Srinivasan Lab WebsiteResearch Overview

I conduct basic and applied research on important thrips, whitefly, and aphid- transmitted plant viruses (Tospoviruses, Geminiviruses, and Potyviruses) affecting several crops in Georgia and in Southeastern United States. My goal is to understand these viral pathosystems at micro and macro levels. My lab is currently involved in studying the process of virus transmission by vectors, component (vector-virus-host plant) interactions, and the various factors that mediate these interactions by employing behavioral, biochemical, serological, and molecular approaches. My research also aims to understand the various factors that influence the ecology and epidemiology of these insect-transmitted viruses.

Lab Personnel

Gabrielle LaTora, Research Professional I, gabrielle.latora@uga.edu
Sarah Bragg, Laboratory Technician, scb14019@uga.edu

Graduate Students

Yi-Ju Chen (PhD), yijuchen@uga.edu
Michael Catto (PhD), mac65630@uga.edu (co-advisor Dr. Brendan Hunt)
Sudeep Pandey (PhD), sp36142@uga.edu
Gurjit Singh (PhD), Fnu.GurjitSingh@uga.edu

Post Doctoral Associates

Dr. Habibu Mugerwa, hm00192@uga.edu (co-advisor Dr. Bhabesh Dutta)
Dr. Saurabh Gautam, sg37721@uga.edu
Dr. Saritha Kavalappara, SarithaRama.Kavalappara@uga.edu (co-advisor Dr. Bhabesh Dutta)
Dr. Saioa Legarrea, saioal@uga.edu
Dr. Saptarshi Ghosh, saptarshi.ghosh@uga.edu
Dr. Banani Mondal, banani.mondal@uga.edu

Past Lab Members

Stan Diffie, research professional, 2008-2016
Dr. Sivamani Sundaraj, post-doctoral associate, 2009-2011
Dr. Anita Shrestha (PhD), graduate student, 2009-2016
Sheran Thompson, research professional, 2009-2017
Dr. Suganthy Sundaraeswaran, visiting scientist, 2011
Qaisar Abbas, exchange scientist, 2011
Kathleen Marasigan (MS), graduate student, 2011-2014
Dr. Apurba Barman (PhD), post-doctoral associate, 2012-2013
Dr. Saioa Legarrea (PhD), post-doctoral associate, 2013-2014
Dr. Wendy Marchant (PhD), graduate student, 2013-2017
Dr. Kiran Gadhave (PhD), post-doctoral associate, 2015-2017
Dr. Saurabh Gautam (PhD), graduate student, 2015-2019
Ainnee Quratulain, exchange student, 2019-2020
Simmy McKeown, Research Technician III, 2004-2021
Dr. Pin-Chu Lai, (MS,Phd), graduate student, 2013-2021

Recent Publications

Stumpf, S., L. Leach, R. Srinivasan, T. Coolong, R. Gitaitis, and B. Dutta. (in press). Foliar chemical protection against Pantoea ananatis in onion is negated by thrips feeding. Phytopathology.

*Lai, P.-C., M. R. Abney, S. Bag, A. K. Culbreath, and R. Srinivasan. 2021. Impact of host resistance to tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus in peanut cultivars on virus population genetics and thrips fitness. Pathogens. 10: 1418. doi:10.3390/pathogens10111418 (*Graduate Student) 

Candian, J. S., T. Coolong, B. Dutta, R. Srinivasan, A. Sparks, A. Barman, and A.L.B. Ribeiro da Silva. 2021. Yellow squash and zucchini cultivar selection for resistance to cucurbit leaf crumple virus in the southeastern United States. Horttechnology. 31: 504-513. doi:10.21273/HORTTECH04877-21

*Catto, M. A., *A. Shrestha, M. R. Abney, D. E. Champagne, A. K. Culbreath, S.C.M. Leal-Bertioli, . . . R. Srinivasan. 2021. Defense-related gene expression following an orthotospovirus infection is influenced by host resistance in Arachis hypogaea. Viruses-Basel. 13: 1303. doi:10.3390/v13071303 (*Graduate Student) 

