How to control whitefly In Cotton Natural and Chemical Control ( Friends Of Nature ).

Common Name : White fly
Local Name : Achee Makh / Sufaid Makhi
Scientific Name : Bemisia tabaci D.
Family : Aleyrodidae
Order : Homoptera
Type of Mouthparts : Sucking
Type of metamorphosis: Incomplete (Egg --- Nymph --- Adult)

DAMAGE:
Both nymph and adult whiteflies suck the sap from plants, reducing the vitality and yield of the crop.
The numphs secrete honeydew, which promotes the growth of sooty mold.
The peak population reaches in the month of august, September and October. Bhindi, cucurbits, cowpea, brinjal, sunflower and tomato are their preferred hosts.
Cotton leaf curl viral disease and its vector, whitefly
Cotton leaf curl viral diseases of cotton are disseminated by whitefly, Bemisia tabaci.
Besides cotton, white fly is also known to survive on 53 host plants and is responsible for transmiting 23 crop diseases in Pakistan.
At global level, whiteflies infest about 600 plants.
Nature of damage by whitefly:
(1) The young ones and adults of whitefly suck the leaf sap by remaining on the under surface of leaves. The attacked plants become stunted; the leaves turn yellowish brown and fall-off prematurely.
(2) In addition to the direct damage, honey-dew, a sweet sticky fluid is excreted in large quantities by the nymph and adults through anus on the upper surface of lower leaves. The honey dew supports the growth of black sooty mould, which interferes with photosynthesis.
(3) The viruliferous whitefly infested plants have got retarted growth and become stunted. The virus infected cotton plants bear less number of bolls with reduced weight and size.
CONTROL:
Biological control:
Three parasitoid species as Eretmocerus sp., Encarsia transvena and Encarsia lutea (family, Aphelinidae) were recorded parasitizing whitefly nymphs.
The predators species recorded included Green lacewings, (Chrysoperla carnea), Lady bird beetles as (Coccinella septempunctata, Menochilus sexmaculatus,Brumoids saturalis) etc
Cultural control:
(a) Avoid cultivation of alternate hosts near cotton fields.
(b) Avoid application of excessive amounts of nitrogenous fertilizers to cotton crop because it helps in rapid vegetative growth of leaves.
(c) Avoid late-season application of nitrogen fertilizers.
(d) Avoid over-irrigation of cotton fields.
Chemical control:
Following insecticides are commonly used against this pest, (also available in market).
1. Actara
2. Confidor
3. Mospilan
4. Movento
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