Response of Whitefly Population to Rabbit Urine Foliar Spray on Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

Whiteflies greatly contribute to low yields and quality in tomato production. Continuous use of synthetic pesticides leads to whiteflies developing resistance to these pesticides. This research aimed at promoting the use of rabbit urine as a biopesticide against whiteflies in tomato production. Although rabbit urine is been used as a biopesticide against different pests, the best concentration to control whiteflies in tomato production is unknown. Six treatments compared in the two experiments of this study included: 2 L rabbit urine : 9 L water; 2 L rabbit urine : 6 L water; 2 L rabbit urine : 3 L water; 2 L rabbit urine : 0 L water; 0 L rabbit urine : 2 L water, and 20 mL Duduthrin 1.75EC : 20 L water. The first experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with six treatments and four blocks to investigate the effects of rabbit urine on the control of whitefly eggs, nymphs, and adults. The second experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design to determine the effect of rabbit urine on the bioactivity of adult whiteflies. Results indicated that plots treated with rabbit urine foliar spray registered reduced populations of whitefly eggs, nymphs, and adults, and lower LT50 values of repelling and killing compared to the negative control (0 L rabbit urine : 2 L water). However, a high ratio of rabbit urine caused significant scorching to tomato leaves. A solution of 2 L rabbit urine : 6 L water optimally controls whiteflies without scorching the plant foliage. Rabbit urine has both repelling and killing effects on whiteflies. In the future, further research can be conducted to investigate the effect of rabbit urine on populations of other important insect pests of tomato.