ARS | Publication request: INVESTIGATING GIANT RED MUSTARD AS A DETERRENT OF SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY OVIPOSITION IN VEGETABLE CROPS

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 18, 2011
Publication Date: June 2, 2011
Citation: Legaspi, J.C., Miller, N.W. 2011. INVESTIGATING GIANT RED MUSTARD AS A DETERRENT OF SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY OVIPOSITION IN VEGETABLE CROPS [abstract]. Global Conference on Entomology, Chiang Mai, Thailand, March 5-9, 2011. p.218.

Technical Abstract: One of the major insect pests of vegetable crops is the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), due to direct feeding damage and its ability to transmit plant diseases. The use of companion crops with repellent or masking volatiles has been suggested as a potential crop protection method. The objectives of this study were: 1) to test for the presence of repellent properties of giant red mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) in a greenhouse assay using potted plants; and 2) to compare oviposition by B. argentifolii on giant red mustard with other vegetable crops in the field. The greenhouse study used the following plant pair treatments: 1) collard and collard, 2) giant red mustard and collard, and 3) giant red mustard and giant red mustard. The field experiment included the following vegetable crop treatments: collards (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala), squash (Cucurbita pepo L.), cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata), broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica), and cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus) grown next to central rows of giant red mustard. Greenhouse experiments showed reduced oviposition by B. argentifolii on giant red mustard. Pairs of collard plants showed higher egg numbers than pairs of giant red mustard plants, or a pair of giant red mustard and collard plants. Field experiments showed highest silverleaf whitefly oviposition on squash and cantaloupe and lowest on giant red mustard with other crops hosting intermediate densities. In general, results presented in this study are preliminary. Further field research needs to be conducted to determine if intercropping giant red mustard can be a promising strategy. However, squash and cantaloupe may have potential as trap crops for whitefly, or giant red mustard may be planted as a resistant crop when heavy infestations are anticipated.