SUSCEPTIBILITY OF SELECTED GRAPE CULTIVARS AND TREE FRUIT TO SILVERLEAF WHITEFLY (BEMISIA-ARGENTIFOLII) COLONIZATION

Six table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars and 10 species of tree f ruit were evaluated in cage tests to determine their susceptibility to colonization by the silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring). The table grape cultivars Thompson Seedless, Perlette, Flame Seedless, Ruby Seedless, Christmas Rose, and Redglobe were all c olonize;l. In a field nursery, with naturally occurring silverleaf whi tefly populations, 'Zinfandel', 'Sirah', and 'Chardonnay' were more he avily colonized than were 'Merlot', 'Thompson Seedless', or 'Redglobe' . The tree crops 'Kerman' pistachio (Pistacia vera L.), 'Calimyrna' fi g (Ficus carica L.), 'Nonpareil' almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. We bb], and 'Fuyu' persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) were colonized in cage t ests. Silverleaf whitefly failed to establish colonies on caged 'O'Hen ry' peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.], 'Fantasia' nectarine [P. pers ica (L.) Batsch. var. nectarina (Ait.f.) Maxim.], 'Casselman' plum (P. salicina Lindl.), 'Tilton' apricot (P. armeniaca L.), 'Granny Smith' apple (Malus domestica Borkh.), and 'Hayward' kiwifruit [Actinidia del icoisa (A. Chevalier) C.F. Liang et A.R. Ferguson].