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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #399355
Research Project: Managing Invasive Weeds and Insect Pests Using Biologically-Based Methods

Location: Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research

Title: Companion planting and "push-pull" strategies to control insect pests

Author
item Legaspi, Jesusa

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/24/2022
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 (push component) while trap crops or plant volatile products 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 are 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 have been reported to attract natural enemies. Preliminary studies in tomatoes and leafy greens in high tunnels will be presented. 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.