, no differences were found in the mean generation time (MGT). Our results suggest an overall reduction in reproductive potential for mite’s feeding on virus-infected oranges.

KEYWORDS:

• Citrus × sinensis
• life tables
• plant virus
• mites
• RT-PCR

Acknowledgments

DSV received a scholarship from CONACYT-Mexico for her PhD studies. The authors are grateful to Dr Nestor Bautista-Martínez and the Tabasco Campus of the Colegio de Postgraduados for allowing us use of their controlled environment rooms for our experiments. We are very grateful to personnel of the Comite Estatal de Sanidad Vegetal in Tabasco for helping us to find and collect virus-infected and virus-free orange fruits.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.