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Title: Infestation by Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and incidence of whitefly-transmitted viruses after the application of four biorational insecticides in some crops in Egypt

Author
item ABD-RABOU, SHAABAN - Egyptian Ministry Of Agriculture
item Simmons, Alvin

Submitted to: International Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2015
Publication Date: 7/27/2015
Citation: Abd-Rabou, S., Simmons, A.M. 2015. Infestation by Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and incidence of whitefly-transmitted viruses after the application of four biorational insecticides in some crops in Egypt. International Journal of Insect Science. 35:132-136.

Interpretive Summary: The B-biotype of the sweetpotato whitefly (also called silverleaf whitefly) is a global insect pest that transmits many damaging plant viruses. A field study was conducted to determine the effect of selected biorational and conventional insecticides on infestations by this whitefly and on the infection of whitefly-transmitted viruses in seven vegetable and row crops. All six insecticides (foliar treatments of Actellic, Actara, Biofly, and Neemix and seed-treatments of Actara, Aldicarb, and Gaucho) led to reduced whitefly populations and reduced symptoms of whitefly-transmitted viruses in each crop. The impacts of all insecticides on the whiteflies and the transmitted viruses were similar. Results from this study demonstrate that by reducing whitefly populations, whitefly-transmitted viruses can also be reduced. These results will help scientists develop integrated methods to manage whiteflies in field productions of vegetables and row crops.

Technical Abstract: Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a global insect pest that transmits many important plant viruses. A field study was conducted on infestation by B. tabaci and incidence of whitefly-transmitted viruses after the application of selected foliar and seed-treated biorational insecticides in seven vegetable and row crops in Egypt. Three foliar insecticides (Actara, Biofly and Neemix) and a treated check (Actellic) were assayed across three weeks on seedlings and mature plants, and two seed-treated insecticides (Actara and Gaucho) and a treated check (Aldicarb) were assayed on seedlings. All foliar insecticides led to 60-100% reductions in whitefly infestations in each crop. Biofly and Neemix were the least efficacious insecticides. Incidences of whitefly-transmitted viruses were reduced in each insecticide-treated plot with seedlings of four crops, but no effect on virus incidence was observed in the experiment with mature plants. Crops of cucumber, eggplant, squash and tomato displayed symptoms characteristic of Cucumber vein yellowing virus, Squash leaf curl virus, or Tomato yellow leaf curl virus, but no symptoms of whitefly-transmitted viruses were observed in green bean, potato or sugar beet. The results show that several biorational insecticides may suppress whitefly populations in seedlings to delay whitefly-transmitted viruses in some vegetable crops in Egypt.