*Lai, P.-C., M. R. Abney, Y.-J. Chen, S. Bag, and R. Srinivasan. 2021. Discrepancies in serology-based and nucleic acid-based detection and quantitation of tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus in leaf and root tissues from symptomatic and asymptomatic peanut plants. Pathogens. 10: 1476. doi:10.3390/pathogens10111476

Gulzar, S., M. Usman, W. Wakil, S. Wu, C. Oliveira-Hofman, R. Srinivasan, . . . D. Shapiro-Ilan. 2021. Virulence of entomopathogenic nematodes to pupae of Frankliniella fusca (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Journal of Economic Entomology, 114: 2018-2023. doi:10.1093/jee/toab132

Agarwal, G., S. R. Kavalappara, S. Gautam, A. da Silva, A. Simmons, R. Srinivasan, and B. Dutta. 2021. Field screen and genotyping of Phaseolus vulgaris against two Begomoviruses in Georgia, USA. Insects, 12: 49. doi:10.3390/insects12010049

*Marchant, W., S. Gautam, B. Dutta, and R. Srinivasan. 2021. Whitefly-mediated transmission and subsequent acquisition of highly similar and naturally occurring tomato yellow leaf curl virus variants. Phytopathology. doi:10.1094/PHYTO-06-21-0248-R (*Graduate Student) 

Luckew, A., G. Meru, E. Wang, R. Mwatuwa, M. Paret, R. Carvalho,… R. Srinivasan, C. McGregor. (in press). Field evaluation of Cucurbita germplasm for resistance to whiteflies and whitefly-transmitted viruses. Hortscience.

LaTora, A. G., P.-C. Lai, Y.-J. Chen, S. Gautam, M. Abney, and R. Srinivasan. (in press). Frankliniella fusca (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), the vector of tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus infecting peanut in the southeastern United States. Journal of Integrated Pest Management.

Agarwal, G.; Kavalappara, S.R.; Gautam, S.; Silva, A.d.; Simmons, A.; Srinivasan, R.; Dutta, B. 2021. Field Screen and Genotyping of Phaseolus vulgaris against Two Begomoviruses in Georgia, USA. Insects, 12, 49.

Stumpf, S., Leach, L., Srinivasan, R., Coolong, T., Gitaitis, R., and Dutta, B. 2020. Foliar chemical protection against Pantoea ananatis in onion is negated by thrips feeding. Phytopathology. In press.

*Gadhave, K. R., S. Gautam, D. A. Rasmussen, and R. Srinivasan. 2020. Aphid Transmission of Potyvirus: The Largest Plant-Infecting RNA Virus Genus. Viruses. 12: 773. Doi: 10.3390/v12070773. (*Postdoctoral associate).

*Gautam, S., M. S. Crossley, B. Dutta, T. Coolong, A. M. Simmons, A. da Silva, W. E. Snyder, and R. Srinivasan. 2020. Low Genetic Variability in Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 Populations within Farmscapes of Georgia, USA. Insects. 11: 834. Doi: 10.3390/insects11120834. (*Graduate Student)

*Gautam, S., K. R. Gadhave, J. W. Buck, B. Dutta, T. Coolong, S. Adkins, and R. Srinivasan. 2020. Virus-virus interactions in a plant host and in a hemipteran vector: Implications for vector fitness and virus epidemics. Virus Research. 286: 198069. Doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198069. (*Graduate Student)

*Gautam, S., H. Mugerwa, S. Sundaraj, K. R. Gadhave, J. F. Murphy, B. Dutta, and R. Srinivasan. 2020. Specific and spillover effects on vectors following infection of two RNA viruses in pepper plants. Insects. 11: 602. Doi: 10.3390/insects11090602. (*Postdoctoral associate).

