Strawberry whitefly

Aleurotuba jelinekii is a species of whitefly (family Aleyrodidae, order Hemiptera) known for colonizing strawberry plants. Unlike polyphagous whiteflies, this species exhibits a preference for specific host plants within the Rosaceae family, making it a targeted threat to strawberry production.

The pest primarily targets the undersides of strawberry leaves. By piercing the plant tissue with their mouthparts, both nymphs and adults extract sap, causing systemic stress to the host plant and reducing its vigor during critical growth stages such as flowering and fruit setting.

The life cycle involves an egg stage, several nymphal stages, and the adult stage. The nymphs are immobile and often transparent or yellowish, making them hard to spot. As the population density rises, the adults take flight, facilitating the spread of the infestation to adjacent plants or fields.

Damage is characterized by chlorotic spotting on leaves, leaf yellowing, and stunted growth. A major consequence is the excretion of honeydew, which leads to the formation of black sooty mold on the foliage. This layer restricts gas exchange and photosynthesis, leading to reduced yield and poor fruit quality.

Effective control strategies require integrated pest management (IPM):

• Frequent scouting of the undersides of leaves during the early season.
• Maintaining field sanitation to eliminate alternative weed hosts.
• Utilizing biological control agents such as parasitic wasps (Encarsia spp.).
• Targeted use of insecticides only when threshold levels are exceeded.