Insects (2020) 11 (11 - 823)

Arash Kheirodin, Alvin M. Simmons, Jesusa C. Legaspi, Erin E. Grabarczyk, Michael D. Toews, Phillip M. Roberts, Juang-Horng Chong, William E. Snyder and Jason M. Schmidt (2020)
Can generalist predators control Bemisia tabaci?
Insects 11 (11 - 823)
Abstract: The whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, has developed resistance to many insecticides, renewing interest in the biological control of this global pest. Generalist predators might contribute to whitefly suppression if they commonly occur in infested fields and generally complement rather than interfere with specialized natural enemies. Here, we review literature from the last 20 years, across US cropping systems, which considers the impacts of generalist predators on B. tabaci. Laboratory feeding trials and molecular gut content analysis suggest that at least 30 different generalist predator species willingly and/or regularly feed on these whiteflies. Nine of these predators appear to be particularly impactful, and a higher abundance of a few of these predator species has been shown to correlate with greater B. tabaci predation in the field. Predator species often occupy complementary feeding niches, which would be expected to strengthen biocontrol, although intraguild predation is also common and might be disruptive. Overall, our review suggests that a bio-diverse community of generalist predators commonly attacks B. tabaci, with the potential to exert substantial control in the field. The key challenge will be to develop reduced-spray plans so that generalist predators, and other more specialized natural enemies, are abundant enough that their biocontrol potential is realized.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Alvin M. Simmons, Jesusa Crisostomo Legaspi, Michael D. Toews, Juang-Horng Chong, Jason M. Schmidt

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
review

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bemisia tabaci
Delphastus catalinae (predator)	Bemisia tabaci
Serangium parcesetosum (predator)	Bemisia tabaci
Orius tristicolor (predator)	Bemisia tabaci
Dicyphus hesperus (predator)	Bemisia tabaci
Collops vittatus (predator)	Bemisia tabaci
Misumenops celer (predator)	Bemisia tabaci