BUPROFEZIN EFFECTS ON 2 PARASITOID SPECIES OF WHITEFLY (HOMOPTERA, ALEYRODIDAE)

The effect of buprofezin on Bemisia tabaci Gennadius) and its parasito ids Eretmocerus sp. and Encarsia luteola Howard was determined in the laboratory. The effect on immature whiteflies was tested, and LC50 and LC95 were estimated. Immature parasitoids were exposed to the materia l in both the egg and pupal stages. Adults were tested to determine th e effect of buprofezin on oviposition. First- and second-instar sweet- potato whiteflies were most sensitive to the material, with the LC50 f or the fourth instar being almost-equal-to 80-fold that of the first i nstar. Young Eretmocerus sp. were affected by buprofezin but young E. luteola were not. The reverse was true for pupae. No effect on oviposi tion occurred with females that were exposed to buprofezin either as i mmatures or when they were mature. We concluded that the following thr ee factors should be considered when using buprofezin for pest managem ent of B. tabaci: (1) parasitoids attack the whiteflies mainly at the third stadium and beyond; later instars are not as sensitive to buprof ezin; (2) even under laboratory conditions, at least 20% of the parast ioids will probably survive; and (3) the rate of parasitoid ovipositio n is unaffected by buprofezin.