BEMISIA ARGENTIFOLII (HOMOPTERA, ALEYRODIDAE) POPULATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS TO STICKY COTTON AND COTTON YIELDS

Numbers of Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring were lower in expe rimental plots in 1991 than 1993 or 1994 and lower in 1994 than 1993. Adults in black pan samples were positively correlated to numbers of e ggs and nymphs, and nymphs were positively correlated with eggs from w hole leaf samples in 1991 and from 3.88 cm(2) leaf discs in 1993 and 1 994. In 1991, minicard sticky cotton ratings (0.0 to 0.3) for lint wer e low but positively correlated to numbers of B. argentifolii adults, adults and nymphs, but not nymphs alone. In 1993, B. argentifolii numb ers and minicard sticky cotton ratings were higher in untreated plots than in plots treated with three or six insecticide applications durin g the season. Similar results occurred in 1994 when six insecticide ap plications were applied, three specifically for B. argentifolii contro l. Trehalulose and melezitose were correlated positively to minicard s ticky cotton ratings in 1993 and thermodetector ratings in 1994. B. ar gentifolii adults, nymphs, and adults plus nymphs also were correlated to the insect-produced sugars, trehalulose and melezitose in both yea rs. B. argentifolii populations were significantly and negatively corr elated to cotton lint yields in 1994, but not in 1991.