Horticultura Brasileira (2001) 19, 130-134
Geni Litvin Villas Bôas, Félix Humberto França, Newton Macedo and Antonio Williams Moita (2001)
Avaliação da preferência de Bemisia argentifolii por diferentes espécies de plantas
[Evaluation of Bemisia argentifolii preference for different plant species]
Horticultura Brasileira 19 (2), 130-134
Abstract: We evaluated the preference of Bemisia argentifolii for potential host plants such as zucchini, dry bean, cabbage, tomato, cassava, cucumber, soybean, sweet-pepper, corn, poinsettia, broccoli and eggplant. An insect population previously reared on poinsettia plants was placed in the presence of host plants during 48 hours in free-choice tests. The number of adults and eggs per plant, adults/cm2 and eggs/cm2 were evaluated. In another experiment, following the growth of three generations of the insect population in association with eggplant, cabbage and cassava, the pre-imaginal development of the insect was determined. In general, zucchini, tomato, dry bean, cucumber, eggplant, cabbage and soybean plants attracted adults which laid eggs on these species. Cassava, corn and sweet pepper were the least preferable species. There was a direct relationship between number of adults; leaf area and number of eggs, suggesting that the same factor that attracts adults for feeding and sheltering in the host plant also elicit oviposition. The number of adults and nymphs in cabbage plants was significantly higher compared to other plants. The high nymphs' mortality rate on cassava plants suggests that it may not be a suitable host for B. argentifolii.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
(original language: Portuguese)
Full text of article
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
