STUDIES ON THE TRANSMISSION OF CASSAVA MOSAIC VIRUS BY BEMISIA SPP. (ALEYRODIDAE)

Whiteflies, which had originated from a mixed culture of Bemisia spp. collected from cassava (Manihot utilissima Pohl.) in the field, needed to feed for at least 4 hr. on the young leaves of a cassava plant with mosaic before they acquired the virus. Whiteflies that acquired virus in 4-6 hr. required another 4 hr. to become viruliferous. Once viruliferous they could infect healthy plants in a feeding period of 15 min., but longer periods gave more infections. Adult whiteflies remained infective for more than 48 hr. after ending their infection feed. Cassava fed upon by only one viruliferous fly sometimes became infected. The virus-vector relationships of cassava mosaic virus resemble those of cotton leaf-curl virus but the first could not be transmitted to cotton or the second to cassava.