Push-pull strategy and beyond

Authors: Legaspi, Jesusa

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/25/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci is a major pest of vegetable crops in the southeast U.S.A. and globally. We studied the “push-pull” technology to mitigate damage from whiteflies. This technology involved the use of repellent plants and botanic oils (push component) while trap crops or plants are used to trap whiteflies away from the target cash crop (pull component) and then eventually controlled using biological control agents. To complement the “push-pull” strategy, flowering companion plants were used to increase beneficial natural enemies (ex. predators and parasites) and evaluated for its efficacy to control the whiteflies. Plant products such as methyl salicylate (MESA) have been reported to attract natural enemies. We conducted field studies in fall 2014 and spring 2015 to evaluate attractiveness of sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and MESA to hoverflies. Malaise traps were used to capture hoverflies in field plots in Tallahassee, FL. In spring 2014, we evaluated attractiveness of sweet alyssum to predatory hoverflies in kale (Brassica oleracea) crops. In general, sweet alyssum with and without MESA attracted significantly more hoverflies compared to controls and MESA alone. Kale plots with sweet alyssum had more hoverflies than control plots. Toxomerus marginatus was the most abundant hoverfly species among at least 7 species of hoverflies sampled. Our results indicate that sweet alyssum is an attractive companion plant of predatory hoverflies. The use of the push-pull technology complemented with the use of companion plants are promising cultural control methods in an integrated pest management program to manage whiteflies