*Legarrea, S., A. Barman, S. Diffie, and R. Srinivasan. 2020. Virus accumulation and whitefly performance modulate the role of alternate host species as inoculum sources of tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Plant Disease. 104: 2958–2966. Doi: 10.1094/PDIS-09-19-1853-RE

*Marchant, W. G., S. Gautam, S. F. Hutton, and R. Srinivasan. 2020. Tomato yellow leaf curl virus-resistant and -susceptible tomato genotypes similarly impact the virus population genetics. Frontiers in Plant Science. 11:599697. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2020.599697 (*Graduate Student)

*Marchant, W. G., S. Legarrea, J. R. Smeda, M. A. Mutschler, and R. Srinivasan. 2020. Evaluating acylsugars-mediated resistance in tomato against Bemisia tabaci and transmission of tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Insects. 11: 842. Doi: 10.3390/insects11120842 (*Graduate Student)

*Gadhave, K. R., S. Gautam, B. Dutta, T. Coolong, S. Adkins, and R. Srinivasan. 2020. Low frequency of horizontal and vertical transmission of cucurbit leaf crumple virus in whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius. Phytopathology (in press). (*Postdoctoral associate).

Khan, R. A., D. R Seal, S. Zhang, O. E. Liburd, R. Srinivasan, and E. Evans. 2020.  Distribution pattern of thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and tomato chlorotic spot virus in south Florida tomato tields. Environmental Entomology. 49: 73- 87.  https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvz153

*Shrestha A, D. E. Champagne, A. K. Culbreath, M. R. Abney, and R. Srinivasan. 2019. Comparison of transcriptomes of an orthotospovirus vector and non-vector thrips species. PLoS ONE 14(10): e0223438. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0223438 (*Graduate Student).

Srinivasan. R. 2019. Introduction: Host plant choice and feeding ecology of insects. Entomoloigia Experimentalis et Applicata. 167: 288-289.

Riley, D. G., and R. Srinivasan.2019.Integrated Management of Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virusand its Whitefly Vector in Tomato. Journal of Economic Entomology. (in press).

Gadhave, K., B. Dutta, T. Coolong, and R. Srinivasan.2019. A non-persistent aphid-transmitted Potyvirus differentially alters the vector and non-vector biology through host plant quality manipulation. Scientific Reports volume 9, Article number: 2503. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-39256-5(*Postdoctoral associate).

Srinivasan, R., M. Abney, P-C. Lai, A. Culbreath, and S. Tallury. 2018. Resistance to thrips in peanut and implications for management of thrips and thrips-transmitted Tospovirus.  Frontiers in Plant Science. 9:1604. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01604· 

Riley, D., A. Sparks, R. Srinivasan, G. Kennedy, G. Fonsah, and J. Scott. 2017. Thrips: Vector biology and management. In W. Wakil, G. Brust, and T. Perring [Eds]. Sustainable Management of Arthropod Pests of Tomato. 30 Pp. Elsevier Academic Press, Netherlands.

Fonsah, E.G., Y. Chen, S. Diffie, R. Srinivasan, and D. Riley. 2018. Economic productivity and profitability analysis for whiteflies and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) management options. Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences 7: 1-9.  

*Marasigan, K., M. Toews, R. Kemerait, M. R. Abney, A. Culbreath, and R. Srinivasan. 2018. Evaluation of alternatives to an organophosphate insecticide with selected cultural practices: effects on thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), and spotted wilt incidence in peanut farmscapes. Journal of Economic Entomology 111: 1030-1041. (*Graduate student)

Keough, S., J. Danielson, J. M.  Marshall, D. Lagos, D. Voegtlin, R. Srinivasan, and P. Nachappa. 2018. Factors affecting population dynamics of thrips vectors of Soybean vein necrosis virus. Environmental Entomology 47: 734-740.

*Gadhave, K., S. Adkins, A. Sparks, B. Dutta, T. Coolong, and R. Srinivasan. 2018. First Report of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus in cucurbits in Georgia, United States. Plant Health Progress 19: 9-10. (*Postdoctoral associate).

Shrestha, A., D. E. Champagne, A. K. Culbreath, D. Rotenberg, A. E. Whitfield, and R. Srinivasan. 2017. Transcriptome changes associated with Tomato spotted wilt virusinfection in various life stages of its thrips vector, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds). Journal of General Virology.  DOI 10.1099/jgv.0.000874 

Srinivasan, R., M. R. Abney, A. K. Culbreath, R. C. Kemerait, R. S. Tubbs, W. S. Monfort, H. R. Pappu. 2017. Three decades of managing Tomato spotted wilt virus in peanut in southeastern United States. Virus Res.  May 24. pii: S0168-1702(16)30709-2. doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2017.05.016. [Epub ahead of print].

