Insecticidal Control of Woolly Whiteflies

Abstract

Four foliar insecticides (Esteem, Provado, Applaud and Assail) and one soil systemic insecticide (Admire) were evaluated for their control of woolly whitefly in lemons. These insecticides were chosen for evaluation because they have demonstrated efficacy to other whitefly species and have little or no impact on whitefly parasitoids. Admire was injected with a single shank about 5-in deep around each tree approximately at the tree’s drip line. All of the foliar insecticides were effective in controlling woolly whitefly. Admire also appeared to have efficacy, but due to inconsistent data on one sample date more testing should be conducted. Six weeks after the beginning of this test, whitefly parasitoids, Eretmocerus comperei or E. dozieri (exact species not certain) reduced the whitefly population across all treatments. Within two more months, no live whiteflies could be found in the test grove, and as of July 15, 2002, there was still no detectable woolly whitefly activity.