Factors affecting attack rate of the whitefly on Solanum gilo

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of rainfall and temperature, predators and parasitoids, height within the canopy and plant age, chemical composition of leaves, levels of nitrogen and potassium in leaves and density of trichomes in leaves, on attack intensity of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on Solanum gilo var. 'Portuguese giant'. Densities of nymphs and of adults of B. tabaci were higher on leaves of the lower part than on those of the apical parts of plants of S. gilo. The number of adults of B. tabaci on leaves of S. gilo increased with temperature.