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Research Project: Exotic Whitefly Pests of Vegetables and Ornamental Plants

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Title: Susceptibility of ornamental pepper banker plant candidates to common greenhouse pests

Author
item KUMAR, VIVEK - University Of Florida
item McKenzie, Cindy
item OSBORNE, LANCE - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America, Southwestern and Southeastern Branch
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2016
Publication Date: 3/13/2016
Citation: Kumar, V., McKenzie, C.L., Osborne, L.S. 2016. Susceptibility of ornamental pepper banker plant candidates to common greenhouse pests. Entomological Society of America, Southwestern Branch and Southeastern Branch Joint Branch Annual Meeting, March 13-16, 2016, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Susceptibility of four potential ornamental pepper banker plant candidates [Black Pearl (BP), Explosive Ember (EE), Masquerade (MA), Red Missile (RM), and a commercial pepper cultivar Blitz (BL)] were evaluated against three common greenhouse pests - Bemisia tabaci, Polyphagotarsonemus latus and Frankliniella occidentalis. In the choice and no-choice assays, pepper cultivars exhibited varying degrees of susceptibility against different pests. In both assays, BL and BP were highly susceptible to Polyphagotarsonemus latus attack with a damage rating index of greater than 3.5/5, and Bemisia tabaci and Frankliniella occidentalis were abundant on BL and EE. Amongst ornamental pepper cultivars, MA and RM were found to be least affected by pest invasion. When the effect of Polyphagotarsonemus latus on the banker plants’ physical characteristics was assessed, significant reduction in leaf area (cm2) and tuft domatia/leaf was observed in all the cultivars. The presence of predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii on the pepper cultivars greatly reduced pests’ abundance on the plant host resulting in the damage rating of less than 1/5. Plant hosts, RM and MA exhibited significantly higher Amblyseius swirskii densities compared to other cultivars. A positive correlation was reported between the number of tuft domatia and number of Amblyseius swirskii per leaf.