Microbial control of the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) using a standardised bioassay method

Spence, Eleanor; Hesketh, Helen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1794-7658; Svendsen, Claus ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7281-647X; Chandler, Dave; Martin, Gareth; Berry, Shaun; Edgington, Steve. 2019 Microbial control of the greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) using a standardised bioassay method. [Poster] In: Advances in Biocontrol and IPM 2019: Addressing the Innovation Crisis, Marston, Lincolnshire, UK, 20-21 Nov 2019. (Unpublished)

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Abstract/Summary

Greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) are a major insect pest throughout Europe, causing damage to >300 plant species by consuming sap, secreting honeydew and transmitting plant viruses (Capinera, 2001). The most effective microbial pesticide against T. vaporariorum are entomopathogenic fungi and a fundamental step in identifying entomopathogenic fungi with potential to control T. vaporariorum is to determine their pathogenicity. In his study, eighteen different entomopathogenic fungal isolates were used in laboratory based mortality bioassays to assess pathogenicity against third instar greenhouse whitefly nymphs. Beauveria, Cordyceps, Akanthomyces and Metarhizium species were taken from commercially available biopesticides and the USDA Agricultural Research Service collection. A uniform coverage of solution was applied to the target area using a novel, calibrated spray tower. All isolates were pathogenic to the T. vaporariorum population tested. However, there were significant differences in total mortality and the mortality rates caused by each isolate. Whitefly mortality ranged 8-89% with half of the isolates resulting in <40% T. vaporariorum population mortality. The methods employed in this study could be utilised in the screening of isolates for microbial control of T. vaporariorum and other phloem feeding pests. This assay approach is a simple and affordable method to assess entomopathogenic fungi for the control of T. vaporariorum. References: Capinera, J. L. (2001). Order Homoptera—Aphids, Leaf- and Planthoppers, Psyllids and Whiteflies. Handbook of Vegetable Pests, 279–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012158861-8/50009-0

Item Type:	Publication - Conference Item (Poster)
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-) Pollution (Science Area 2017-)
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Agriculture and Soil Science Biology and Microbiology
Date made live:	13 Jan 2020 14:53 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/526389

Item Type:

Publication - Conference Item (Poster)

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
Pollution (Science Area 2017-)

NORA Subject Terms:

Ecology and Environment
Agriculture and Soil Science
Biology and Microbiology

Date made live:

13 Jan 2020 14:53 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/526389