Immersion treatments for imported poinsettia cuttings to control sweetpotato whitefly,Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype “B” in greenhouses

Abstract: Hot water, insecticidal soap and horticultural oil immersion treatments were assessedfor phytotoxicity and their efficacy in controlling sweetpotato whitefly (SPW) [Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius) biotype “B”] on poinsettia cuttings. The efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungusBeauveria bassiana also was examined. Acetamiprid was evaluated as a comparison.Hot water provided 0-20% mortality of SPW life stages; insecticidal soap 93-100%mortality; horticultural oil 99-100% mortality; and Beauveria bassiana 3-30% mortality.Acetamiprid provided 5-63% mortality.Various treatments identified in this study can be considered as moderate to highlyefficacious, and have potential to be incorporated into a pest management program to controlSPW on poinsettia cuttings, with minimal harm to plant material and reduced impact onbiological control agents (BCA).