• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.57-61
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• 2007

Whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses (WTGs) are economically important pathogens causing serious damage on tomato and chilli pepper in Indonesia. Geminiviruses are readily transmitted by its insect vector, sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). However, greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum), another species of whitefly, is commonly found together with B. tabaci in the field. Incidence of yellow leaf curl disease in tomato and chilli pepper is probably correlated with the population of whitefly complex. It is becoming important to find the role of T. vaporariorum in the spread of the disease. Therefore, research is conducted to study the characteristic relationship between tomato leaf curl begomovirus (ToLCV) and two species of whitefly. The two species of whitefly, B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum, was capable to transmit ToLCV although it was evidenced that B. tabaci is more effective as insect vector of ToLCV in tomato and chilli pepper. A single B. tabaci was able to transmit ToLCV to tomato with a minimum acquisition and inoculation access period of 10 h. Transmission of ToLCV by T. vaporariorum required at least 10 insects per plant with a minimum acquisition and inoculation access period of 24 h. The transmission efficiency will increase with longer acquisition and inoculation access period of the insect and the higher number of insect per plant.