Barman, A. K., K. R. Gadhave, B. Dutta, and R. Srinivasan. 2017. Plasticity in host utilization by two host associated populations of Aphis gossypii Glover. Bulletin of Entomological Research. In press (*Postdoctoral associate).

Dempsey, M., D. G. Riley, and R. Srinivasan. 2017. Insecticidal effects on the spatial progression of tomato yellow leaf curl virus and its whitefly vector in tomato. J. Econ. Ent. J Econ Entomol. 2017 Jun 1;110(3):875-883. doi: 10.1093/jee/tox061.

Beyer, A. B., R. Srinivasan, P. M. Roberts, and M. Abney. 2017. Biology and Management of the Threecornered Alfalfa Hopper (Hemiptera: Membracidae) in Alfalfa, Soybean, and Peanut. Journal of Integrated Pest Management. 8 (1): 10.

Fletcher, S. J., A. Shrestha, J. R. Peters, B. J. Carroll, R. Srinivasan, H. Pappu H and N. Mitter. 2016. The Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Genome Is Processed Differentially in its Plant Host Arachis hypogaea and its Thrips Vector Frankliniella fusca. Front. Plant Sci. 7:1349. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01349.

Dutta, B., R. Gitaitis, A. K. Barman, U. Avci, K. Marsigan, and R. Srinivasan. 2016. Interactions between Frankliniella fusca and Pantoea ananatis in the center rot epidemic of onion (Allium cepa). Phytopathology 106(9):956-62.

Marasigan, K., M. Toews, R. Kemerait, M. R. Abney, A. Culbreath, and R. Srinivasan. 2016.  Evaluation of alternatives to carbamate and organophosphate insecticides against thrips and tomato spotted wilt virus in peanut production. J. Econ. Ent. 109:544-557. (*Graduate student)

 Culbreath, A. K, A. C. Selph, B. W. Williams, R. W. Kemerait, R. Srinivasan, M. R. Abney B. L.  Tillman, C. C. Holbrook, and W. D. Branch. 2016 Effects of new field resistant cultivars and in-furrow applications of phorate insecticide on tomato spotted wilt of peanut Crop Protection 81: 70-75.

Srinivasan, R., and D. Buntin. 2016. Insect transmitted viruses in Canola.  In G.V.P. Reddy (ed.), Integrated management of insect pests of canola and other brassica oilseed crops.  Pp 305-315, CABI Publishing, Switzerland.

Riley, D., A. Sparks, R. Srinivasan, G. Kennedy, G. Fonsah, and J. Scott. 2016. Thrips: Vector biology and management. In W. Wakil, G. Brust, and T. Perring [Eds]. Sustainable Management of Arthropod Pests of Tomato. 30 Pp. Elsevier  Academic Press, Netherlands.

*Legarrea, S., A. Barman, W. Marchant, S. Diffie, and R. Srinivasan. 2015. Temporal effects of a Begomovirus infection and host plant resistance on the preference and development of an insect vector, Bemisia tabaci, and implications for epidemics. PLoS ONE 10(11): e0142114. doi:10.1371/journal. pone.0142114. (*Postdoctoral associate)

Chitturi, A., D. Riley, C. Nischwitz, R. Gitaits, and R. Srinivasan. 2015. Thrips settling, oviposition and IYSV distribution on onion foliage. J. Econ. Entomol. 108: 1164-1175

*Shrestha, A., S. Sundaraj, A. Culbreath, D. Riley, M. Abney, and R. Srinivasan. 2015. Effects of thrips density, mode of inoculation, and plant age on Tomato spotted wilt virustransmission in peanut plants. Env. Ent. 44:136-143. (*Graduate student)

Dutta, B., A. Barman, R. Srinivasan, U. Avci, D. E. Ullman, D. B. Langston, and R. Gitaitis. 2014. Transmission of Pantoea ananatis and Pantoea agglomerans, causal agents of center rot of onion (Allium cepa L.), by Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman) through feces. Phytopathology 104: 812-819.

