Predatory beetle may suppress silverleaf whitefly

Kevin M. Heinz; James R. Brazzle; Charles H. Pickett; Eric Natwick; Judy M. Nelson; Michael Parrella

doi:10.3733/ca.v048n02p35

California Agriculture (Mar 1994)

Predatory beetle may suppress silverleaf whitefly

Kevin M. Heinz,
James R. Brazzle,
Charles H. Pickett,
Eric Natwick,
Judy M. Nelson,
Michael Parrella

Affiliations

Kevin M. Heinz: K. M. Heinz is Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis.
James R. Brazzle: J. R. Brazzle is a master's student, Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis.
Charles H. Pickett: C. H. Pickett is Environmental Research Scientist with the Biological Control Program of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Sacramento.
Eric Natwick: E. T. Natwick is Imperial County Entomology Farm Advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, Holtville, California.
Judy M. Nelson: J. M. Nelson is a doctoral student, Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis.
Michael Parrella: M. P. Parrella is Professor and Chair, Department of Entomology, University of California, Davis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3733/ca.v048n02p35
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 48, no. 2
pp. 35 – 40

Abstract

Read online

The coccinellid beetle, Delphastus pusillus, may be able to suppress the silverleaf (or strain B sweetpotato) whitefly that has infested California agriculture. Life history characteristics of this predatoi indicate that it is most effective as a biological control agent at high whitefly densities. D. pusillus releases in Imperial Valley cotton trials reduced immature whitefly densities to one-third of the densities found in cotton plots receiving no releases.

Published in California Agriculture

ISSN: 0008-0845 (Print); 2160-8091 (Online)
Publisher: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture
Website: https://californiaagriculture.org/

About the journal