Evaluating companion plants and plant products to control sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci

Authors: Legaspi, Jesusa; Simmons, Alvin; Miller, Neil

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/14/2014
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: major insect pest of vegetables and horticultural crops in the southeast US is the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. We are evaluating the effect of companion/ repellent plants and products such as plant oils against this whitefly pest. In laboratory tests, whiteflies were released in potted squash plants sprayed with mustard oil, garlic oil, horticultural petroleum oil, hot pepper wax and a water control. We found that the plants sprayed with the oils had significantly lower numbers of whiteflies compared to those sprayed with hot pepper wax or water alone. It is possible that whiteflies were repelled by volatiles from the oils. In a separate study, we studied the effect of plant volatiles on whitefly behavior using a specialized odor detecting equipment. We found that whiteflies moved to collard plants and were repelled by giant red mustard plants. Thus, there is potential for the giant red mustard crop to serve as companion/repellent plants next to the target collard plants to reduce whitefly populations in field conditions. Our results indicate that giant red mustard plants and commercial oils such as mustard, garlic and horticultural oils are promising control agents against whiteflies in vegetable plants.

Technical Abstract: A major insect pest of vegetables and horticultural crops in the southeast US is the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. We are evaluating the effect of companion/ repellent plants and products such as plant oils against this whitefly pest. In laboratory tests, whiteflies were released in potted squash plants sprayed with mustard oil, garlic oil, horticultural petroleum oil, hot pepper wax and a water control. We found that the plants sprayed with the oils had significantly lower numbers of whiteflies compared to those sprayed with hot pepper wax or water alone. It is possible that whiteflies were repelled by volatiles from the oils. In a separate study, we studied the effect of plant volatiles on whitefly behavior using a specialized odor detecting equipment. We found that whiteflies moved to collard plants and were repelled by giant red mustard plants. Thus, there is potential for the giant red mustard crop to serve as companion/repellent plants next to the target collard plants to reduce whitefly populations in field conditions. Our results indicate that giant red mustard plants and commercial oils such as mustard, garlic and horticultural oils are promising control agents against whiteflies in vegetable plants.