How Whitefies damaging our crops | All about whiteflies | सफ़ेद मक्खी life cycle and control
How to identify whiteflies :-
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Whiteflies Characteristics :-
White flies are tiny SAP sucking insect yellow in colour, that may become abundant in vegetable and ornamental plants specially during warm weather.
Adult and nymphs sucks phloem sap(phloem tissue are responsible for transferring energy in plant organs).
they excrete sticky honeydew and cause yellowing or death of leaves.
Related to a aphids,scales and mealybugs.
They got the name "whiteflies" from the white wax covering on the adult wings and body.
Adult are tiny insects with yellowish body and four whitish wings.
Whiteflies develop rapidly in warm weather and in absence of their natural enemies.
Have a wide range of host that includes many weeds,crops and ornamental plants.
Life cycle:-
Eggs are usually laid on the underside of young leaves, the eggs hatch into mobile first instar called crawlers which search and find a suitable feeding site, then they insert there mouth parts(needle like) and remain in one place for the rest of their immature stages.
The late 4th instars is also known as 'pupae'.
When temperature are high at the peak of summer white flies may complete development in 16 - 18 days.
In the absence of natural Enemies and other natural control factors such as heavy rain, the infestation of white flies becomes very high, and becomes very difficult to control.
Green House whiteflies:- This is an occasional pest specially in green house.
DAMAGE :-
direct damage:- is caused through their feedings which removes plant SAP and stunt plant growth.
Mostly found in cotton.
Controls:-
Cultural control:-
Inspect plant regularly.
keep targeted areas clean from weeds.
Avoid axcess irrigation and fertilization. Remove and destroy heavily infected plant.
Use the high pressure water Spray on the underside of leaves.
Biological Control:-
white flies are naturally attack bye insect pathogen, spore from the fungal pathogen due beauveria bassiana which causes white muscardine disease in insect, have been formulated into insecticidal products.