Project name: Bemisia tabaci

Description: Bemisia tabaci, also known as the sweet potato whitefly, attacks more than 600 different kinds of plants and causes billions of dollars in damage annually to cultivated crops throughout the world. The insect damages plants by feeding on plant juices, transmitting pathogenic viruses, and promoting mold infestations. The species is divided into diverse biological 'types' which include the Old World B biotype, New World A type, and Jatropha type.The genome of B. tabaci is estimated to be approximately 1020 Mbp, or 2.5 times the size of the Drosophila melanogaster genome. The species is haplodiploid with unfertilized eggs giving rise to haploid males and fertilized eggs developing into diploid females. Future studies of B. tabaci using the EST and microarray resources that have been developed will be useful in controlling this important agricultural pest.

Last updated: 2006-10-27