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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Salinas, California » Crop Improvement and Protection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #319437
Title: Host plant resistance in melon to sweetpotato whitefly in California and Arizona

Author
item McCreight, James - Jim
item Wintermantel, William - Bill
item NATWICK, ERIC - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service

Submitted to: Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2015
Publication Date: 5/1/2017
Citation: McCreight, J.D., Wintermantel, W.M., Natwick, E.T. 2017. Host plant resistance in melon to sweetpotato whitefly in California and Arizona. Acta Horticulturae. 1151:237–244.

Interpretive Summary: Feeding by the insect sweetpotato whitefly severely impacts yield and quality of cantaloupe and honeydew melon in the lower deserts of California and Arizona planted for fall harvest. Two vegetable (non-sweet) melons (PI 313970 and PI 482420) have been reported to exhibit host plant resistance to sweetpotato whitefly, but higher levels are needed. Potentially higher and lower levels of host plant resistance to sweetpotato whitefly were observed in a naturally infested field test at Holtville, CA in fall 2012. Subsequent field tests at Holtville in fall 2013 and spring 2014 (when sweetpotato whitefly populations are lower than in the fall) compared sweetpotato whitefly infestation of five vegetable type melon (PI 116482, PI 123689, PI 124107, PI 124431, PI 145594) with the two resistant melon and with susceptible commercial varieties Top Mark and Impac. Statistically significant differences were found in both seasons among the 10 melons for numbers of adults per sampled leaf, and immature life stages per cm2 leaf area at many but not all sampling dates. Though there were significant differences among the entries for number of adults per sampled leaf at seven weekly sampling dates in fall 2013, none of the accessions had consistently fewer adults than ‘Impac’ or ‘Top Mark’. There were few differences among the entries in spring 2014 for numbers of adults per sampled leaf. PI 116482 had the most, and PI 145594, PI 313970 and TGR 1937 had the fewest adults, on average.

Technical Abstract: Sweetpotato whitefly biotype B (MEAM1 cryptic species of Bemisia tabaci; SPWF) feeding severely impacts fall season melon (Cucumis melo L.) yield and quality in the lower deserts of California and Arizona. Melon accessions PI 313970 and TGR 1551 (PI 482420) have been reported to exhibit host plant resistance (HPR) to SPWF. Potentially higher and lower levels of HPR to SPWF were observed in ad hoc comparisons of numbers of adults per leaf on six melon accessions, PI 313970, TGR 1551, ‘Impac’, and ‘Top Mark’ in a naturally infested field test at Holtville, CA in fall 2012. Replicated field tests at Holtville in fall 2013 and spring 2014 (when SPWF populations are lower than in the fall) compared SPWF infestation of five (PI 116482, PI 123689, PI 124107, PI 124431, PI 145594) of the six accessions with PI 313970, TGR 1551, TGR 1937 (PI 482431), ‘Top Mark’ and ‘Impac’. Statistically significant differences were found in both seasons among the entries for numbers of adults per sampled leaf, eggs, crawlers, red eyes, or nymphs per cm2 leaf area at many but not all sampling dates. Though there were significant (P<0.05) differences among the entries for number of adults per sampled leaf at seven weekly sampling dates in fall 2013, none of the accessions had consistently fewer adults than ‘Impac’ or ‘Top Mark’. There were few differences among the entries in spring 2014 for numbers of adults per sampled leaf. PI 116482 had the most, and PI 145594, PI 313970 and TGR 1937 had the fewest adults, on average.