{"id":12994,"date":"2026-06-20T12:26:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:26:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/iita-advances-biocontrol-of-whitefly-to-stop-spread-of-deadly-viral-cassava-diseases\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T12:26:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:26:08","slug":"iita-advances-biocontrol-of-whitefly-to-stop-spread-of-deadly-viral-cassava-diseases","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-advances-biocontrol-of-whitefly-to-stop-spread-of-deadly-viral-cassava-diseases\/","title":{"rendered":"IITA advances biocontrol of whitefly to stop spread of deadly viral cassava diseases"},"content":{"rendered":"

Researchers of the the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) are intensifying efforts to find a sustainable and natural solution to control populations of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. These tiny insects transmit the viruses that cause the Cassava Mosaic Disease and the Cassava Brown Streak Disease that are wreaking havoc on Africa\u2019s cassava production, causing an estimated damage of more than US$ 1 billion annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Adults<\/a>
Adults of Bemisia tabaci. Image from Wikimedia Commons, courtesy of ARS-USDA.IITA is investing in a two-year project that will identify the most effective natural enemies of the whitefly that can be deployed to reduce its population. It will also explore cassava varieties, including wild relatives, with resistance to the pest.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr James Legg, IITA entomologist who has been working on cassava diseases for over 10 years, says that in areas where the p andemic is present the vector population is up to a hundred times greater than in areas not yet affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, he says, in addition to transmitting the viruses, \u2018super-abundant\u2019 Bemisia<\/em> whitefly also cause physical damage to the cassava plants. Studies conducted in Ug anda showed that yield losses from whitefly damage alone can be as much as 50%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have been studying the biological characteristics and genetics of this \u2018super-abundant\u2019 Bemisia<\/em> whitefly and assessing its local natural enemies,\u201d he says. \u201cWith the new project, we will intensify our efforts to search for and test the effectiveness of these natural enemies as part of an integrated disease management strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whitefly has several parasitoids \u2013 parasitic wasps that develop within young whitefly larvae, eventually killing them in the process. Although local parasitoids already \u2018take out\u2019 up to half of all whitefly young, the new project aims to make this control even stronger by introducing exotic parasitoids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research will identify which of these parasitoids are most suitable for the climatic conditions in Tanzania and Cameroon using computer software such as CLIMEX. The most suitable species will be selected to test their efficacy under quarantine conditions before field testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr Legg said the research will also explore cassava varieties that are resistant to whitefly. \u201cSo far our efforts have concentrated on breeding varieties with resistance to the viruses. This new dimension offers great promise for strengthening overall control of the cassava virus and virus vector system,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project will be carried out in collaboration with International Centre for Tropical Agriculture and the University of Tel Aviv in Israel. It will target Nigeria, Cameroon, and Tanzania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IITA has in the past successfully implemented classical biocontrol programmes that restricted the spread of the cassava green mite and cassava mealybug in sub-Saharan Africa. With this new project, IITA and its partners hope that by combining biocontrol in novel ways with host plant resistance, great strides can be made in tackling one of Africa\u2019s most destructive pests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

###<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pour plus d'informations, veuillez contacter :<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. James Legg, j.legg@cgiar.org<\/a>
Virologist
IITA-Tanzanie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catherine Njuguna, c.njuguna@cgiar.org<\/a>
Corporate Communications Officer (East Africa)
IITA-Tanzanie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeffrey T. Oliver, o.jeffrey@cgiar.org<\/a>
Charg\u00e9 de communication d'entreprise (international)
Bureau de la communication
IITA \u2013 Si\u00e8ge
Ibadan, Nig\u00e9ria<\/p>\n\n\n\n

URL : www.iita.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00c0 propos de l'IITA<\/b>
L'Afrique est confront\u00e9e \u00e0 des probl\u00e8mes complexes qui minent l'agriculture et la vie des populations. Nous d\u00e9veloppons des solutions agricoles avec nos partenaires pour lutter contre la faim et la pauvret\u00e9. Nos recherches pour le d\u00e9veloppement (R4D), maintes fois r\u00e9compens\u00e9es, reposent sur une r\u00e9flexion cibl\u00e9e et autoris\u00e9e, ancr\u00e9e dans les besoins de d\u00e9veloppement de l'Afrique subsaharienne. Nous travaillons avec des partenaires en Afrique et au-del\u00e0 pour r\u00e9duire les risques pour les producteurs et les consommateurs, am\u00e9liorer la qualit\u00e9 et la productivit\u00e9 des cultures, et g\u00e9n\u00e9rer de la richesse gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 l'agriculture. L'IITA est une organisation internationale de R4D \u00e0 but non lucratif cr\u00e9\u00e9e en 1967, dirig\u00e9e par un Conseil d'administration et soutenue principalement par le CGIAR.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Researchers of the the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) are intensifying efforts to find a sustainable and natural solution to control populations of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. These tiny insects transmit the viruses that cause the Cassava Mosaic Disease and the Cassava Brown Streak Disease that are wreaking havoc on Africa\u2019s cassava production, causing an estimated damage of more than US$ 1 billion annually.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"tags":[],"science-area":[],"program":[],"location":[32],"news-type":[],"hub":[],"crop":[66],"impact-areas":[],"item-year":[188],"class_list":["post-12994","news-item","type-news-item","status-publish","hentry","location-nigeria","crop-cassava","item-year-188"],"yoast_head":"\nIITA advances biocontrol of whitefly to stop spread of deadly viral cassava diseases - IITA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/iita-advances-biocontrol-of-whitefly-to-stop-spread-of-deadly-viral-cassava-diseases\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"IITA advances biocontrol of whitefly to stop spread of deadly viral cassava diseases - IITA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Researchers of the the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) are intensifying efforts to find a sustainable and natural solution to control populations of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. 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