Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) whitefly (SPWF), Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is widely spread throughout the tropics and sub-tropics. The pest infests many food crops, ornamentals, and weeds. In temperate countries, whitefly infestations often occur in greenhouse crops. For the most part, infestations have been trivial. Then, in the 1970s and 1980s, extraordinary whitefly outbreaks occurred in such diverse area as Sudan, the Middle East, and California and Florida in the United States. In most case, whitefly outbreak have been associated with the intensive use of insecticides and destruction of natural enemies. Insecticides have been reported to stimulate whitefly fertility (Castle, 1998). There are cases, however, of outbreaks before the appearance of modern insecticides.
Authors: F. Cisneros, N. Mujica, F. Cisneros, N. Mujica
Contributors: Administrator, Administrator
Subjects: Sweetpotato pests
Pages: 10
Publisher: International Potato Center
Publication Date: 1997
HOW TO CITE
Cisneros, F. and Mujica, N. 1997. Biological and selective control of the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hom.: Aleyrodidae). Research on Sweetpotato. CIP Program Report, 98, pp.255-64.