The whiteflies belonging to the species group Bemisia tabaci transmit viruses that are the greatest constraint to the production of cassava, Africa’s most important food security crop. We studied the life history of an endemic African population of B. tabaci SSA-ESA at six constant temperatures (16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36 °C) in controlled environment chambers, and for 10 generations in the field. Oviposition occurred between 20 and 28 °C, with highest fecundity (114.5 ± 88.2) eggs per female at 20 °C. Similarly, B. tabaci adult females average survival time was longest (19.7 days) at 24 °C, and shortest (8.5 days) at 36 °C. Immature development time decreased with increasing temperature from 59.3 days at 16 °C to 16.3 days at 28 °C, and increased above 28 °C. A constant temperature of 36 °C was lethal to eggs and first instars and no immature stage developed further to adults at this temperature. Several temperature-driven models were fitted for describing the species development, survival and reproduction using Insect Life Cycle Modelling (ILCYM®) software. Median temperature-dependent development rates in individual immature life stages were statistically described by Taylor, Brière 1 and Tb (Logan) models. Temperature-dependent mortality and senescence rates in immature stages were described by using parabolic nonlinear models. The longevity of adult females and oviposition time was best described by the Weibull distribution. Maximum population growth was predicted between 26 and 28 °C. These results will be useful for spatio-temporal analysis of climate change impacts on the distribution and abundance of this pest.

中文翻译：

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木薯粉虱烟粉虱的生活史和温度依赖性

属于烟粉虱（Bemisia tabaci）物种组的粉虱传播病毒，这是对木薯（非洲最重要的粮食安全作物）生产的最大制约。我们研究了在六个恒定温度（16、20、24、28、32、36°C）下在受控环境室内对非洲烟粉虱SSA-ESA特有非洲种群的生活史，并在田间进行了十代研究。产卵在20至28°C之间，在20°C时每位雌性的卵子繁殖力最高（114.5±88.2）。同样，烟粉虱成年女性的平均生存时间在24°C时最长（19.7天），在36°C时最短（8.5天）。随着温度的升高，未成熟发育时间从16°C的59.3天减少到28°C的16.3天，并在28°C以上增加。36℃的恒定温度对卵和初生幼虫具有致死性，在此温度下，成年后还没有发育成熟的阶段。利用昆虫生命周期建模（ILCYM®）软件，拟合了几种温度驱动的模型来描述物种的发育，存活和繁殖。泰勒（Taylor），布里埃（Breère）1和Tb（洛根（Logan））模型在统计学上描述了个体未成熟阶段中温度依赖的发育速度。使用抛物线非线性模型描述了不成熟阶段的温度依赖性死亡率和衰老率。成年女性的寿命和产卵时间最好用威布尔分布来描述。预计最大种群增长将在26至28°C之间。这些结果将对气候变化对这种有害生物的分布和丰富度的影响进行时空分析。