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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #342873
Research Project: Exotic Whitefly Pests of Vegetables and Ornamental Plants

Location: Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research

Title: Impact of drench application of cyantraniliprole on Bemisia tabaci (MED whitefly) and Amblyseius swirskii, 2016

Author
item KUMAR, VIVEK - University Of Florida
item KAKKAR, GARIMA - University Of Florida
item McKenzie, Cindy
item OSBORNE, LANCE - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Arthropod Management Tests
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/12/2017
Publication Date: 5/8/2017
Citation: Kumar, V., Kakkar, G., McKenzie, C.L., Osborne, L.S. 2017. Impact of drench application of cyantraniliprole on Bemisia tabaci (MED whitefly) and Amblyseius swirskii, 2016. Arthropod Management Tests. 42: G tsx056. 2pp. 2017. (Report).

Interpretive Summary: Bemisia tabaci is a whitefly pest of many vegetable and ornamental plants. We evaluated an insecticide called cyantraniliprole and a predaceous mite for whitefly control, and assessed compatibility of the insecticide with the mite. We found that the mite and cyantraniliprole can be used alone or in combination for effective whitefly control. These treatments are efficient alternatives to neonicotinoid insecticides frequently used by the growers for whitefly control.

Technical Abstract: Bemisia tabaci is a polyphagous pest known to feed on over 900 plant taxa, and is an effective vector of more than 100 plant damaging viruses. Among different biotypes of this cryptic species complex, MEAM1 and MED whitefly are the two most destructive members posing threats of several crops of economic importance. With the overall goal to integrate the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii in the management program of MED whitefly, the specific objective of this study was to evaluate cyantraniliprole, a diamide insecticide for whitefly control, and assess its compatibility with swirskii mite. The trial was conducted on an ornamental host, salvia under greenhouse conditions. Weekly samplings showed overlapping generations of A. swirskii on host plants throughout the study period indicating drench application of cyantraniliprole at the applied rate was compatible with A. swirskii. No significant difference in A. swirskii abundance (eggs and motiles) between mite treated and combination plots (A. swirskii + cyantraniliprole) were reported on any of the sampling weeks. Cyantraniliprole was effective in suppressing MED whitefly life-stages throughout the study period. A significantly lower whitefly eggs, nymphs and adults were recorded on all the sampling dates (except for wk4 for adults) in two insecticide-treated plots (cyantraniliprole alone and in combination with swirskii) compared to the untreated control. A. swirskii was as effective in reducing whitefly life stages as cyantraniliprole treated plots. Overall whitefly mortality in different treatments ranged between 60 and 90% (wk1-wk6) for A. swirskii, 72-100% for cyantraniliprole, and 80-100% for combination treatments.