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Research Project: Exotic Whitefly Pests of Vegetables and Ornamental Plants

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Title: Efficacy of Eretmocerus eremicus and flupyradifurone on Bemisia tabaci (MED whitefly), 2017

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

Submitted to: Arthropod Management Tests
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/4/2017
Publication Date: 11/29/2017
Citation: Kumar, V., Houben, K., McKenzie, C.L., Osborne, L.S. 2017. Efficacy of Eretmocerus eremicus and flupyradifurone on Bemisia tabaci (MED whitefly), 2017. Arthropod Management Tests. 42:Etsx128.

Interpretive Summary: Bemisia tabaci is an important pest of many horticultural and field crops. We evaluated an insecticide called flupyradifurone and a parasitic wasp for whitefly control. We found that the wasp and flupyradifurone can be used alone or in combination for effective whitefly control. These treatments are efficient alternatives to neonicotinoid insecticides frequently used by the growers for whitefly control.

Technical Abstract: Bemisia tabaci is a polyphagous pest known to feed on over 900 plant taxa, and is an effective vector of more than 100 plant damaging viruses. Among different biotypes of this cryptic species complex, Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) and Mediterranean (MED) whitefly are the two most destructive members posing threats to several crops of economic importance. With the overall goal to find effective alternates to neonicotinoid insecticides for the MED whitefly management program, the specific objective of this study was to evaluate a whitefly parasitoid, Eretmocerus eremicus, and a butenolide insecticide flupyradifurone, for whitefly control, when applied alone or in combination. Eretmocerus eremicus is among the parasitoids which utilize their prey for both food and site of reproduction resulting in suppression of the pest population on the plant. In the current study, whitefly parasitization by wasps was insignificant, and thus parasitized immatures and emerged wasps) were not included in the analysis. Flupyradifurone was effective in suppressing MED whitefly immatures for the majority of study period. In flupyradifurone treatment, a significantly lower number of whitefly eggs, nymphs and adults compared to the untreated control was recorded on week 2, 4-7, week 3-7, and week 5-7, respectively. Eretmocerus eremicus as a predator was as effective in reducing whitefly life stages as Flupyradifurone treated plants. Overall whitefly immatures (eggs + nymphs) mortality in different treatments ranged between 72 and 98% (week 4-7) for Eretmocerus eremicus, 48-80% (week 2-7) for flupyradifurone, and 57-100% for combination treatments.