Overall, the infected thrips tended to survive longer. The researchers then monitored the thrips through two generations, noting variables such as lifespan, mortality, fertility and reproduction.Īfter analyzing the data, the researchers found that the prepupal stage as well as total immature lifespan and adult lifespan were all shorter in thrips not infected with the virus. Thrips and plants were monitored regularly for SVNV infection using real-time polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, testing. Larson Agricultural Research Center before releasing them onto soybean plants in the researchers' lab. To begin the study, the researchers collected soybean thrips from soybean fields at the Penn State Russell E.
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SVNV also can reduce the amount of oil and proteins in the seeds and can lower seed germination rate and seed weight.Ĭristina Rosa, associate professor of plant virology in the College of Agricultural Sciences, said because the virus was discovered in 2008 and therefore is relatively new, not much is known about how to predict or manage the disease. If the disease progresses long enough, the leaves turn necrotic and fall off. This yellowing then can spread to other parts of the leaves, which eventually may develop brown lesions. Once a plant is infected with the virus, the pathogen first attacks the veins of the leaves, causing them to turn yellow. The thrips contract the virus as larvae by feeding on infected leaves and then can pass the virus to additional plants through their saliva, mainly during thrips adulthood. It can be spread by either infected seeds or infected soybean thrips. "This means infected thrips populations grew much more quickly, which could enhance the spread of the virus to additional soybean plants."Īccording to the researchers, who recently published their findings in the journal Insects, soybean vein necrosis is a disease that affects soybean plants and is caused by SVNV.
"In addition to prolonging the life of the insects, SVNV infection also shortened the doubling time of soybean thrip populations," Hameed said.
In a laboratory study, the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences researchers found that when soybean thrips- small insects ranging from 0.03 to 0.20 inches long-were infected with SVNV, they tended to survive longer and reproduce better than thrips that were not infected.Īsifa Hameed, who led the study while completing her doctoral degree in entomology at Penn State and is now a senior scientist of entomology at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute in Multan, Pakistan, said the findings give key insight into how the virus spreads in plants and affects its insect hosts.
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