Combining cultural tactics and insecticides for the management of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1, and viruses in yellow squash

Authors: LATORA, ANGELA - University Of Georgia; CODOD, CLARENCE - University Of Georgia; LAGARREA, SAIOA - University Of Georgia; DUTTA, BHABESH - University Of Georgia; KEMERAIT, ROBERT - University Of Georgia; Adkins, Scott; Turechek, William; COOLONG, TIMOTHY - University Of Georgia; RIBEIRO DA SILVA, ANDRE LUIZ - Auburn University; SRINIVASAN, RAJAGOPALBABU - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/13/2022
Publication Date: 4/17/2022
Citation: Latora, A.G., Codod, C.B., Lagarrea, S., Dutta, B., Kemerait, R.C., Adkins, S.T., Turechek, W., Coolong, T., Ribeiro Da Silva, A.B., Srinivasan, R. 2022. Combining cultural tactics and insecticides for the management of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1, and viruses in yellow squash. Horticulturae. 8:341. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8040341.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8040341

Interpretive Summary: The sweetpotato whitefly and the complex of viruses they transmit are major limiting factors to squash production in the southeastern U.S. An integrated pest management (IPM) program is needed to increase the sustainability and profitability of squash production because, currently, insecticides are almost exclusively relied upon for their management. Greenhouse and field studies conducted from 2018 through 2021 evaluated the effects of insect exclusion netting (IEN), mulch type (UV-reflective mulch, live mulch, and white plastic mulch), row cover, and insecticides on whitefly abundance, silver leaf disorder (SSL) intensity, virus symptom severity, and marketable yield. Results showed that growers can reduce whitefly and virus pressure and preserve yields in squash production in the southeastern United States by combining cultural and chemical tactics, including row covers, UV-reflective mulch, and select insecticides.

Technical Abstract: The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and the complex of viruses it transmits are major limiting factors to squash production in the southeastern U.S. At this time, insecticides are extensively relied upon for the management of whiteflies and indirectly whitefly-transmitted viruses. The development of a multi-faceted integrated pest management (IPM) program is needed to increase the sustainability and profitability of squash production. Experiments in 2018 and 2019 evaluated the effects of insect exclusion netting (IEN) in combination with selected pesticides on whitefly abundance and virus incidence in greenhouse-grown squash seedlings. Field experiments from 2018 to 2021 evaluated the effects of mulch type (UV-reflective mulch, live mulch, and white plastic mulch), row cover, and insecticides on whitefly abundance, silver leaf disorder (SSL) intensity, virus symptom severity, and marketable yield. IEN significantly reduced whiteflies and virus incidence on squash seedlings in the greenhouse study. In the field mulch study, lower whitefly abundance and SSL, and reduced virus symptom severity, were observed in plots with reflective mulch compared with white plastic or live mulch. In the insecticide/row cover study, whitefly abundance, SSL intensity, and virus symptom severity were lowest in the row cover, cyantraniliprole, and flupyradifurone treated plots. Field plots with row covers and those with UV-reflective mulch consistently produced the greatest marketable yields. These findings demonstrate that growers can reduce whitefly and vi-rus pressure and preserve yields in squash production in the southeastern United States by combining cultural and chemical tactics, including row covers, UV-reflective mulch, and select insecticides.