Management Strategies for Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) of Cotton

Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is a sucking insect of cotton which not only reduces the growth but most importantly it serves as the vector of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCuV) which has been a major threat to the cotton in Pakistan. So the farmer must take quick action against the white fly in his field.

Following steps can be taken to manage the whitefly in the cotton fields.

• Hoeing should be done along the water channels with the fields because the weeds along the borders of the field serve as the breeding ground for these white flies. 
• Weedicides should be sprayed for weed control and pesticides for the controlling the white flies.
• Detach the leaves which show attack of whitefly and dip in water to kill the pest.
• When larvae and adults are visible in the field at the same time, spray with such pesticides which are equally effective for both. Do not spray with same pesticide each time.
• For effective spraying, use hollow cone nozzle sprays.
• Regularly survey the field in order to know the whitefly count in the field. The economic threshold level for white fly is 5 adults or 5 larvae or total 5 with either larvae or adults. In case of the ETL is crossed, spray the recommended pesticides with recommended dose.