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Title: New state record for the silverleaf whitefly parasitoid Encarsia sophia in Texas

Author
item Goolsby, John
item Pfannenstiel, Robert
item EVANS, GREGORY - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL)

Submitted to: Southwestern Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/2/2009
Publication Date: 9/20/2009
Citation: Goolsby, J., Pfannenstiel, R.S., Evans, G.A. 2009. New state record for the silverleaf whitefly parasitoid Encarsia sophia in Texas. Southwestern Entomologist. 34(3):327-328.

Interpretive Summary: A hymenopteran parasitoid reared, Encarsia sophia, was recovered for the first time from silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.), at the USDA-ARS research farm in Weslaco, TX. This recovery represents a new state record for the parasitoid/host association. Encarsia sophia collected from Pakistan and Spain were released in Texas during this period of time but not recovered until 2008. Encarsia sophia may be one of the effective parasitoids of the important pest, silverleaf whitefly in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas and further research is needed to determine its benefits to agriculture.

Technical Abstract: A hymenopteran parasitoid reared, Encarsia sophia (Girault & Dodd) (= transvena Timberlake) [Aphelinidae], from silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Genn.), was collected with their host remains from infested cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in a greenhouse and potatoes, Solanum tuberosum L., planted in the field at the USDA-ARS research farm in Weslaco, TX. This recovery represents a new state record for the parasitoid/host association. Encarsia sophia collected from Pakistan and Spain were released in Texas during this period of time but not recovered until 2008. Research in the field is needed to document the impact of E. sophia on silverleaf whitefly in Texas.