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Use of macroorganisms and microorganisms in biological control of whiteflies
ŽÁKOVÁ, Erika
Whitefly is one of the most important greenhouse pests that can cause significant damage to crops. Whitefly suck juice from plants and produce honeydew which is sugar source for saprotrophic fungi called sooty mold. Fungi cover the leaves and reduce the leaf assimilation area. The most serious harm of whiteflies is attributed to transfer of many plant viruses. The most serious whiteflies commonly found in the greenhouses are Trialeurodes vaporariorum and Bemisia tabaci. For the control of whitefly populations, the seasonal inoculum strategy of biological control is used, with the aim of immediately overlapping the pest with the right choice of natural enemies. Biological control contributes to the control of whiteflies in the greenhouse, specifically the use of natural enemies based on macro-organisms and microorganisms. The macroorganisms include parasitoids and predators. The most important commercially used whitefly parasitoids are Encarsia formosa, Eretmocerus eremicus and E. mundus. Predators used in biological control against whitely is the predatory bug Macrolophus caliginosus, the predatory ladybug Delphastus catalinae and the predatory mite Amlyseius swirskii. Parasitic wasps are narrowly specialized in both whitefly species, while predators are polyphagous species that can feed on more pest species. Bioproducts based on entomopathogenic fungi are also used against whiteflies in the abroad. The most important species are Aschersonia aleyrodis, Isaria fumosorosea, Beauveria bassiana and Lecanicillim muscarium. For the effective use of these bioagents, it is important to have knowledges not only about pest, but also about interaction among pest - natural enemy - host plant. So it is important to perform quality monitoring of whiteflies in the greenhouse to make the use of natural enemies profitable.
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