Host plant resistance in Vigna sp towards whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius): a review

Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera) is a cosmopolitan insect pest of many agriculturally important crops grown in the world. It appears as a major threat for the successful cultivation of many Vigna sp. particularly green gram and black gram, where it damages the plants by sucking the cell sap from the leaves, inducing sooty mould and acts as a vector of mungbean yellow mosaic virus. Host plant resistance offers a low-cost, practical, long-term solution for maintaining lower whitefly populations and reducing crop losses. The use of cultivars that are resistant to attack by B. tabaci is one of the most promising alternative control measures since it is economically and environmentally safe, and can easily be integrated with other control measures. This review highlights the host range, nature of damage, progress made in germplasm screening techniques and bases of resistance in Vigna sp. towards B. tabaci.