Population differentiation of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) by DNA polymorphism in China

The differentiation of Bemisia tabaci populations in China was analyzed using RAPD-PCR. Five Bemisia tabaci populations were collected from the north, middle and south of China, including three Bemisia biotype populations, the indigenous biotype populations (NaC) and a new biotype population from ornamental plants (“Cv” biotype). In addition, the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, was used as a outgroup population in this analysis. Results of cluster analysis using genetic distances indicated that the population relationship between the NaC biotype and the Cv biotype was very close to each other than that between B biotype and NaC biotype, and that between B biotype and the Cv biotype. Further, the population relationship of the three biotypes of B. tabaci in China is intraspecific, and the “Cv” biotype is potentially originated in China or in the neighboring countries.