Vector-borne plant virus transmission is a complex mechanism involving various interactions of viruses, vectors and plants. Plant viruses modify, either directly or indirectly, the rates of development, reproduction and behavior of vector insects in a positive, negative, or neutral manner. The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is the only known vector of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) which is a virus that seriously damaged tomato cultivars all around the world. Acquisition of TYLCV influences on various developmental, physiological and molecular mechanisms of Q1 biotype B. tabaci. We compared several behavioral and physiological characteristics between non-viruliferous (NV) and TYLCV-viruliferous (V) of Q1 biotype whiteflies. When B. tabaci acquired TYLCV, total life span was shorter and fecundity was lower than NV ones. V whiteflies were more susceptible to thermal stress by increasing hsp mRNA levels but higher in mortality by either heat or cold shocks. Furthermore, V whiteflies increased the rates of plant sap probing and light attraction behaviors than NV ones. All together, our results show that TYLCV acquisition regulates B. tabaci to enhance the rates of development and environmental susceptibility. Our results provide insights to understand vector’s role in relation to the acquisition and transmission of plant viruses.

• S. M. Hemayet Jahan(School of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University)
• Jung-Young Ahn(School of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University)
• Kyeong-Yeoll Lee(School of Applied Biosciences, Kyungpook National University)