Whitefly biology and morphometry on tomato plants

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted to study the whitefly biology and morphometry on Tomato Plants. The female and male nymphs of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) was reared on leaves of potted tomato plants fitted with modified rearing glass vials, at research laboratory, BCKV during 2016-17 at 24-31 0 C temperature and 80-85 % RH, Whitefly had six life stages egg, four nymphal instars and adult. The developmental period of egg and four instars of whitefly were 7.6±0.70, 6.6±0.52, 3.5±0.53, 4.1±0.57, 7.2 ± 0.63 days respectively with total nymphal period was 26.4 ± 1.05 days. Pre-oviposition, oviposition and post oviposition lasted 2.1± 0.57, 3 ± 0.67 and 0.80 ± 0.42 days respectively. Adult longevity lasted for 4.6 ± 0.52 Total life period was 33.00 ± 0.84 days. Average length of egg, 0.18 ± 0.010; 1st instar, 0.26 ± 0.013; 2nd instar, 0.42 ± 0.026; 3rd instar, 0.63 ± 0.025 and 4th instar, 0.78 ± 0.018 mm. Average length of adults was 0.90 ± 0.031 mm respectively.