Oviposition preference of rugose spiraling whitefly (Hemiptera:Aleyrodidae) on five host plant species

Authors: TARAVATI, SIAVASH - University Of California; MANNION, CATHERINE - University Of Florida; McKenzie, Cindy; OSBORNE, LANCE - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/8/2018
Publication Date: 12/30/2018
Citation: Taravati, S., Mannion, C., McKenzie, C.L., Osborne, L. 2018. Oviposition preference of rugose spiraling whitefly (Hemiptera:Aleyrodidae) on five host plant species. Florida Entomologist. 101(4):611-616. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.101.0423.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1653/024.101.0423

Interpretive Summary: Rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW) is an exotic invasive species which had an outbreak in south Florida that became economically damaging to numerous plant species in many urban areas. Oviposition preference was determined for the following five known plant hosts: coconut, gumbo limbo, avocado, black olive v. shady lady and giant white bird of paradise (GWBP). Gumbo limbo was the most preferred and also had the highest number of eggs per spiral. GWBP was the least preferred host plant species but no statistically significant difference was found among the survival of RSW on different host plant species tested. Also, no significant correlation was found between the leaf area and number of eggs on each host species.

Technical Abstract: Rugose spiraling whitefly (RSW) is an invasive species which had an outbreak in south Florida in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Broward, Martin and Monroe counties between 2010 and 2013. It infested many plant species in the landscape and nurseries of south Florida and became a nuisance and economically damaging species in many urban areas. In order to study its oviposition preference, an experiment was conducted in a shadehouse using five known host plant species namely, coconut, gumbo limbo, avocado, black olive v. shady lady, and giant white bird of paradise (GWBP). Gumbo limbo was the most preferred and GWBP was the least preferred host plant species. This is consistent with the data from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Plant Industry (DPI). There was a significant difference between the number of eggs per spiral among host species with gumbo limbo having the highest number of eggs per spiral. No significant correlation was found between the leaf area and number of eggs on each host species. A strong and significant correlation was found between the number of spirals and the number of eggs per plant species. Adult females laid the first eggs on source plants and later oviposited on target plants but always returned back to their eclosion site on the source plant. No statistically significant difference was found among the survival of RSW on different host plant species tested.