Population prediction of whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) in changing environments in Egypt

Authors: Simmons, Alvin; ABD-RABOU, SHAABAN - Egyptian Ministry Of Agriculture; FARAG, AHMED - Egyptian Ministry Of Agriculture; PANTHA, BUDDHI - Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College; VAIDYA, NAVEEN - San Diego State University

Submitted to: African Journal of Tropical Entomology Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/13/2022
Publication Date: 8/5/2022
Citation: Simmons, A.M., Abd-Rabou, S., Farag, A.A., Pantha, B., Vaidya, N. 2022. Population prediction of whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) in changing environments in Egypt. Insect Science. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6968699.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6968699

Interpretive Summary: The sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is a global pest on many vegetables and other crops. A study was conducted to assess the impact of the changing environment on the population of this whitefly based on temperature and whitefly populations from across three decades; future estimates in the population was then done for three agricultural regions in Egypt. Over the years, temperature and whitefly abundance increased during the cool season (only season assessed) at all sites, and pest population were projected to increase. This results will help scientists and pest management personnel in understanding whitefly population threats.

Technical Abstract: The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is an important pest on a global scale as a result of its voracious feeding and transmission of numerous plant viruses. A field study was conducted to help elucidate the impact of changing environments on populations of whiteflies in the vegetable production system in Egypt. Predictions of populations of B. tabaci were done for sites in three Egyptian governorates (DDakahlia, Damietta, and Sohag). Populations of whiteflies were estimated for the years 2041 and 2070. The results supports that based on the temperature and whitefly population patterns spanning an excess of three decades (from 1980 to 2013), the temperature continued to rise and the whitefly population continued to increase among years during the late growing season (mid-October to mid-January) at each site. The elevated population of whiteflies during the late season may potentially positively affect whitefly abundance during the early growing season as compared with populations from early growing seasons of previous years. Results from this research help in the understanding of the impact of changing environments on late season populations of B. tabaci in the vegetable production system in Egypt, and generally in other vegetable production systems where temperatures are mild during the coolest time of the year.