Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii and Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae in Greenhouse‐Grown Tomato Plants

ABSTRACT Environmental DNA (eDNA) consists of genetic material shed by living organisms, including those that are deceased, offering a unique opportunity to detect and identify terrestrial insect pests without requiring visual identification. The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii, and the t...

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Main Authors: Jonathan Lee‐Rodriguez, Christopher M. Ranger, Ashley Leach, Andrew Michel, Michael E. Reding, Luis Canas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-09-01
Series:Environmental DNA
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70026
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author Jonathan Lee‐Rodriguez
Christopher M. Ranger
Ashley Leach
Andrew Michel
Michael E. Reding
Luis Canas
author_facet Jonathan Lee‐Rodriguez
Christopher M. Ranger
Ashley Leach
Andrew Michel
Michael E. Reding
Luis Canas
author_sort Jonathan Lee‐Rodriguez
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Environmental DNA (eDNA) consists of genetic material shed by living organisms, including those that are deceased, offering a unique opportunity to detect and identify terrestrial insect pests without requiring visual identification. The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii, and the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, are notorious for causing crop losses through virus transmission and direct feeding. Our study aimed to: (1) assess the effectiveness of B. argentifolii literature‐based PCR primers compared to newly developed primers for eDNA amplification, (2) evaluate the sensitivity of conventional PCR (cPCR) and real‐time quantitative PCR (qPCR) for detecting eDNA of B. argentifolii and T. urticae, (3) establish a rapid eDNA processing methodology using the LGC Biosearch Technologies QuickExtract DNA extraction kit and the Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit, and (4) test the specificity of the developed primers against non‐target species. B. argentifolii and T. urticae were confined to tomato leaves (Solanum lycopersicum) using clip cages for 24 h, after which eDNA was collected from leaf surfaces using a water spray method, filtered, and processed for DNA amplification. While literature‐based primers showed sufficient sensitivity, their specificity for eDNA applications was inadequate, prompting the design of novel PCR primers for both pest species. Positive eDNA detection was achieved with both amplification methods, with qPCR proving more reliable than cPCR due to the latter's inconsistent performance with positive control samples. We also introduced a rapid eDNA processing approach using the QuickExtract DNA extraction kit, contrasting it with the more conventional Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit. We believe that our findings are the first step toward the practical use of eDNA as a highly sensitive, early detection technique.
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publisher Wiley
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spelling doaj-art-050da33e11d047179cae7d95bc632e192025-08-20T02:12:24ZengWileyEnvironmental DNA2637-49432024-09-0165n/an/a10.1002/edn3.70026Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii and Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae in Greenhouse‐Grown Tomato PlantsJonathan Lee‐Rodriguez0Christopher M. Ranger1Ashley Leach2Andrew Michel3Michael E. Reding4Luis Canas5Department of Entomology The Ohio State University Wooster Ohio USAUSDA‐Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Insects Research Lab Wooster Ohio USADepartment of Entomology The Ohio State University Wooster Ohio USADepartment of Entomology The Ohio State University Wooster Ohio USAUSDA‐Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Insects Research Lab Wooster Ohio USADepartment of Entomology The Ohio State University Wooster Ohio USAABSTRACT Environmental DNA (eDNA) consists of genetic material shed by living organisms, including those that are deceased, offering a unique opportunity to detect and identify terrestrial insect pests without requiring visual identification. The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii, and the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, are notorious for causing crop losses through virus transmission and direct feeding. Our study aimed to: (1) assess the effectiveness of B. argentifolii literature‐based PCR primers compared to newly developed primers for eDNA amplification, (2) evaluate the sensitivity of conventional PCR (cPCR) and real‐time quantitative PCR (qPCR) for detecting eDNA of B. argentifolii and T. urticae, (3) establish a rapid eDNA processing methodology using the LGC Biosearch Technologies QuickExtract DNA extraction kit and the Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit, and (4) test the specificity of the developed primers against non‐target species. B. argentifolii and T. urticae were confined to tomato leaves (Solanum lycopersicum) using clip cages for 24 h, after which eDNA was collected from leaf surfaces using a water spray method, filtered, and processed for DNA amplification. While literature‐based primers showed sufficient sensitivity, their specificity for eDNA applications was inadequate, prompting the design of novel PCR primers for both pest species. Positive eDNA detection was achieved with both amplification methods, with qPCR proving more reliable than cPCR due to the latter's inconsistent performance with positive control samples. We also introduced a rapid eDNA processing approach using the QuickExtract DNA extraction kit, contrasting it with the more conventional Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue kit. We believe that our findings are the first step toward the practical use of eDNA as a highly sensitive, early detection technique.https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70026DNAenvironmentalHemipteraInsectapolymerase chain reactionTetranychidae
spellingShingle Jonathan Lee‐Rodriguez
Christopher M. Ranger
Ashley Leach
Andrew Michel
Michael E. Reding
Luis Canas
Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii and Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae in Greenhouse‐Grown Tomato Plants
Environmental DNA
DNA
environmental
Hemiptera
Insecta
polymerase chain reaction
Tetranychidae
title Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii and Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae in Greenhouse‐Grown Tomato Plants
title_full Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii and Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae in Greenhouse‐Grown Tomato Plants
title_fullStr Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii and Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae in Greenhouse‐Grown Tomato Plants
title_full_unstemmed Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii and Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae in Greenhouse‐Grown Tomato Plants
title_short Using Environmental DNA to Detect and Identify Sweetpotato Whitefly Bemisia argentifolii and Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae in Greenhouse‐Grown Tomato Plants
title_sort using environmental dna to detect and identify sweetpotato whitefly bemisia argentifolii and twospotted spider mite tetranychus urticae in greenhouse grown tomato plants
topic DNA
environmental
Hemiptera
Insecta
polymerase chain reaction
Tetranychidae
url https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70026
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