Source: AgriLife Today
A pesticide-resistant population of common plant-damaging whiteflies has been found in Texas, according to a specialist.
Whiteflies are sucking, insect pests similar to aphids, and damage ornamental and food plants, said Erfan Vafaie, program specialist in integrated pest management, Overton. Adults are winged while young whiteflies lie flat against leaves and can be difficult to see with the naked eye.
They reduce plant growth by taking away its nutrients, he said. Whiteflies also secrete honeydew, which can lead to sooty mold. This will not directly hurt the plant, but can reduce its aesthetics and the plant’s ability to absorb the sunlight it needs to acquire energy.
“They’re sucking the nitrogen out of the plant to make proteins and with those proteins they can make more babies,” he said.
Vafaie said the following active ingredients will control Q-type whiteflies, according to Extension publications from the University of Florida: abamectin, Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosorosea, pyridaben, horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, spiromesifen, spirotetramat, pyrifluquinazon, thiamethoxam, dinotefuran, cyantraniliprole and acetamiprid.
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