Seasonal whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) abundance infesting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) monitored on yellow sticky traps

Abstract

Nur Azura Adam, Nasiru Muhammad Kwaifa, Anis Syahirah Mokhtar, Muhamad Rita, Dzolkhifli Omar, Yusuf Sani Ringim

Background and Objective: Bemisia tabaci, commonly known as Silverleaf Whitefly, is among the most damaging crop pest on crops such as tomato in Nigeria, but little is known about when these economically significant species are most abundant in the study area. This experiment was carried out to determine the abundance of B. tabaci on tomatoes during the dry and rainy seasons at the Teaching and Research farm in Kebbi, Nigeria (Latitude 12o 11' N; Longitude 40 16' E) of the Kebbi State University of Science and Technology. The area is located in the Sudan Savannah Agro-ecological zone of Nigeria, which is marked by irregular and little rainfall. Materials and Method: Two field studies were conducted in the field during the rainy and dry seasons of 2017 and 2018 in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) to examine the abundance of whiteflies on tomato plants. Yellow sticky traps were used in field monitoring research on the incidence of B. tabaci, the traps provide an easy means for estimating insect pest population density at lower cost that require less skilled labour. Results: Significantly higher whitefly abundance resulted in the dry seasons than in the rainy seasons in both years. Temperature and relative humidity significantly correlated positively with whitefly abundance in the experimental field with the exception of rainfall that correlated negatively with the whitefly abundance on tomato plants in both seasons throughout the research period. Conclusion: It was concluded that the deployment of yellow sticky traps proved to be an excellent tool used in field monitoring of B. tabaci in the study location. Yellow Sticky Traps required less skills and provide an easy means for estimating insect pest population density at lower cost. It was concluded that tomato suffers more Whitefly infestation in the dry seasons than in the rainy seasons due to higher abundance and the use of yellow sticky traps proved to be an effective whitefly monitoring tool in insect pest management in the field aimed at effective control of B. tabaci on tomato.