Fourth International Bemisia Workshop International Whitefly Genomics Workshop
Performances of Three Types of Insect Screens as a Physical Barrier Against Bemisia tabaci and their Impact on TYLCV Incidence in Greenhouse Tomato in the Souss Valley of Morocco
IAV Hassan II, Complexe Horticole d’Agadir, Department of Plant Protection, IPP Unit, Agadir Morocco. Correspondence: hanafi@iavcha.ac.ma
Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) was introduced to Morocco in 1998. Since then it has become the major challenge for tomato farmers in Morocco. The only way to seriously control the disease is by effectively controlling the vector. Although pesticides will remain an important tool for pest management in greenhouse crops, non chemical methods must be introduced to reduce damage to the environment and to delay build up of insecticide resistance. Screens have been found to be an efficient method for reducing the entry of pests into the greenhouse, and hence for reducing the number of insecticide applications targeting the insect pests and vectors. In this study we report on observations that were conducted in three greenhouses belonging to private farmers and which are equipped with three different types of insect screens 10*14, 10*20 and 10*22. We report on whitefly captures in sticky traps as well as TYLCV incidence in the tomato crop. The results indicate that the insect-net 10*22 gave the best exclusion of whiteflies followed by the insect net 10*20, whereas the screen 10*14 showed very poor performances. TYLCV incidence at the end of the crop cycle was estimated at 4%, 16% and 76% in the greenhouses equipped wit the screen 10*22, 10*20 and 10*14, respectively.