Biotypes of Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) from Fars province

The sweet potato whitefly، Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)، is considered as a complex species. The aim of the present work was to study the variability، including the biotypes of this pest in Fars province of Iran. B. tabaci individuals were collected in cotton and pepper fields in Shiraz، Maharlu، Kaftarak، Fasa and Khir (Estahban) during 2009-2010 growing seasons. DNA was extracted from selected samples and subjected to RAPD-PCR test. The patterns obtained in RAPD-PCR revealed that most Iranian B. tabaci samples belong to the B biotype. Another biotype was identified as Cv. In addition، a different pattern was observed which had no similarity with known B، Cv and Q biotypes. On the basis of DNA nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene of the whiteflies، Iranian samples of B. tabaci had 94. 2-100% identity with B. tabaci Bbiotypes and 84. 9-93. 2% identity with B. tabaci non-Bbiotypes in the GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Fars province samples of B. tabaci were classified into two subgroups. Among 11 main groups and 24 subgroups of B. tabaci described recently، the Iranian samples of B. tabaci were placed in Africa/Middle East/Asia Minor main group and Middle East/Asia Minor 1 subgroup.