Many arthropods are hosts of symbiotic bacteria inherited through the maternal line. The sweet potato whitefly, an agricultural pest, has acquired a new one. Over a six-year period, a bacterium from the genus Rickettsia swept through the whitefly population, assuring survival advantages for the whiteflies and for itself shown in studies by Martha S. Hunter a professor of etomology at the University of Arizona. The bacterium induces the insects to produce a larger number of daughters, advantageous for a bacterium that is passed to the next generation only by the females. The new research appears in the April 8 issue of Science. The next approach Hunter expains, will test whether the fitness benefit exists outside the laboratory. “This study shows that acquiring a bacterial symbiont can fundamentally change the biology of an insect, really instantaneously,” Dr. Hunter said.
This information is useful for pest management especially when it comes down to human health and environmental and economic issues related to the management of pest populations. Safe, pest and disease free homes, schools, parks, recreational areas, as well as a safe and affordable supply food products and a wholesome pesticide free environment are demanded by Americans. Knowing what effects insects, such as the sweer potato whitefly, can make pest managment more effective.
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