Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #112489
Title: SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY COLONIZATION AND TRICHOME DENSITY RELATIONSHIPS ON UPLAND COTTON CULTIVARS

Author
item CHU, CHANG CHI
item FREEMAN, TOM - ND UNIV FARGO, ND
item BUCKNER, JAMES
item NATWICK, ERIC - UC EXT HOLTVILLE, CA
item HENNEBERRY, THOMAS
item NELSON, DENNIS

Submitted to: Southwest Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2001
Publication Date: 5/1/2001
Citation: Chu, C., Freeman, T.P., Buckner, J.S., Natwick, E.T., Henneberry, T.J., Nelson, D.R. 2001. Silverleaf whitefly colonization and trichome density relationships on upland cotton cultivars. Southwest Entomology. 25:237-242.

Interpretive Summary: We studied upland cotton leaf hair- whitefly density relationship at Maricopa, AZ in 1999. Ten cultivars were compared: Deltapine no. 20B, 50B, 90B, NuCOTN 33B (all smooth, normal-leaf shape), and Stoneville 474 (a hairy, normal-leaf shape); Fiber Max no. 819 and 832, Siokra no. L-23, I-4/649 and 89013-114 (all okra-leaf shape from Australia). Stoneville 474 4had more whiteflies compared to other cultivars. The five smooth, okra-leaf cultivars as a group had as many whitefly eggs and nymphs as the four smooth, normal-leaf cultivars. We also studied leaf hair-whitefly density relationship between leaves on main stem node #1, 3, 5 and 7. Leaf #1 had the highest number of leaf hairs but the least number of nymphs. Therefore, leaf hair-whitefly density relationship may more complex than previous thought.

Technical Abstract: We conducted studies to determine if morphological leaf surface features of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., are related to host plant resistance traits to silverleaf whiteflies, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring. Cotton cultivar Stoneville 474 had higher numbers of silverleaf whitefly eggs, nymphs, and adults and also had higher numbers of stellate trichomes on abaxial leaf surfaces compared with nine other upland cotton cultivars tested. The five smooth, okra-leaf cotton cultivars as a group had similar numbers of whitefly eggs (25) and nymphs (10) per cm2 of leaf disk but fewer adults (12) per leaf compared with four smooth, normal-leaf cotton cultivars. The top young leaves on the main stem terminals of five normal- or okra-leaf cultivars had significantly higher numbers of stellate trichomes (174) per cm2 of leaf disk compared with older leaves. However, the top young leaves on main stem leaf nodes #1 also had reduced numbers of feggs (23) and nymphs (1) per cm2 of leaf disk compared with older leaves (17-81 and 14-26, respectively). Results suggest that other factors, in addition to leaf hairiness, at least for young terminal leaves, affect silverleaf whitefly populations.