Toxicity of abamectin and imidacloprid on different life stages of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) reared on two different host plants under greenhouse conditions

Abstract

Chemical application is the common control technique of the pest Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hom.: Aleyrodidae). Toxicity of two insecticides abamectin and imidacloprid in 2009 was evaluated on different life stages of the pest. Bioassay tests were carried out under controlled environmental conditions (25 ± 2 °C 50 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 18:6 L/D) on different stages of whitefly (1-,3- and 5-day-old ages of eggs, first, second and third nymphal instars, pupa and adult). Both insecticides showed their best efficacy on the primary stages; though, with increasing the age, the susceptibility of all stages to chemicals was decreased. It was shown that sensitivity of eggs and first nymphal stage to abamectin in each host was different. But in imidacloprid treatment, only the eggs showed different sensitivity on both host plants. It seems that application of abamectin in primary stages induce higher mortality rates than of imidacloprid.