Responses of whitefly and poinsettias to insecticidal controlled atmospheres

Abstract

Eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult stages of greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporarium Westwood) and silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring) were exposed to insecticidal controlled atmospheres at 20 °C or 30 °C. Mortality data were calculated for each stage and results demonstrated that reduced-O2 atmospheres (an O2 level of <2 μL·L-1 balance in N2) resulted in faster and higher mortality than elevated-CO2 atmospheres (25% or 50% CO2). Responses, from the least to most tolerant stage was adult < larvae < eggs = pupae, regardless of the species of whitefly and treatment temperature. At 20 °C, treatment time required to kill >90% of adults, larvae, and eggs and pupae was 2, 4, and 8 hours, respectively. Increasing the treatment temperature from 20 to 30 °C reduced the treatment time to one-half that of 20 °C. Treatment time required to achieve complete elimination of the insects also caused phytotoxicity symptoms on poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch), thus, limiting use of insecticidal controlled atmospheres as the sole means for managing whitefly.