Evaluation of papaya as a potential banker plant for parasitoid, Encarsia sophia (Hymenoptera: Aphilidae) against Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in greenhouse vegetable crops

The Silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is a key pest of vegetable crops in U.S.A. Experiments were conducted under greenhouse[26 ± 2ºC, 60 ± 10% RH, and 16:8h (L: D)] to determine if papaya (Carica papaya. L.) is a potential non-crop banker plant for Encarsia sophia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) against B. tabaci. This study: (a) evaluated the specificity and suitability of papaya plants as a host of Trialeurodes variabilis(Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae); (b) investigated dispersal ability of E. sophia from papaya banker plants to infested tomato plants by B. tabaci, as well as control(infested papaya plants by T. variabilis)); and (c) compared the parasitism by E. sophia on T. variabilis infested-papaya plants and B. tabaci-infested tomato plants. papaya plants were excellent non-crop banker plants with non-pest alternative host for E. sophia feeding and oviposition. E. sophia was a superior parasitoid of T. variabilis and B. tabaci. E. sophia were able to disperse at least 15.0 m away from papaya plants within 48-72h in the greenhouse. There were no significant differences in percent parasitism after dispersal from papaya banker plants to the other studied plants, where tomato seedlings ranged from 29 to 45.9%, bush bean seedlings were 27.0%, and the control papaya plants ranged from 36.4 to 47.4%. This study suggested that the use of papaya banker plants in greenhouses could be a valuable means for facilitating E. sophia control of B. tabaci. This banker plant system should provide growers with a new option for a long-term control of B. tabaci in greenhouses vegetable production.