Greenhouse whitefly

Systematic position. The greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) belongs to the order Hemiptera, family Aleyrodidae. It is a cosmopolitan species that is highly adapted to protected cultivation environments, often causing severe economic losses in greenhouses.

Host crops. This pest has an extremely wide host range. Common crops affected include tomato, cucumber, fodder beet, alfalfa, common hop, as well as tree species such as apple, plum, and peach.

Biology and life cycle. The life cycle consists of the egg, four larval stages (the first stage is mobile, known as the "crawler"), the puparium, and the adult. Adults are small, white, moth-like insects. The population grows rapidly in warm conditions, with the entire life cycle completing in less than a month at high temperatures.

Nature of damage and harm. Both adults and larvae feed by sucking sap from the phloem. Their feeding causes leaf chlorosis and general plant weakness. Furthermore, they excrete honeydew, which promotes the growth of sooty mold, blocking photosynthesis and significantly reducing fruit quality and yield volume.

Protection measures. Effective control requires an integrated approach:

• Strict sanitation and removal of crop residues.
• Using yellow sticky traps to detect and trap flying adults.
• Biological control using parasitic wasps like Encarsia formosa.
• Chemical control focusing on rotating insecticides to prevent resistance development.