Whiteflies are sap-sucking insects responsible for high economic losses. They colonize hundreds of plant species and cause direct feeding damage and indirect damage through transmission of devastating viruses. Modern agriculture has seen a history of invasive whitefly species and populations that expand to novel regions, bringing along fierce viruses. Control efforts are hindered by fast virus transmission, insecticide-resistant populations, and a wide host range which permits large natural reservoirs for whiteflies. Augmentative biocontrol by parasitoids while effective in suppressing high population densities in greenhouses falls short when it comes to preventing virus transmission and is ineffective in the open field. A potential source of much needed novel control strategies lays within a diverse community of whitefly endosymbionts. The idea to exploit endosymbionts for whitefly control is as old as identification of these bacteria, yet it still has not come to fruition. We review where our knowledge stands on the aspects of whitefly endosymbiont evolution, biology, metabolism, multitrophic interactions, and population dynamics. We show how these insights are bringing us closer to the goal of better integrated pest management strategies. Combining most up to date understanding of whitefly–endosymbiont interactions and recent technological advances, we discuss possibilities of disrupting and manipulating whitefly endosymbionts, as well as using them for pest control.

粉虱是吸食汁液的昆虫，造成了巨大的经济损失。它们在数百种植物物种中定殖，并通过传播破坏性病毒造成直接进食损害和间接损害。现代农业已经见证了入侵粉虱物种和种群扩展到新地区的历史，带来了凶猛的病毒。控制工作受到病毒快速传播、抗杀虫剂种群和广泛的宿主范围的阻碍，这些宿主范围允许粉虱的大型天然水库。寄生蜂的增强性生物防治虽然能有效抑制温室中的高种群密度，但在防止病毒传播方面存在不足，并且在露天场地无效。急需的新型控制策略的潜在来源在于粉虱内共生菌的多样化群落。利用内共生菌控制粉虱的想法与鉴定这些细菌一样古老，但仍未实现。我们回顾了我们在粉虱内共生进化、生物学、新陈代谢、多营养相互作用和种群动态方面的知识。我们展示了这些见解如何使我们更接近更好的综合害虫管理战略的目标。结合对粉虱-内共生体相互作用的最新理解和最近的技术进步，我们讨论了破坏和操纵粉虱内共生体的可能性，以及将它们用于害虫防治。我们回顾了我们在粉虱内共生进化、生物学、新陈代谢、多营养相互作用和种群动态方面的知识。我们展示了这些见解如何使我们更接近更好的综合害虫管理战略的目标。结合对粉虱-内共生体相互作用的最新理解和最近的技术进步，我们讨论了破坏和操纵粉虱内共生体的可能性，以及将它们用于害虫防治。我们回顾了我们在粉虱内共生进化、生物学、新陈代谢、多营养相互作用和种群动态方面的知识。我们展示了这些见解如何使我们更接近更好的综合害虫管理战略的目标。结合对粉虱-内共生体相互作用的最新理解和最近的技术进步，我们讨论了破坏和操纵粉虱内共生体的可能性，以及将它们用于害虫防治。