JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

The difficulties of control of greenhouse whitefly on crops and greenhouse plants make extensive studies and investigations necessary in different areas of Iran. Morphological and biological studies were carried out on a prevailing species of greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood, in Isfahan.

In this study, six species of whiteflies T. vaporariorum on Althaea sp. and Lantana camara, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, B. argentifolii Bellows & Perring and B. hancoki Corbett, on Lantana camara, Aleyrodes proletella L. on Brassica sp. and Aleyrodes rosae on Rosa sp. were collected. These species were described using different identification keys. Morphological characteristics and different growth stages of greenhouse whitefly including egg, 1st to 4th nymphal instars and adult were defined and figures drawn. Biological studies were conducted in 24±1°C, 65±5% RH and 16:8 (L:D) on eggplant, solanum melongena. The developmental time for egg, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th nymphal instars was 7.33±0.48, 3.37±0.52, 3.25±0.45, 2.51±0.26 and 7.66±0.83 days, respectively. The total period from egg to adult lasted 24.12±0.51 days. The number of eggs laid in 24 hours varied between 1 to 10 with an average of 5.93±1.67. Life-span of the male ranged between 19 to 23 with an average of 20.88±1.54 and that of the female varied between 20 to 28 with an average of 26.44±1.17 days. Four nymphal instars were identified and three substages for the 4th nymphal instars were determined. There was a positive correlation between nymphal instars and average body length and width. Since only male offsprings were produced through parthenogenesis, the strain of greenhouse whitefly in Isfahan was found to be European.

The predatory beetle Cybocephalus fodori minor has recently been reported in Iran. Also few studies have been reported on life cycle of Cybocephalus beetles, especially on that of C. f. minor. Thus, the life cycle and feeding rate of this predatory beetle was studied on pistachio oyster shell scale, Lepidosaphes pistaciae under laboratory conditions (temperature: 25 ± 2 °c relative humidity: 65 ± 5% and photoperiod: 16:8 L: D/h). Life cycle of C. f. minor was completed at six stages including egg, three larval instars, pupa and adult. Duration of the development for one generation (not considering preoviposition period) was 43-46 days for males and 38- 42 days for females. The developmental time length for the egg, larval instars1-3, pupa, male and female adults longevity, preoviposition and postoviposition periods was 8.8 ± 0.1, 5.2 ± 0.1, 34 ± 0.1, 6.8 ± 0.1, 17.3 ± 0.3, 59.2 ± 2.2, 65.8 ± 3.1, 6.8 ± 1.6 and 3.5 ± 0.5, respectively. Average fecundidity (number of eggs laid by a female per her life time) was 64.7 ± 6.2. Sex ratio in the laboratory and in the field was 1:1. Daily feeding rate for the female and male adults, larval instars feeding on adult female scale was 7.1 ± 3.5, 6.9 ± 2.2, 1.8 ± 0.2, 3.7 ± 0.2 and 5.9 ± 0.3, respectively. These parameters were also determined when those stages were fed on the eggs and second nymphal stages of pistachio oyster shell scale. Adult beetles over 60 days exhibited the highest feeding on this scale.