The Characterization Of Pineapple Mealybug Wilt-associated Virus (PMWaV) And Identification Of Their Insectvectors In Pineapple Cultivations Of Sarawak | UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA KAMPUS BINTULU SARAWAK
» The characterization of Pineapple Mealybug Wilt-associated Virus (PMWaV) and identification of their insectvectors in pineapple cultivations of Sarawak

The characterization of Pineapple Mealybug Wilt-associated Virus (PMWaV) and identification of their insectvectors in pineapple cultivations of Sarawak

C) The characterization of Pineapple Mealybug Wilt-associated Virus (PMWaV) and identification of their insectvectors in pineapple cultivations of Sarawak


Introduction:

This research group focuses on investigating the roles and potentials of insects as pests and biological control agents towards crop production. The characterization of Pineapple Mealybug Wilt-associated Virus (PMWaV) and identification of their insectvectors in pineapple cultivations of Sarawak. Pineapple is one of the most important crops in Sarawak and has huge potential to be the major crops fromSarawak. Currently, 826.89ha of active pineapple plantation is recorded in Sarawak and the numbers areexpected to increase near future. Just like any other plantation, the production of pineapple is in risk due tothe infestation of pest such as mealybug. This pest is known to be the vector of pineapple mealybug wiltassociated virus (PMWaV) that lead to mealybug wilt of pineapple (MWP) disease. This disease involvesmulti-trophic interaction between mealybugs as vector of PMWaV, ants as transfer agent of mealybugs fromone pineapple plant to another, and pineapple plant as the host of PMWaV. However, there has been noconfirmation on PMWaV in Sarawak albeit there are symptoms of wilting pineapple been recorded. Moreover,previous studies showed the tritrophicinteractions between the types of PMWaV (PMWaV-1, -2, -3) vectoredby specific mealybug species which also transferred by specific ant species. Therefore, the objectives of thisstudy are: 1) to identify the mealybug species that has been infesting pineapple crops by using morphologyand molecular methods, 2) to identify ant species associated with mealybug population in the pineappleplantation by using morphology and molecular methods, and 3) to identify the type virus of PMWaV in themealybug population of the pineapple plantation. The output of this project is expected to provide thefundamental data of the associated insects and PMWaV of pineapple cultivation of Sarawak. This data willthen be used to develop and manage the infestation of associated pests such as mealybugs and ants inorder to prevent the MWP disease from affecting the production of the pineapple, hence improving theproduction of pineapple of Sarawak.

 



For more further enquiries:

Dr. Muhamad Azmi Bin Mohammed
Senior Lecturer
Department of Crop Science
Faculty of Agricultural Science and Forestry
Tel: +6086 855405
Email: mm_azmi@upm.edu.my

Kemaskini:: 07/09/2020 [lanz]

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UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA KAMPUS BINTULU SARAWAK

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Malaysia

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