Whiteflies | Life cycle | infestation and control

 How Whitefies damaging our crops | All about whiteflies | सफ़ेद मक्खी life cycle and control

How to identify whiteflies :- 

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How to keep whiteflies away. 

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How to treat whiteflies. 

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).

Develop on the underside of the leaves. 

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. 

2nd to 4th instars are called nymphs and resemble into small scale insects.

The late 4th instars is also known as 'pupae'. 

The complete life cycle varies from about 2½ to 5 weeks according to temperature conditions and species.

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.

indirect damage:- is caused by the large amount of sticky honeydew secreted during feeding.

Honeydew cover's plant leaves and support the growth of Sooty mold which reduces the plants ability to use light for photosynthesis and plant may die later. 

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 sticky trap(yellow).

Use the high pressure water Spray on the underside of leaves. 

Biological Control:-

Several species of predators and parasitoid are natural enemies of white flies.

Predators of whiteflies:- ladybeetales, green lace wing, minute pirate bugs, big eyed bugs and damsel bugs etc.

parasitoids:- minute wasps "erectmocerus eremicus" . 

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. 

Border  crops that attract thrips on the border :- Maize🌽, Sorghum, Pearlmillet. 

Attractant plants that attract natural enemies for thrips control:- Cowpea, french bean, etc. 

Chemical control:- 

Imidacloprid 17.8%SL, Buprofezin 25%sc, Diafenthiuron 50%wp, Thiacloprid 21.7%sc, Flonicamid 50%wg, Fipronil 5%sc, Thiamethoxam 25%wg, etc. 

CONCLUSION:- 

Scouting the field daily, and start controlling methods if any infestation occurs, because the infestation controlled very easily at earlier stages. 

And if infestation becomes vigorous then they are uncontrollable at all and whole field may destroyed. 

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