Srinivasan, R., D. Riley, S. Diffie, A. Shrestha, and A. Culbreath. 2014. Winter weeds as inoculum sources of Tomato spotted wilt virus and as reservoirs for its vector, Frankliniella fusca in farmscapes of Georgia. Env. Entomol. 43: 410-420.

Sundaraj, S., R. Srinivasan, A. Culbreath, D. Riley, and H. Pappu. 2014. Plant resistance against Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and its impact on susceptibility to the virus, virus population genetics, and vector feeding behavior and survival. Phytopathology 104: 202-210.

*Shrestha, A., R. Srinivasan, S. Sundaraj, A. Culbreath, and D. Riley. 2013. Second generation peanut genotypes resistant to thrips-transmitted Tomato spotted wilt virus exhibit tolerance rather than true resistance and differentially affect thrips fitness. J. Econ. Entomol. 106: 587-596. (*Graduate student)

Srinivasan, R., J. M. Alvarez, and F. Cervantes. 2013. The effect of an alternate host, hairy nightshade, Solanum sarrachoides (Sendtner) on green peach aphid distribution and Potato leafroll virus incidence in potato fields of the Pacific Northwest. Crop Protection. 46: 52-56.

Alvarez, J. M., R. Srinivasan, and F. Cervantes. 2013. Occurrence of the carabid beetle, Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger), in potato ecosystems of Idaho, and its predatory potential on the Colorado potato beetle and aphids. Am. J. Pot. Res. 90: 83-92.

Srinivasan, R., F. Cervantes, and J. M. Alvarez. 2013. Aphid-borne virus dynamics in potato-weed pathosystem, pp. 311-337. In P. Giordanengo, C. Vincent, and A. Alyokhin (eds.), Insect pests of potato: Global perspectives on biology and management. Elsevier. New York, NY.

*Shrestha, A., R. Srinivasan, D. Riley, and A. Culbreath. 2012. Direct and indirect effects of a thrips-transmitted tospovirus on the preference and fitness of its vector, Frankliniella fusca. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 145: 260-271. (* Graduate student)

Srinivasan, R., D. Riley, S. Diffie, A. Sparks, and S. Adkins. 2012. Whitefly population dynamics and evaluation of whitefly-transmitted Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV)-resistant tomato genotypes as whitefly and TYLCV reservoirs. J. Econ. Entomol. 105: 1447-1456.

Riley, D., J. Shimat, and R. Srinivasan. 2012. Reflective mulch and Acibenzolar-S-methyl treatments relative to thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Tomato spotted wilt virusincidence in tomato. J. Econ. Entomol. 105: 1302-1310.

Nischwitz, C., R. Srinivasan, S. Sundaraj, S. W. Mullis, B. McInnes, and R. D. Gitaitis. 2012. Geographical distribution and survival of Iris yellow spot virus in spiny sowthistle, Sonchus asper (L.) Hill in Georgia, USA. Plant Dis. 96: 1165-1171.

R. Srinivasan, D. Hall, F. Cervantes, J. Alvarez, and J. Whitworth. 2012. Strain specificity and simultaneous transmission of a closely related Potyvirus by Myzus persicae.  J. Econ. Entomol. 105: 783-791.

Tertuliano, M., R. Srinivasan, and H. Scherm. 2012. Settling behavior of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca vitripennis, vector of Xylella fastidiosa, on southern highbush blueberry cultivars. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 143: 63-73.

Srinivasan, R., S. Sundaraj, H. Pappu, S. Diffie, D. Riley, and R. Gitaitis. 2012. Transmission of Iris yellow spot virus by Frankliniella fusca and Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).  J. Econ. Entomol. 105: 40-47.

Riley, D., J. Shimat, and R. Srinivasan. 2012. Temporal relationship of thrips populations to Tomato spotted wilt incidence in tomato in the field. J. Entomol. Sci. 47: 65-75.