Fourth International Bemisia Workshop International Whitefly Genomics Workshop
Development of a Management Program against Silverleaf Whitefly (SLW), Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), using Insecticides
University of Florida-IFAS, Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead, FL, USA. Correspondence: dseal@ifas.ufl.edu
The silverleaf whitefly (SLW), Bemisia argentifolii Bellow & Perring, is the most damaging and dangerous insect pest of vegetable production in southern Florida. It is a major pest of tomato, bean, squash, cucumber, watermelon, eggplant, peanut and soybean, and of many ornamental plants. The SLW vectors several extremely damaging plant pathogenic geminiviruses in the United States. In southern Florida, our main concerns are bean golden mosaic virus (BGMV) and tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). Growers use Admire® as a major tool to manage SLW. There is great danger that the current pattern of insecticide use by growers will induce widespread resistance to Imidacloprid and other effective insecticides. In the present studies, efforts have been made to develop on SLW management programs, using various effective chemicals in rotation or in combination. In one study with tomato, treatments evaluated were: 1) Admire® followed by Oberon®; 2) Admire® followed by Oberon® in combination Cohere®; 3) Admire® followed by Knack® in rotation with Applaud®; 4) Admire® followed by Oberon® in combination with Baythroid ®and Cohere®. All treatments significantly reduced SLW eggs and nymphs. In the second study with cucumber, treatments evaluated were: 1) Admire® followed by Oberon®; 2) Admire® followed by Knack® in rotation with Applaud; 3) Admire followed by Oberon in combination with Cohere®. Mean numbers of SLW adults on treated plants did not differ from nontreated control plants. However, all treatments significantly reduced SLW eggs and nymphs on cucumber, compared with the nontreated control. In the third study, various Neem-based products were evaluated for control of SLW in cucumber. These products showed some reduction in SLW numbers at various developmental stages, but in an inconsistent pattern, compared with the nontreated control. This information bears great importance in managing SLW with various insecticides in rotation or in combination. This practice may help to delay development of resistance in SLW against Admire® and other effective insecticides.