Why are whitefly infestations increasing in south Georgia?

On-Demand

Presenting Author(s)

SARAH C. HOBBY

Research Professional
University of Georgia
Tifton, Georgia

Co-Author(s)

Apurba K. Barman

Postdoctoral Research Associate
University of Georgia
Tifton, Georgia
PR

Phillip Roberts

University of Georgia
Tifton, Georgia
Michael D. Toews

Assistant Dean
University of Georgia
Tifton, Georgia

Sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) was previously only a sporadic pest of cotton and vegetable production in south Georgia. Introduced into the United States in the late 1980’s, this invasive insect causes economic losses due to direct feeding by adults and immatures or transmission of more than 100 plant viruses including tomato yellow leaf curl, cucurbit leaf crumple, and squash yellow vein mosaic. A very severe whitefly outbreak in 2017 resulted in economic losses exceeding $150 M to cotton and snap bean alone. Extensive area-wide trapping over the past three years showed that whitefly abundance was consistently greater in a core area including Berrien, Colquitt, Tift and Worth counties in Georgia. Post hoc analyses indicate that accumulated spring degree days in these areas have increased in recent years. Additionally, diverse cropping systems and a several key weeds found in these counties facilitate a wide variety of hosts that sustain whitefly populations year-round. These data were used to improve our understanding of the mechanisms governing whitefly population increases and could suggest strategies for future management efforts.