Entomologia Sinica (1994) 1, 67-76

Rumei Xu, Yun Zhang and Wenru Ma (1994)
The probing and feeding process of the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood
Entomologia Sinica 1 (1), 67-76
Abstract: The preference of greenhouse whiteflies varies with different species of host plants and leaves of different age. They prefer young leaves of tobacco, cucumber, broadbean and cowpea significantly more than the young leaves of paprika and old leaves of broadbean and cowpea. Behavioural studies indicated that the leaf-time and total probing time were significantly longer on preferred leaves than on non-preferred leaves. On non-preferred leaves, probing may continue about 2 minutes but not longer than 5 minutes. On preferred leaves, there were both frequent probing for short intervals and probing (+feeding) which continued for 10 minutes or more. Morphological studies indicated that, in general, it needed 10 to 15 minutes for the stylet to reach the phloem and feed. The probing process takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes. Probing can be divided into test probing which takes less than 2 minutes to reach depths of 20 to 50 pm, and exploratory probing which surpasses 5 minutes. Test probing is the key process for determining host plant selection, and the chemical composition of the leaf surface wax may play an important role.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)
	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Cowpea and relatives (Vigna)
	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Broad/faba bean (Vicia faba)