Greenhouse Whitefly
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Greenhouse Whitefly  The greenhouse whitefly will breed year around in a greenhouse if plants are present. They may move out into the garden in summer but cannot survive winter outdoors in colder climates. Whiteflies can transmit viruses.Susceptible Plants- Tomato, cucumber and approximately 200 host greenhouse and house plants. Symptoms- Leaves may develop yellow spots and other discolorations. The plant may become sticky and stunted. In bright sunlight the leaves may whither and die. The greenhouse whitefly sucks sap from the plant, primarily from the phloem. Heavy infestations cause decline of plant vigor. Stunting, yellowing of foliage and premature leaf drop are among the symptoms of injury. greenhouse whiteflies excrete sticky honeydew during feeding. This detracts from plant appearance and allows gray sooty mold fungi to grow on the foliage.
Prevention and Control- Prevention is the best management. Infestations originate only from infested plant materials. Carefully check all new plants and quarantine them before moving them into a room with susceptible plants. Once the insects are established in a greenhouse, a host-free period can starve them. This might mean removing for at least two weeks any plants on which the greenhouse whitefly can survive.
Pay careful attention to weed control, because weeds may allow greenhouse whiteflies to survive even if suitable Crops are not present. Adult whiteflies are highly attracted to yellow and white. They often are found on lighter colored foliage. To capture the winged whiteflies, place appropriately colored sticky traps just above susceptible plants or around edges of plantings. Biological Control- The small parasitic wasp, Whitefly Parasites: Encarsia formosa, Release Orius indoors or out. Minute Pirate Bugs reproduce quickly, completing a total life cycle in just 3-4 weeks, making them effective at handling serious infestations quickly. Adults lay their eggs within available plant tissue. Nymphs emerge after 4-5 days and they become adults in 7-10 days. Minute Pirate Bugs will move efficiently throughout the infested plants, and will continue to kill even when they do not need to eat. Be sure to leave suitable habitat for them to overwinter as they will establish in most locations quite well. Insecticidal Spray- Bonide Bon Neem Purespray Organic Horticultural Spray Oil for Insect & Disease Control
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