whitefly resistance gene discovered

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Rockporter

I'm glad you will try it for two applications but your infestation and mine might be different. You might need more than two applications. You might need to do spray twice in a week.

This stuff works by smothering the whitefly eggs and killing them off. If you spray and then you still have whitefly hanging around you will have more eggs, spray until the infestation is gone. I believe, but don't quote me, the eggs hatch once per week or so??

Just make sure you spray when the sun is going down and there is no chance of sunburn on your plants.

Thanks Rockporter.
Believe you me, you are preaching to the choir on this one! I know all about the smothering, all the various instars, and what stages in the life cycle the whiteflies are stationary and when they become mobile, I know to spray early or very late to avoid leaf frying, I just said 2 times because I think you mentioned it, but I really need to keep it up every 4 days for the entire season. I know the soap ruptures the wax they have on their soft bodies as well as the oil smothering them.
It only takes one whitefly feeding on your tomato for 15 minutes to give the plant TYLCV, then that tomato is done. Better pull it or other whiteflies will feed from it and hop to your next tomato to feed.
I also know it is the silverleaf whitefly that gets tomatoes, called that because it turns cabbage leaves silver. It is much smaller in size than some of the other types, but not smaller in destruction. It also likes other nightshades such as eggplant, as well as many weed types.
In our neighborhood we also have ficus whiteflies devastating our landscaping bushes, spiral whiteflies are the new kids on the block, and they have made themselves at home in a big way, on bananas, some types of oak trees, etc.
I make yellow sticky traps out of solo cups I spray yellow, then coat with vaseline, because they are attracted to yellow, and they fly into it and stick there.
All that "knowing" and our neighborhood is still infested!
-Marsha

[Redbaron]

Unfortunately almost all organic "pesticides" fall under broad US labelling laws just like the chemical poisons made by Monsanto etc....

Often, but not always, they really don't do 1/2 the damage the label suggests. You would have to do some investigative work to find the real truth of it's potential dangers, if any.

[Garf]

If you want something really sticky for your sticky traps, instead of vaseline, try castor oil. as castor breaks down it becomes stickier. It even traps termites.

[snugglekitten]

Should anyone come across this germoplasm or its offspring pls keep us updated. thnx

[FredB]

Originally Posted by DKelly

Made from a flower (Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium), pyrethrum is one of the safest ways to kill whiteflies. While bieng very safe for humans it is highly toxic to bee's and fish so do not spray your fish with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrethrin

It also helps biocontrol by providing them a non-moving target...hint hint.
but alas it is probably made by some giant evil corporation who's CEO believes in world domination or something like that.

Whiteflies have evolved resistance to pyrethrins, even including most of the newer synthetics.

I get whitefly infestations when I take tomato cuttings and grow them under lights in the winter. That tells me that I must have whiteflies out in the garden, but something must be keeping them under control outdoors. In agricultural areas, I wonder if spraying may be making whitefly problems worse by eliminating their natural predators.

Indoors, I find that what works is a product called Nylar. It's a juvenile hormone mimic, which means it prevents the larvae from growing into adults. It's highly toxic to aquatic insects, so it probably wouldn't be a good choice for use outdoors in places like Florida or Hawaii.

http://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/ppdb/en/Reports/574.htm

[snugglekitten]

Originally Posted by FredB

Whiteflies have evolved resistance to pyrethrins, even including most of the newer synthetics.

I get whitefly infestations when I take tomato cuttings and grow them under lights in the winter. That tells me that I must have whiteflies out in the garden, but something must be keeping them under control outdoors. In agricultural areas, I wonder if spraying may be making whitefly problems worse by eliminating their natural predators.

Indoors, I find that what works is a product called Nylar. It's a juvenile hormone mimic, which means it prevents the larvae from growing into adults. It's highly toxic to aquatic insects, so it probably wouldn't be a good choice for use outdoors in places like Florida or Hawaii.

http://sitem.herts.ac.uk/aeru/ppdb/en/Reports/574.htm

I get the same issue with winters, more proof that there is always time for trials even for us northern folk.