SEASONAL OCCURRENCE OF Bemisia tabaci BIOTYPE B (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) IN EGGPLANT CROP IN THE REGION OF ILHA SOLTEIRA – SP

Abstract

The study evaluated the population dynamics of the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci biotype B) in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivation, an insect pest whose feeding by adults and nymphs promotes phloem sap extraction, reducing photosynthetic rate and plant respiration, in addition to favoring the development of sooty mold (Capnodiales) due to honeydew excretion, resulting in decreased productivity. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching, Research and Extension Farm of the School of Engineering of São Paulo State University (UNESP), Ilha Solteira Campus – SP, using the ‘Nápoli’ cultivar. Evaluations were performed weekly, starting at 33 days after transplanting (DAT), through adult quantification directly in the field at different canopy strata (upper, middle, and lower thirds), and by counting eggs and nymphs in the laboratory with the aid of a stereomicroscope. The results showed a higher adult population density during the initial crop development stage, with additional population peaks at 75 and 110 DAT. A greater abundance of adults was observed in the middle canopy stratum, whereas eggs and nymphs were predominantly concentrated in the middle and lower thirds of the plants. Population increase of the pest was more pronounced under temperature conditions between 25 and 27 °C and relative humidity between 72% and 83%, indicating a significant influence of abiotic factors on the species’ population fluctuation.