Fourth International Bemisia Workshop International Whitefly Genomics Workshop

Pest Situation and Biological Control of Bemisia tabaci in Canary Islands

A. González¹, R. Martin¹, M.A. Reyes¹, I. Jiménez¹, V. Suárez¹, I. De Paz¹, I. Echevarría¹, A. Carnero², J.M. Rodríguez³, and E. Hernández – Suárez²

¹ Plant Plant Protection Service, Gov.of Canary Islands, Spain

² Plant Protection Dpto, ICIA, Canary Islands, Spain. Correspondence: ehernand@icia.es

³ Agriculture Service of Cabildo, Gran Canaria, Spain

The Agriculture Service of the Canary Island Government released during 2005 and 2006 the parasitoids Eretmocerus eremicus and E. mundus and the adults of the predator Nesidiocoris tenuis in some localities on the islands of Tenerife and Fuerteventura, and in Gran Canaria on diverse horticultural crops (tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, sweet pepper, green bean, and melon). The inundative release method used for these trials was in cooperation with the commercial firms Koppert and Biobest. Pest control was mainly obtained from the released natural enemies. The releases were applied to the crops and surroundings areas on pre-existing alternative host plants of Bemisia tabaci. Although the results to date have been variable, 85% parasitism has been recorded at some release sites.

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