326-P SURVEY OF BEMISA TABACI (HOMOPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) AND. ‘THE TOMATO YELLOW LEAF CURL VIRUS IN FRANCE, E. Bertaux’, P, Reynaud? & A. Dalmon’ "Laboratoire National de la Protection des Végétaux, Station d’énude des techniques de lutte biologique, 1382 route de Biot, 06560 Valbonne, France; E- mail:bertaux@antibes.inra.fr; *Laboratoire National de la Protection des Végétaux, Unité d’entomologie, 2 Place Viala, 34060 Montpellier cedex 01, France; E-mail: reynaud@ensam.inra.fr; “Laboratoire National de la Protection des Vézétaux, Unité de virologie des plantes herbacées, Domaine St Maurice, BP94, 84143 Montfavet cedex, France; E-mail: dalmon@avignon inra fr In France, Bemisia tabaci was discovered in 1988, but probably it occurred there from a few years. Since 1997, an official and systematic survey is conducted by the Plant Protection Service, for a better knowledge of the whitefly distribution and its host range. More than 100 samples per year were sent to the laboratory for identification. They came from different regions of France: more than half of the departments were prospected; samples were taken from all kind of crops or weeds. Even with the objective of finding B. tabaci, ess than 10% of the samples were positive, compared ‘with more than 80% for Trialeurodes vaporarioru. B. tabaci is found mainly on ornamental plants in greenhouses like poinsettia or hibiscus. __ Im some cases, it was present on vegetables like tomato, only in south France during the warm season. Climate. simulation shows. that the whitefly cannot survive winter_outdoor, except pethaps in the coast border ofthe extreme south east of the country. Principal sources of potential propagation are some warm ornamental greenhouses or importation of infested plants. Survey of the Tomato Vellow Leaf Curl Virus In France, an outbreak of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCY) occured on, ‘tomato in’'1999. The origin of the infection was clearly established: importation of ‘tomato plantlets from a contaminated area in south of Spain. The two viral species known in Europe were characterized, TYLCV-Is and TYLCV-Sar. B. tabaci non B- ‘biotype was isolated, when only B-biotype is usually identified in France.‘The environment of the infected field did not fit for the survive of the virus and its vector. Both in 1999 and 2000, prospecting all around the area on crops and potential weed hosts revealed no positive samples. No more virus was found on any sample received in the laboratory. In the same time, other tomato production areas were inspected and samples were analysed with serological and hybridation previously described methods. The virus confirmed to be absent in France in the year 2000. ‘Nevertheless, the risk of importing contaminated tomato plantlets or viruliferous “whiteflies still exists, The threat remains, B. baci the vector being still there, even if it is ata low pressure. But, if an outbreak occurs again, TYLCV contamination would be less dangerous than in southern countries of Europe. ‘Key words: Bemisia tabaci, Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus, survey