Pest:White Fly

Bemisia tabaci

Aleurodidae

The insect is with yellow body and white wings. Adult and nymphs remain on the lower surface of leaves and suck sap. They have an important role in transmitting mosaic virus in cucurbitaceous vegetables. Another white fly Aleurodicus dispersus is also observed in cucurbits.

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Procedure for Observation

Select 5 pits at random from the plot. Assess the total number of adults and nymphs from 6 leaves from each pit( For this select 3rd to 8th leaves from the tip of a vine trailing on the pandal) and work out average per leaf. Less than 5 -Mild,5-10 Moderate >10 severe.

ETL

  • 5 adults or nymphs per leaf.

    • Control Measures

  • Set yellow sticky traps at the rate of 50 numbers per ha. to attract and kill the population.
  • This can be prepared by cutting yellow polythene sheets to convenient size and placing them in the field as flags attached to poles.
  • . Paint both surfaces of the sheet with caster oil to serve as sticky substance.
  • Instead of polythene sheets empty tins painted yellow on the outer surface can also be used.
  • Brush caster oil on the tins to serve as sticky agent. Keep this in an inverted position on poles.
  • Spray caster oil plus neem oil plus garlic.
  • Extract Spray 2 % neem + garlic emulsion.
  • For the control of residual population spray Verticillium lecanii at 20 g per liter or 5 ml/lit.