Exploring the Relationship of Potato Viruses with Aphid and Whitefly Vectors

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important staple crops in the world. However, potato cultivation is constrained by several biotic factors, the most important of which are viruses spread by insects and soil-borne vectors. In the potato pathosystem, about 50 phytopathogenic viruses have been reported to affect cultivated potatoes across various countries under diverse climatic conditions. Particularly, hemipteran vectors such as aphids and whiteflies play a dominant role in spreading potato viruses. For these diseases to be effectively controlled, it is essential to comprehend how viruses and their vectors interact. Therefore, in this chapter, we highlighted the ecology and transmission biology of potato viruses transmitted by aphid and whitefly vectors. We also review the tripartite interactions (virus-vector-host) and different management strategies that could be explored to interrupt the inter-relationship for sustainable management.