Screening of the mitochondrial DNA variability of Brazilian populations of Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The genetic variability from 10 populations of the tobacco budworm Helitohis virescens, from cotton and soy bean crops in Brazil, was estimated by sequencing the mitochondrial genes COI, COII and ND6, totalizing approximately 3000 bp. Preliminary analyses indicated a low genetic diversity among all populations studied, indicating that they may have originate from a reduced number of founders or may have gone through a bottleneck event. A ‘super’ mitochondrial lineage could have colonized all present areas or maybe a selective sweep favored particular lineages.