AbstractsBiology & Animal Science

The sweet potato whitefly (SPWF) Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). has become a serious problem of a number of agricultural crops in the southern tier of states in the U.S. In the southwestern U.S. it seriously affects summer crops such as melons and cotton, and fall, winter and spring vegetable crops such as lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower. Since this insect has no overwintering resting stage a succession of host plants is necessary in order to span the gap from cotton season to cotton season. This study characterized seasonal population trends of SPWF in cotton and then identified subsequent hosts which were important in the overwintering survival of this insect. The "off-season" hosts included certain weeds as well as cultivated crops and all appear to be important in the seasonal population dynamics of this whitefly.