Diversity of Associated Endosymbionts of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) on Solanaceous Host Plants in India

Background: Investigations were carried out to record the spreading frequency of seven known endosymbionts specifically Portiera, Cardinium, Rickettsia, Fritschea, Wolbachia, Hamiltonella and Arsenophonus between the field populations of Bemisia tabaci collected from two host plants, viz. brinjal (Solanum melongena) and tomato (S. lycopersicum). Methods: Individual flies from each host were scanned for symbiotic bacterial infection with specific primers amplifying the 16S rRNA gene of Portiera, Cardinium, Hamiltonella, Rickettsia and Wolbachia, and the 23S rRNA gene of Arsenophonus and Fritschea. Findings: The primary endosymbiont, Portiera aleyrodidarum remained present in the samples of B. tabaci on both host plants brinjal and tomato but a variation was observed in the distribution frequency of secondary endosymbionts. Application: This irregular distribution of secondary endosymbionts strengthens the hypothesis that each endosymbiotic bacterium not only has a role in the survival but may also have a part in the polyphagus nature of B. tabaci.