POPULATIONS OF THE WH1TEFLY BEMISIA TABACI (GENN.) (HOMOPTERA: ALEYRODIDAE) AND ITS PARASITOID ERETMOCERUS MUNDUS MERCET (HYMENOPTERA: APHELINIDAE) IN PROTECTED CUCUMBER CULTIVATIONS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

The population fluctuations of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) and its parasitoid Eretmocerus mundus Mercet on cucumber Cucumis sat­ivus L. var. Rawa cultivated in plastic houses were studied on autumn and spring plantations throughout the two successive seasons 1991/92 and 1992/93. High infestation occurred on the autumn plantation of 1993 (429.75 eggs/20 leaves) with a peak of 79.25 eggs/20 leaves on 55 day old plants and 302.00 nymphs and 321.25 adults/20 leaves with a peak of 77.50 adults/20 leaves on 95 day old plants. Low infestation took place on spring plantations that received relatively low numbers of eggs, nymphs and adults with delayed population peaks. Significant and positive correlations between temperature and relative humidity in the plastic house and Bemisia populations, and negative correlations between the same factors and the rate of parasitism by E.mundus parasitoid were observed.

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