engleski

Population dynamics of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and tomato leaf anatomy as affected by rootstock

The vegetable grafting has received more attention in past years as a sustainable practice for mitigation of abiotic and biotic stresses. The successful management of hydroponic crops assumes minimal use of pesticides and the new approaches for mitigation of pest damage have been tested. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of tomato rootstocks (Arnold, Buffon, Emperador and Maxifort) on incidence of tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) in hydroponic tomato crop. Cultivar Clarabella was used as a scion, and the control was non-grafted Clarabella or grafted on its own roots. The plants were artificially infested with adult instars of B. tabaci at 20 October 2015. Population density of large nymphs (4th instar to pupae) was assessed on 4th, 5th and 6th leaf, 37 days after infestation. Number of individuals was counted and expressed per cm2. Leaf anatomy characteristics (the thickness of the lamina, adaxial and abaxial epidermis and leaf mesophyll) of all treatments were measured. The large nymphs population density of B. tabaci was lower in tomato plants grafted onto different rootstocks, compared to non-grafted Clarabella plants, or grafted on its own roots regardless of leaf position. Total leaf thickness was the highest in non-grafted cv. Clarabella plants compared to plants grafted on tested rootstocks or on its own roots. Non-grafted plants of cv. Clarabella, that were more attractive to the pests, were characterized by the 12.1 μm thickness of lower epidermis and 145.2 μm thickness of mesophyll. It seems that reduction of B. tabaci density on leaves of grafted plants could be at least partially connected to changes in leaf anatomy induced by rootstock. The results can be applied in an integrated tomato protection against B. tabaci.

B. tabaci; large nymphs; IPM; leaf anatomy

nije evidentirano