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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #110930
Title: APPLICATION OF MYCOTROL AND NATURALIS-L (BEAUVERIA BASSIANA) FOR MANAGEMENTOF BEMISIA ARGENTIFOLII (HOMOPTERA:ALEYRODIDAE) ON VEGETABLES, COTTON AND ORNAMENTALS IN SOUTHERN UNITED STATES.

Author
item LIU, T.-X - TEX.A&M WESLACO,TX
item STANSLY, PHIL - UNIV OF FLA IMMOKALEE, FL
item SPARKS, JR., A. - TEX A&M, WESALACO, TX
item KNOWLES, T. - UNIV. OF AZ, PARKER, AZ
item CHU, CHANG CHI

Submitted to: Subtropical Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/6/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Two commercial bio-insecticides, Mycotrol and Naturalis-L are available for control of silverleaf whiteflies on hibiscus, sweetpotato, cantaloupe, cucumber, tomoto, eggplants and cotton. In Arizona, on subsurface drip irrigated cantaloupes, Mycotrol application reduced whitefly density by 68- 79%, but Naturalis-L did not. In Imperial Valley, California, on cotton and din southwest Florida on field tomato and eggplant, application of Mycotrol did not reduce whitefliles compared with untreated controls. Naturalis-L was effective in control of whiteflies on cotton in southern Texas, but did not on cucumber in southern Texas or on cantaloupe in Arizona. Both are effective in the control o whiteflies under laboratory conditions. Results suggest both bio-insecticides may play a role in whitefly management, although their usefulness may be limited to high humidity conditions.

Technical Abstract: Two different strains of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, formulated as Mycotrol and Naturalis-L, were tested against Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring (SLW) in AZ, CA, FL, and TX. Laboratory bioassays, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted on hibiscus, sweetpotato, cantaloupe, cucumber, tomato, eggplants and cotton. Mycotrol caused 76-94% mortality of SLW nymphs under laboratory and greenhouse conditions, where relative humidity was maintained above 90%. In AZ, on subsurface drip irrigated cantaloupe that was under moderate to light SLW pressure, Mycotrol provided significant control of SLW with 68-79% population reduction, whereas Naturalis-L did not. After 3 applications at the labeled rate (1.12 kg/ha), Mycotrol had the cumulative effect of maintaining adult SLW populations below the economic threshold of 3/leaf for 28 d after the initial treatment. In the Imperial Valley, CA, on cotton and in southwest FL on field tomato and eggplant, multiple applications of Mycotrol at weekly intervals did not reduce SLW population compared with untreated control. Naturalis-L was effective against SLW under laboratory conditions, and provided fairly good control on cotton in southern TX, but did not give sufficient control on cucumber in southern TX or on cantaloupe in AZ. Applications of B. bassiana products, i.e., Nicotrol and Naturalis-L, could play a role in whitefly management, although their usefulness may be limited to high humidity conditions and complete spray coverage.