Effectiveness Of Flower Planting On Population And Intensity Attack Of Whitefly Silverleaf (Bemisia Tabaci) In Big Red Chilies (Capsicum Annum L.)

Abstract

The presence of B. tabaci pests in chili plants can affect the spread of gemini virus infection, this is because B. tabaci is a vector of the gemini virus. One way to control B. tabaci pests on chili plants is to use refugia plants to increase the presence of beneficial insects. This study aims to determine the role of flower plants on the population and intensity of B. tabaci pest attack on big red chilies fields. The research was conducted in Ambulu District, Jember Regency. The research design used a non factorial randomized block design consisting of 2 levels of treatment compared where each treatment was repeated 9 times by observing the intensity of the B. tabaci infestation and population and observing the natural enemies of B. tabaci and other arthhopods. The results showed that the effect of flower planting treatment showed that the intensity of the attack and B. tabaci population was lower than the conventional treatment with the results of data analysis tests that were significantly different between the two treatments being compared. In addition, the flower planting treatment attracted more natural enemy insects to the big red chilies fields compared to conventional treatments.