Evidence for rapid spatiotemporal changes in genetic structure of an alien whitefly during initial invasion

The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci Q species is a recent invader and important pest of agricultural crops in China. This research tested the hypothesis that the Q populations that establish in agricultural fields in northern China each year are derived from multiple secondary introductions and/or local populations that overwinter in greenhouses (the pest cannot survive winters in the field in northern China). Here, we report the evidence that the Q populations in agricultural fields mainly derive from multiple secondary introductions. In addition, the common use of greenhouses during the winter in certain locations in northern China helps increase the genetic diversity and the genetic structure of the pest. The genetic structure information generated from this long-term and large-scale field analysis increases our understanding of B. tabaci Q as an invasive pest and has important implications for B. tabaci Q management.