Aleurotrachelus trachoides Back’s (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) preference on different host plants

Abstract

One invasive pest that has affected vegetable crops is the whitefly. Aleurotrachelus trachoides Back is a newly discovered whitefly pest that affects a number of horticultural crops. This study assessed Aleurotrachelus trachoides Back.’s preference (antixenosis) for eggplant, tomato, chili, okra, and cucumber. It also analyzed at the relationship between the quantity of eggs and early instar nymphs per plant and the morphology of the leaves (trichome, epidermis, palisade, and thickness). In January 2018, A. trachoides was taken from the Bambu Kuning Greenhouse at the National University in Jakarta. This study was carried out in June and July of 2018 at the Cikabayan Greenhouse, IPB University, Bogor, using a randomized complete block design with three replications (@2 plants/genotype). Eggplant (cv. Ratih Ungu) had the highest amount of A. trachoides eggs and early instar nymphs, followed by okra (cv. Nayla), tomato (cv. New Mutiara), cucumber (cv. Maestro), chili (cv. Kastilo), and chili (cv. Yuni). A. trachoides had a preference for tomatoes, chilies, and eggplant (Solanaceae family). The number of eggs and early instar nymphs per plant did not correlate with the different host plants’ leaf morphology. A. trachoides favored the genotype on chilies that had more non-glandular trichomes.