Effects of cowpea mild mottle virus on soybean cultivars in Brazil

Soybean stem necrosis is caused by cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV), transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. CPMMV has already been recorded in all major soybean-producing areas of Brazil. The impacts caused by CPMMV to the current Brazilian soybean production are unknown, thus the main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of CPMMV infection on the main important soybean cultivars grown in the Southern and Midwestern regions of Brazil. Although asymptomatic in some of the tested cultivars, CPMMV infection significantly reduced the plant height, the number of pods per plant and the 1,000-grain weight. In addition, estimated yield losses ranged from 174 to 638 kg ha−1, depending on the cultivar. Evidence of seed transmission of CPMMV was observed in the BMX POTÊNCIA RR cultivar. These results suggest that CPMMV could have an important role in the reduction of soybean productivity in Brazil, but symptomless infections might be hiding the actual impact of this pathogen in commercial fields and infected seeds could be the primary inoculum source of the virus in the field

Population Dynamics of Whiteflies and Associated Viruses in South America: Research Progress and Perspectives

By having an extensive territory and suitable climate conditions, South America is one of the most important agricultural regions in the world, providing different kinds of vegetable products to different regions of the world. However, such favorable conditions for plant production also allow the development of several pests, increasing production costs. Among them, whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) stand out for their potential for infesting several crops and for being resistant to insecticides, having high rates of reproduction and dispersal, besides their efficient activity as virus vectors. Currently, the most important species occurring in South America are Bemisia afer, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, and the cryptic species Middle East-Asia Minor 1, Mediterranean, and New World, from Bemisia tabaci complex. In this review, a series of studies performed in South America were compiled in an attempt to unify the advances that have been developed in whitefly management in this continent. At first, a background of the current whitefly distribution in South American countries as well as factors affecting them are shown, followed by a background of the whitefly transmitted viruses in South America, addressing their location and association with whiteflies in each country. Afterwards, a series of management strategies are proposed to be implemented in South American fields, including cultural practices and biological and chemical control, finalizing with a section containing future perspectives and directions for further research