Life table study of Pentalonia nigronervosa & P. caladii on banana & vector transmission of Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV)

Abstract

Pentalonia nigronervosa, the banana aphid, (Hemiptera: Aphididae) vector-transmits Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV): the greatest constraint for banana (Musa sp.) crop production in Hawaii. Prior to 2010, Pentalonia caladii, the cardamom aphid, was regarded in synonymy with P. nigronervosa, therefore, earlier studies of Pentalonia aphids may not accurately reflect the true nature of each species. This research compares the life history, colonization ability and transmission competence of genotypically distinct P. nignonervosa and P. caladii asexual lineages collected from taro, heliconia, red ginger and banana using banana leaf discs or plants. Life history and developmental parameters were similar for both species when reared on banana leaf discs, but P. caladii from taro colonized banana plants with difficulty. All lineages of P. caladii vectored BBTV in leaf disc transmission assays, but only the P. caladii lineage from taro and P. nigronervosa from banana were able to vector BBTV to plantlets.