The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), is responsible for significant yield losses in many crops, including potato, by sucking the phloem sap and transmitting a number of plant viruses. B. tabaci is a complex of cryptic species which is commonly designated as genetic groups. The B. tabaci genetic groups differ biologically with respect to host plant preference, insecticidal resistance, reproduction capacity, and ability to transmit begomoviruses. Therefore, understanding genetic variation among populations is important for establishing crop-specific distribution profile and management. We sequenced the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene of B. tabaci collected from major potato growing areas of India. BLAST analysis of the 24 mtCOI sequences with reference Gene Bank sequences revealed four B. tabaci genetic groups prevailing in this region. mtCOI analysis exhibited the presence of Asia II 1, Asia II 5, Asia 1, and MEAM1 B. tabaci genetic groups. Our study highlighted that a new genetic group Asia II 5 has been detected in Indo-Gangetic Plains. Further virus–vector relationship study of ToLCNDV with Asia II 5 B. tabaci revealed that females are efficient vector of this virus as compared to males. This behavior of females might be due to their ability to acquire more virus titer than males. This study will help in better understanding of whitefly genetic group mediated virus diseases.

粉虱，Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)，通过吸食韧皮部的汁液并传播多种植物病毒，导致包括马铃薯在内的许多作物的产量大幅下降。烟粉虱是一种神秘物种的复合体，通常被称为遗传群体。烟粉虱基因组在寄主植物偏好、杀虫抗性、繁殖能力和传播贝戈莫病毒的能力方面存在生物学差异。因此，了解种群间的遗传变异对于建立特定作物的分布概况和管理非常重要。我们对烟粉虱的线粒体细胞色素氧化酶 I ( mtCOI ) 基因进行了测序。从印度的主要马铃薯种植区收集。使用参考基因​​库序列对 24 个mtCOI序列进行BLAST 分析揭示了该区域中普遍存在的四个烟粉虱遗传组。mtCOI分析显示存在亚洲 II 1、亚洲 II 5、亚洲 1 和 MEAM1烟粉虱基因组。我们的研究强调，在印度恒河平原发现了一个新的基因组 Asia II 5。ToLCNDV 与亚洲 II 5烟粉虱的进一步病毒-载体关系研究揭示了与男性相比，女性是这种病毒的有效载体。女性的这种行为可能是由于她们比男性获得更多病毒滴度的能力。这项研究将有助于更好地了解粉虱遗传群介导的病毒疾病。