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Research Project: Exotic Whitefly Pests of Vegetables and Ornamental Plants

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Title: Control of Bemisia tabaci (MED whitefly) on saliva, 2018

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

Submitted to: Arthropod Management Tests
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2018
Publication Date: 12/19/2018
Citation: Kumar, V., McKenzie, C.L., Osborne, L.S. 2018. Control of Bemisia tabaci (MED whitefly) on saliva, 2018. Arthropod Management Tests. https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsy107.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsy107

Interpretive Summary: Bemisia tabaci is a whitefly pest of many vegetable and ornamental plants. We evaluated an insecticide called afidopyropen and a predaceous mite for whitefly control, and assessed compatibility of the insecticide with the mite. We found that the mite and afidopyropen 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, MEAM1 and MED (Mediterranean) whitefly are the two most destructive members posing threats of several crops of economic importance. With the overall goal to integrate the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii in the management program of MED whitefly, the specific objective of this study was to evaluate afidopyropen, a propene insecticide for whitefly control, and assess its compatibility with swirskii mite. The trial was conducted on an ornamental host, salvia under greenhouse conditions. Weekly samplings showed overlapping generations of Amblyseius swirskii on host plants in combination treatment (Amblyseius swirskii + afidopyropen) throughout the study period indicating foliar application of afidopyropen at the applied rate was compatible with Amblyseius swirskii. No significant difference in Amblyseius swirskii eggs and motiles between mite treated and combination treatment were reported on any of the sampling dates (except wk 2). In afidopyropen treatment, a significantly lower number of whitefly eggs, nymphs and adults compared to the untreated control was recorded throughout the study period. Amblyseius swirskii releases were as effective as afidopyropen treatment in suppressing the number of whitefly, and numerically, combination treatment provided the best suppression in MED whitefly population. Overall whitefly immatures (eggs + nymphs) mortality in different treatments during seven weeks period, ranged between 65 and 100% (mean mortality = 85%) for Amblyseius swirskii, 92-98% (mean mortality = 95%) for afidopyropen, and 93-100% (mean mortality = 99%) for combination treatments.