ABSTRACT
Host preference of evolving insect vectors has a direct correlation in transmitting plant viruses. The presence of more than 50 lakh species of insects on the earth has been estimated and, ~5000 virus species infecting plants, animals, bacteria, fungi have been known to exist. Transmission of plant viruses is effected by several invertebrates, nematodes, fungi, mechanical means, seed, and pollen. Majority of the reported plant viruses are transmitted by invertebrates generally referred to as insect vectors. Insect vectors transmitting plant viruses belong to several orders including Coleoptera, Dermaptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, and Thysanoptera. The host selection, feeding, probing, ingestion, and transmission of plant viruses differ from insect to insect and host to hosts of same or different families. Vectors of plant viruses perform series of events during recognition of the host plant in general and identification of feeding sites in particular.
