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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #90071
Title: RESPONSE OF BEMISIA ARGENTIFOLII (HOMOPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) ADULTS TO WHITE FLOURESCENT AND INCANDESCENT LIGHT IN LABORATORY STUDIES

Author
item CHU, CHANG CHI
item HENNEBERRY, THOMAS
item BOYKIN, MARCUS - PREVIOUSLY WCRL TECH.

Submitted to: Southwest Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Under natural condition, silverleaf whitefly adults fly toward light when take off from host plants. We simulate the natural condition in a dark room with the light as the only variable for the study. A bioassay system was built to investigate adult movements in light vs. dark conditions. Two sources of light were used in the study, fluorescent and incandescent light tbulbs. Objects for adults to move into or to land onto were plastic vials, yellow sticky card traps, and cotton and cataloupe plants. Results showed that the brightness of light rather than the amount of energy contained in the light was the major factor to attract whitefly adults under laboratory condition. At 2 lux or less, or in the dark, little movement of adults was occurred. More adults were attracted to cotton and cantaloupe leaves and yellow sticky card traps adjacent to light sources than to leaves and yellow sticky card traps far way from the light sources but closer to whitefly adults release point.

Technical Abstract: Studies were conducted at the USDA-ARS Irrigated Dessert Research Station, Brawley, CA, to determine the attractiveness of fluorescent and incandescent light sources to adult Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring. Individuals moved from a release chamber through plastic tubes to white fluorescent and incandescent light sources 46 cm distant from the release point. B. argentifolii adult response to light under laboratory conditions was minimal at light intensities of 2 lux or less as measured by traps catches at the fluorescent light source. More adults were attracted to higher intensity compared with low intensity fluorescent light. Fewer adults were attracted to low intensity incandescent light compared with higher intensity fluorescent light. Minor movement of B. argentifolii adults occurred under dark or very low light intensity (less than 2 lux) conditions. More adults were attracted to cotton and cantaloupe leaves and dyellow sticky card traps adjacent to light sources (highest reflected ligh intensity) than to leaves and yellow sticky card traps distant from light sources (lower reflected light intensities).