Preference of Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) for Selected Vegetable Hosts Relative to Tomato

摘要

The silverleaf whitefly, B. argentifolii Bellows Pening (Ho-moptera: Aleyrodidae) also known as strain B of B. tabaci(Gennadius), is a pest of many important vegetable crops, including tomato (Lycoper sicon escu-lentum Mill.). Adults transmit extr emely damaging plant viruses, especially Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, and feeding by nymphs induces a systemic, irregular ripening disorder of tomato fruit. The use of a trap crop might be useful in managing this pest on tomato. To identify potential c andidate trap crops, two sereenhouse and three field experiments were conducted to determine the preferences of B. argentifolii adults for selected vegetable crops, including cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), eggplant (Solarium, melongena L.), okra Abelmos chus esc.ulen.tus (L.) Moench, snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and squash (Cucurbitapepo L.), relative to tomato On the basis of the number of whitefly adults or eggs and nymphs per leaf or per leaf area, no crop plant appeared more preferred than to mato; however, on a per-plant basis, more whitefly adults or immature lifestages were consistently observed on squash plants than on tomato plants. The results could be the result of the more rapid growth of squash relative to tomato. Squash is a better sink for whitefly adults than tomato and could be useful as a trap crop by attracting and holding whitefly adults, thus keeping them from moving to tomato.