The effectiveness of inundative releases of the parasitoid Encarsia formosa for control of Bemisia argentifolii on poinsettia was determined in replicated experimental greenhouses. We evaluated two release rates of E. formosa: a low release rate (1 wasp/plant/week, released in two greenhouses, in spring 1995) and a high release rate (3 wasps/plant/week, released in two greenhouses, in fall 1993...

A pathogen may cause infected plants to promote the performance of its transmitting vector, which accelerates the spread of the pathogen. This positive effect of a pathogen on its vector via their shared host plant is termed indirect mutualism. For example, terpene biosynthesis is suppressed in begomovirus-infected plants, leading to reduced plant resistance and enhanced performance of the whit...

Seven insecticides, viz. Megamos 20SL, Actara 25WG, Polo 500SC, Sitara 25WP, Nighaban 20EC, Thiodan 35EC and Confidor 200SL were evaluated at their field recommended doses for their efficacy against whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) on cotton, at the farmer’s field in Dera Ghazi Khan during 2007. The insecticides were applied at ETL’s of whitefly. All the test insecticides caused significant mort...

The effectiveness of inundative releases of the parasitoid Eretmocerus eremicus n. sp. Rose & Zolnerowich for control of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring on poinsettia in replicated experimental greenhouses was determined. We evaluated two release rates of E. eremicus: a low release rate (one female per plant per week, released in two greenhouses, in spring 1995) and a high release rate (...

BACKGROUND RNA interference (RNAi) technology shows a great potential in controlling agricultural pests, despite the difficulty of introducing exogenous dsRNA/siRNA into target pests. Isaria fumosorosea is a common fungal pathogen of the B-biotype Bemisia tabaci (whitefly), which is a widespread pest. Entomopathogenic fungi directly penetrate the cuticle and invade insect hemocoel. Application ...

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), and Siphoninus phillyreae (Haliday) are whitefly species that harm agricultural crops in many regions of the world. These insects live in close association with bacterial symbionts that affect host fitness and adaptation to the environment. In the current study, we surveyed the infection of whitefly populations in Southeast Europ...

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci Genn. is a pervasive pest and vector of plant viruses. The existence of B. tabaci biotypes and numerous whitefly-transmitted geminiviruses (begomoviruses) affecting food and industrial crops, has become a major constraint to agricultural development in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The predominant whitefly and begomovirus method of control has been t...

This study focuses on the regulation of synchronization between the life cycle of the oligophagous whitefly, Trialeurodes lauri (Signoret), and its evergreen host tree Arbutus andrachne in Mediterranean chaparral. Whitefly infestations vary considerably among trees. The adults of the univoltine (one generation per year) whitefly emerge en masse during April and May and oviposit on the new sprin...