Potential of Field Corn as a Barrier Crop and Eggplant as a Trap Crop for Management of Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on Common Bean in North Florida

Abstract

Trap crops and barrier crops are among the cultural control methods promoted for management of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring, particularly for small farmers in the tropics. In 1996 eggplant, Solanum melongena L., was tested as a trap crop, and in 1996 and 1997 corn, Zea mays L., was tested as a barrier crop for management of B. argentifolii on bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. In 1996 treatments were compared by sampling immature B. argentifolii on bean leaves. Neither egg nor nymphal densities were reduced by eggplant or corn treatments in 1996. In the 1997 corn barrier trial plot size was increased and the orientation of barrier row to wind direction was evaluated. A dust-and-release procedure was used to measure entry of greenhouse-reared adult B. argentifolii into experimental plots. Counts from yellow sticky traps in 1997 indicated that migration by adult whiteflies into plots was determined primarily by air currents and was only marginally influenced by the presence of a corn barrier. The results indicate that barrier crops and certain trap crops may have limited value for whitefly management.