engleski

Current status of Bemisia tabaci in Croatia

The first record of Bemisia tabaci in Croatia was in 2000 when it was identified in Split County. The main part of pest population cycle was occurred on poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) in glasshouses. Its presence was also confirmed in outdoor conditions, on cultivated and wild host plants, period May &#8211 ; November. Although the quarantine measures had been applied, the pest overwinetred and spread on remain poinsettia plants in the protected conditions. Because this pest characteristics have not been studied in Croatia, this paper reviews its distribution, host plant range, population dynamics on alternative hosts and biotype status. Monitoring of Bemisia tabaci presence was organized in Croatia during the period May - December 2001 in collaboration with the Republic Institute for Plant Protection in Agriculture and Forestry - Zagreb. Yellow sticky traps and direct observation methods were used. The pest mainly invaded Adriatic districts with mild Mediterranean climate even it was found in Subpannonian district (Zagreb and Varazdin) in protected conditions. Thirty plant species were recorded as pest hosts in the Middle Adriatic Region. It infested vegetable crops like cucumber, melon, squash, egg plant, pepper and tomato and poinsettia on the first place between ornamental plants. Important wild hosts were Convolvulus tricolor and Solanum nigrum during the summer season. It was the reason why pest population dynamics was studied on these alternative hosts during 2002. Leaf samples were collected weekly (30 leaves of either host) from the beginning of June, what was the period of B. tabaci appearance in outdoors conditions. Number of adults was recorded in outside conditions while immature stages were counted under the stereomicroscope in the laboratory. The presence of pupae parasited by unidentified parasitoids was also recorded. Pest population trend was presented graphically. In order to collect the first information on the Bemisia tabaci biotype status in Croatia, adult samples were collected during 2001 in outdoor conditions on wild hosts (suburb of Split, places Vis and Komiza on island Vis) and greenhouse conditions on cultivated hosts (Split, Rogoznica and Pula). Seven population samples were analyzed by RAPD-PCR technique in CIDA (Spain). The results were surprising and indicated the prevalent presence of Q biotype in all locations even the predominance of B biotype had been suspected. Analyzed individuals presented the highest similarity (99%) with populations from Morocco and Spain.

whitefly; Croatia

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