Temperature and Host Plant Effects on Development, Survival, and Fecundity ofBemisia argentifolii(Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

Abstract

Development time and percent survival of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring (formerly referred to as B strain of sweetpotato whitefly), were determined at five constant temperatures ranging from 20 to 358C on two cultivars of cotton, cantaloupe, and pepper (Capsicum sp.). Fecundity was recorded at 308C during the first 10 d of adulthood. Developmental, survival, and fecundity rates were not significantly different between cultivars within crops of either cotton or cantaloupe, but varied between crops. Development time from egg to adult at 20—328C ranged from 14.6 6 0.8 (mean 6 SE) to 36.0 6 1.0 d on cantaloupe and from 16.3 6 0.7 to 37.9 6 2.1 d on cotton, respectively. Whiteflies did not develop at 358C or on pepper at any temperature. Minimum developmental thresholds and degree-days requirements from egg to adult were 11.18C and 312.5 DD on cotton and 13.28C and 250.0 DD on cantaloupe, respectively. Immature survival was high (76.5 6 11.5—100%) on cantaloupe, intermediate (37.3 6 13.3—64.4 6 10.2%) on cotton, and very low (0—8.3 6 8.3%) on pepper from 20—328C. Fecundity ranged from 153.3 6 10.8—158.3 6 9.3 eggs per female on cantaloupe, from 117.0 6 6.0—117.5 6 22.1 eggs per female on cotton, and from 2.1 6 0.7—40.5 6 5.8 eggs per female on pepper, at 308C.