Unraveling the Genetic Structure of the Coconut Scale Insect Pest (Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne) Outbreak Populations in the Philippines.

ABSTRACT: Despite the fact that massive outbreaks of the coconut scale insect pest, Aspidiotus rigidus Reyne (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) are inflicting significant economic losses to the Philippines' coconut industry, little is known about the population and dispersal history of this invasive pest in the country. Here, we examined the genetic diversity, structure and demographic history of A. rigidus sampled from localities with reported outbreaks from 2014 to 2017. We analyzed the genetic structure of the outbreak populations using mitochondrial COI and nuclear EF-1α markers. Both markers and all methods of population genetic structure analyses indicate clear differentiation among the A. rigidus populations separating the north from the southern regions of the Philip

SUBMITTER: Serrana JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6920999 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature