Molecular characterization of whitefly,Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) populations infesting cassava

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) populations, collected from cassava and other plants in major cassava-cultivation areas of Sub-saharan Africa and from elsewhere around the world, were studied to determine their biotype status and genetic variation. Random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) markers were used to examine the genetic structure of the populations. The dendogram obtained using the neighbour joining method (NJ) split the cassava-associated populations from the non-cassava types with a 100% bootstrap probability. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) of the RAPD fragments revealed that 63.2% of the total variation was attributable to differences among populations, while the differences among groups (host) and within populations accounted for 27.1 and 9.8% respectively. Analysis of the internally transcribed spacer region I (ITS 1) of the ribosomal DNA confirmed that the cassava populations of B. tabaci populations were distinct from non-cassava populations. Experiments to establish whitefly populations on various host plants revealed that cassava-associated populations were restricted to cassava only, whereas B. tabaci from other hosts were polyphagous but did not colonize cassava. Hence, populations of B. tabaci from cassava in Africa represent a distinct group.     

Insecticide resistance monitoring in whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Oman

The sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, is an important insect pest of many crops including vegetables through direct feeding damage and as a vector of several plant viruses. Intensive use of insecticides has led to the development of insecticide resistance in global B. tabaci populations. This study was conducted to establish susceptibility levels to deltamethrin, thiamethoxam and pyriproxyfen in seven geographically different populations of B. tabaci MEAM1 adults in Oman. All B. tabaci populations showed very low to low level of resistance (2.1–12.3 fold) to deltamethrin. All B. tabaci populations showed no resistance to very low level of resistance to thiamethoxam (2.2–6.2 fold) and pyriproxyfen (2.4–3.5 fold). A likelihood analysis showed the possibility for control failure in two populations (Barka and Salalah) to deltamethrin, however, no possible failure was detected in all populations for thiamethoxam and pyriproxyfen. An insecticide resistance dynamics study in one population (SQU-1) showed a loss in susceptibility to deltamethrin with increase in the LC₅₀ value from 25.1 mg L⁻¹ to 84.5 mg L⁻¹ between 2017 and 2019 resulting in 5.3 fold increase in RF. The study results determined that several B. tabaci populations are at the initial stages of resistance development to deltamethrin and cross-resistance with thiamethoxam and pyriproxyfen. Vegetable farmers in Oman, the Barka and Salalah regions in particular, should be cautious in the repeated use of one class of insecticide alone.     

Host plant influence on susceptibility of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) to insecticides

A resistance monitoring program conducted for the polyphagous whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), in Imperial Valley, CA, USA generated a large set of LC50s for adults collected from broccoli, cantaloupe and cotton crops over a four-year period. A vial bioassay and, subsequently, a yellow-sticky card bioassay produced similar temporal profiles of relative susceptibilities to the pyrethroid insecticide bifenthrin. Both bioassays revealed that whiteflies collected from broccoli were significantly less susceptible to bifenthrin compared to the other two crops. A similar finding was observed for endosulfan and the mixture of bifenthrin+endosulfan in the yellow-sticky card bioassay. The possibility that seasonal differences contributed to the observed differences in susceptibility provided the impetus to conduct a reciprocal transfer experiment using broccoli (or kale) and cantaloupe grown simultaneously in the field and greenhouse. Whitefly adults collected from an organic farm over three consecutive weeks had significantly higher LC50s on kale than those collected the same day on cantaloupe. After culturing in the greenhouse on broccoli or cantaloupe and testing again, LC50s remained significantly higher on broccoli after one week and again at the F1 generation. In contrast, whiteflies originating on kale in the field and transferred to cantaloupes in the greenhouse had significantly reduced LC50s at the F1 generation. When tested against the bifenthrin+endosulfan mixture, significantly higher LC50s were generated for whiteflies reared on broccoli in the greenhouse at one week and the F1 compared to the field source from cantaloupes. The consistently higher LC50s for whiteflies on broccoli and other Brassica spp. crops, compared to cantaloupes or cotton, point to statistically significant host-plant influences that are expressed in both field-collected and greenhouse-reared populations of whiteflies.     

Susceptibility of the tobacco whitefly,Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotype Q to entomopathogenic fungi

Recently, the Q biotype of tobacco whitefly has been recognized as the most hazardous strain of Bemisia tabaci worldwide because of increased resistance to some insecticide groups requiring alternative strategies for its control. We studied the susceptibility of this biotype of B. tabaci to 21 isolates of Beauveria bassiana, three isolates of Isaria fumosorosea, one isolate of I. cateni, three isolates of Lecanicillium lecanii, one isolate of L. attenuatum, and one isolate of Aschersonia aleyrodis. These isolates were evaluated on pruned eggplant seedlings, at a concentration of 10⁸ conidia/mL (deposited at 6000±586 conidia mm^?2). The mortality based on mycosis varied from 18 to 97% after 6 days. Isaria fumosorosea isolate Pf04, B. bassiana isolates Bb06, Bb12, and L. lecanii L14 were found the most effective. Furthermore, five isolates were chosen for concentration–mortality response assays and compared to B. bassiana GHA as a standard. The numbers of nymphs infected by fungi were correlated with the spore concentration. L. lecanii L14 and I. fumosorosea Pf04 had the shortest LT₅₀ at 3.5 and 3.3 days at 6000±586 conidia mm^?2. Mortality declined and LT₅₀ values were longer as the concentration of conidia was reduced. The LD₅₀ values were calculated as 87, 147, 191, 263, and 269 conidia mm^?2 for isolates L14, GHA, AS1260, Bb13, and Pf04, respectively. These results indicated that the Q biotype of sweetpotato whitefly was susceptible to the five isolates of entomopathogenic fungi and these isolates have potential to be developed as microbial pesticides for whitefly control.     

Host plants influence susceptibility of whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) to the entomopathogenic fungus Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae)

We quantified the tritrophic effect of host plant on the susceptibility of the sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) to a fungal pathogen in the laboratory. Second-instar whiteflies reared on cucumber, eggplant, tomato and bean plants for six generations were exposed to conidial suspensions of Isaria fumosorosea isolate IF-1106. Our results did not detect differences in response (proportional survival or median lethal time, LT₅₀ days) among insect populations derived from different plants that were treated with 10⁷ conidia/ml. However, at concentrations ≤ 5×10⁶ conidia/ml, whiteflies reared on bean and tomato died significantly more quickly (i.e. LT₅₀ of 4–5 days) compared with cucumber and eggplant reared populations (5–7 days). Bean and tomato-reared populations were also more susceptible to mycosis (LC₅₀ ≈ 6 × 10⁵ conidia/ml) compared with those reared on cucumber (1.9 × 10⁶ conidia/ml) and eggplant (1.5 × 10⁶ conidia/ml). A separate study confirmed that this differential response of whitefly populations to I. fumosorosea was not explained by differences in deposition rate of conidia on leaf surfaces (i.e. a dosage effect). Our findings show that host plants affect the pathogenicity and virulence of a herbivore pathogen, but depend on the rate of exposure (inoculum) applied.     

辣椒碱对烟粉虱的生物活性及生长发育和生殖力的影响

在实验室条件下研究了辣椒碱对烟粉虱的生物活性及生长发育和生殖力的影响.结果表明:辣椒碱对烟粉虱各虫态均有杀虫活性,且随辣椒碱浓度的增大活性增强;辣椒碱浸叶法/浸虫法处理对烟粉虱成虫、卵和若虫的毒力(LC50分别为3525.79、1603.29和1526.27mg·L-1))均高于内吸法处理(LC50分别为5360.04、2359.19和5897.43 mg.L-1),两种处理方法下辣椒碱对烟粉虱卵的毒力均明显高于对成虫的毒力;2000和4000 mg·L-1浓度辣椒碱对烟粉虱成虫具有明显的拒食作用,烟粉虱在该两种浓度辣椒碱处理过的棉花叶上取食24 h的蜜露分泌量均显著低于取食非处理棉花叶后的蜜露分泌量;辣椒碱各试验浓度对烟粉虱成虫均表现出较强的产卵忌避作用,当辣椒碱处理浓度达4000 mg·L-1时,对烟粉虱的选择性产卵忌避率和非选择性产卵忌避率分别高达94.2％和83.0％.500、1000和2000 mg·L-1辣椒碱浸渍处理对烟粉虱存活卵和若虫的发育历期、成虫羽化率均没有影响,但辣椒碱4000mg·L-1处理明显延长烟粉虱若虫发育历期、降低成虫羽化率.不同浓度辣椒碱处理均明显抑制烟粉虱生殖力,且这种抑制作用随辣椒碱浓度的增大而增强.     

Nuclear DNA content of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Aleyrodidae: Hemiptera) estimated by flow cytometry

The nuclear DNA content of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennnadius) was estimated using flow cytometry. Male and female nuclei were stained with propidium iodide and their DNA content was estimated using chicken red blood cells and Arabidopsis thaliana L. (Brassicaceae) as external standards. The estimated nuclear DNA content of male and female B. tabaci was 1.04 and 2.06 pg, respectively. These results corroborated previous reports based on chromosome counting, which showed that B. tabaci males are haploid and females are diploid. Conversion between DNA content and genome size (1 pg DNA=980 Mbp) indicate that the haploid genome size of B. tabaci is 1020 Mbp, which is approximately five times the size of the genome of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster Meigen. These results provide an important baseline that will facilitate genomics-based research for the B. tabaci complex.     

烟粉虱MED隐种抑制蛋白基因Btarrestin的克隆及特性分析

【目的】明确烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci MED隐种抑制蛋白基因Btarrestin是否参与吡虫啉耐药性。【方法】根据已有烟粉虱转录组数据,利用RT-PCR克隆Btarrestin的全长序列,进行生物信息学分析。通过qPCR分析Btarrestin在烟粉虱MED隐种各个龄期(卵,1-2龄、3龄、4龄若虫,雌、雄成虫)以及吡虫啉处理(100 mg/L)后成虫中的表达量变化,明确其时空表达模式。利用RNAi技术沉默Btarrestin,观察沉默前后Btarrestin表达量和烟粉虱MED隐种成虫死亡率变化。【结果】成功克隆烟粉虱MED隐种Btarrestin的cDNA序列(GenBank登录号: MK204377),编码区全长1 227 bp,编码409个氨基酸,预测所编码的蛋白分子量约为45.33 kD,理论等电点(pI)为8.38。保守结构域分析表明,Btarrestin具有Arrestin_N和Arrestin_C两个超家族保守结构域,符合抑制蛋白家族特征。分子系统树分析表明,Btarrestin与褐飞虱Nilaparvata lugens的Arrestin亲缘关系最近。Btarrestin的表达量随烟粉虱MED隐种的生长发育逐渐升高,成虫期表达量最高。100 mg/L吡虫啉处理成虫24 h后Btarrestin的表达量较对照增加了2.39倍。RNAi干扰Btarrestin后进行生物测定,烟粉虱MED隐种成虫的死亡率上升了31.27％。【结论】Btarrestin可能与烟粉虱MED隐种对吡虫啉的耐药性有关。     

Characterization and molecular cloning of a glutathione S-transferase from the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Glutathione S-transferases (GST) catalyzing the conjugation of reduced glutathione to a vast range of xenobiotics including insecticides were characterized in the whitefly Bemisia tabaci. GST activities were determined in susceptible and resistant strains of B. tabaci towards artificial substrates, i.e. 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) in a photometric microplate assay and monochlorobimane (MCB) in a fluoroemtric microplate assay and characterized by their Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The inhibitory potential of ethacrynic acid was very effective with IC50-values between 0.9 and 5.8 microM depending on substrate and strain. The inhibitory effect of dicumarol was 10 times lower. Glutathione-affinity chromatography purified GST enzymes of two different B. tabaci strains appeared as a single band on SDS-PAGE and had a molecular mass of 23.5 kDa determined by MALDI mass spectrometry. The N-terminus of the purified enzyme was sequenced by Edman degradation. The nearly full-length cDNA of the enzyme was isolated by RT-PCR using a degenerate primer derived from the N-terminal amino acid sequence and contained an open reading frame encoding a 194-amino-acid protein. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with GSTs from other species revealed that the enzyme is closely related to insect class sigma GSTs.     

Mating interactions between two biotypes of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Australia

The biological consequences of mating interactions between indigenous and exotic biotypes of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) in Australia were studied using a combination of field and laboratory experiments. The key results of the interaction between the B and eastern Australian biotypes were reduced population increase, a marked increase in the proportion of male progeny, fewer eggs produced by females paired with males of different biotype and no difference in the numbers of eggs per unmated female and females paired with males of the same biotype. In addition, there was no change in the proportion of eggs hatching, mixed biotype pairs spent more time courting than single biotype pairs and a low level of hybridization in field cages and small containers was observed. These observations suggest three possibilities. The first is the 'distracting male hypothesis' in which mating pairs made up of different biotypes apportion more time to courtship and less time to egg laying than single biotype pairs. The second invokes the 'single-locus complementary sex determination model' in which the production of non-viable diploid male zygotes may explain the reduction in eggs laid. The third is cytoplasmic incompatibility between biotypes caused by Wolbachia. The results also suggest that the geographical distribution of clusters of related biotypes both overseas and in Australia may be explained by between-biotype interactions leading to the formation of parapatric populations.     

Establishment of a silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) population in western Sydney

A field survey in western Sydney found populations of Bemisia tabaci biotype B (silverleaf whitefly) that have the potential to damage greenhouse vegetable crops prevalent in the region. Adult whiteflies were collected from five farms at 2-week intervals and the proportion of silverleaf whitefly in the overall whitefly population was determined using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. High levels of silverleaf whitefly were detected at most sampling dates on two of the farms surveyed and a third farm exhibited lower but relatively continuous silverleaf whitefly abundance. The presence of permanent silverleaf whitefly populations must be considered by the greenhouse industry when formulating whitefly management plans for western Sydney.     

烟粉虱对菜豆金黄花叶病毒属病毒的传播：病毒对媒介昆虫的适应

双生病毒科(Geminiviridae)菜豆金黄花叶病毒属病毒是一类重要的植物病毒,主要危害番茄、烟草、棉花等多种经济作物,自然条件下主要由介体昆虫烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci传播。菜豆金黄花叶病毒属病毒在田间的暴发受多种因素的影响,其中一个最重要的因素就是其介体昆虫烟粉虱。因此,明确烟粉虱在田间传播和扩散特定病毒中的作用及影响因素,对于解析病毒病流行的生物学基础具有重要意义。本文综述了烟粉虱对菜豆金黄花叶病毒属病毒的传播及影响因素,并讨论了病毒对媒介昆虫的适应及其机制。菜豆金黄花叶病毒属病毒和烟粉虱都为全球分布的有害生物,通过生物信息学的分析发现,两者都呈现地域相关的遗传多样性。而在生物学的研究中发现,烟粉虱隐存种往往对与其起源于同一地区的病毒具有较高的传播效率。这些发现为进一步解析烟粉虱对菜豆金黄花叶病毒属病毒的传播提供了重要的参考。     

New insights into the mitochondrial phylogeny of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in the Mediterranean Basin

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci is vector of plant infecting viruses and it is considered as one of the most important agricultural pests around the Mediterranean basin. At present, five biotypes of B. tabaci have been reported in the Mediterranean Basin: B, Q, S, T and M. To establish the phylogeographic relationship of these Mediterranean biotypes with others, 54 samples collected in Europe and Africa were analysed by sequencing the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene (mtCOI). The phylogeny showed that Spanish samples corresponding to the biotype S were related to the haplotype Uganda 2 of the African clade, associated with recent epidemic upsurges of cassava mosaic virus (CMD) in that country. This phylogeographic relationship gave support to a distinct subgroup revealed within the African clade. Bemisia tabaci collected from Euphorbia plants in Italy (biotype T) formed one of the three distinct subgroups existing within the Southeast/Far East Asian clade, while samples from Turkey (biotype M) clustered together with reference mitochondrial sequences from whiteflies from Pakistan and Thailand. Recent reports indicate that Bemisia populations corresponding to the biotypes S and T are distributed in areas larger than those initially delimited. Other results indicated that samples collected in Sudan grouped within the Mediterranean–North Africa clade together with reference sequences of the biotype Q corresponding to insects collected in Spain and Morocco. Mitochondrial haplotypes of B. tabaci samples collected on sweet potato in Ghana clustered with reference sequences of samples from Cameroon corresponding to one of the five Sub-Saharan subgroups already described in the African clade. These data extends the phylogenetic information of the B. tabaci species complex and present new questions to be investigated.     

Efficiency of some herbal pesticides on reproductive parameters of silverleaf whitefly,Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

The silverleaf whitefly is one of the most important pests found commonly in Iran and in the world. The development of alternative methods instead of chemical applications is necessary in pest management for human health and environment protection. The objective of this research was to assess the effects of extracts of two medicinal plant species: Calotropis procera and Allium sativum, and a formulation containing azadirachtin on fecundity and fertility of the silverleaf whitefly, grown on greenhouse tomato plants. The effects were compared to that of pymetrozine, a synthetic insecticide. According to the results, there was a significant difference among treatments for all reproductive parameters. Gross fecundity rates for pesticides control, herbal extract control, C. procera extract, A. sativum extract, azadirachtin and pymetrozine were 184.75, 146.72, 80.11, 82.18, 63.06 and 55.96 eggs, respectively. These herbal extracts were effective against this pest and they can be the suitable choices for replacing these chemical insecticides.     

Biotype status and genetic polymorphism of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Greece: mitochondrial DNA and microsatellites

The genetic polymorphism and the biotype identity of the tobacco whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) have been studied in population samples taken from different localities within Greece from cultivated plants growing in greenhouses or in open environments and from non-cultivated plants. Two different approaches were used: sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene and genotyping using microsatellite markers. Analyses of the mtCOI sequences revealed a high homogeneity between the Greek samples which clustered together with Q biotype samples that had been collected from other countries. When genetic polymorphism was examined using six microsatellite markers, the Greek samples, which were all characterized as Q biotype were significantly differentiated from each other and clustered into at least two distinct genetic populations. Moreover, based on the fixed differences revealed by the mtCOI comparison of known B. tabaci biotype sequences, two diagnostic tests for discriminating between Q and B and non-Q/non-B biotypes were developed. Implementation of these diagnostic tools allowed an absence of the B biotype and presence of the Q biotype in the Greek samples to be determined.     

Assessment of cross-resistance potential to neonicotinoid insecticides in Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Laboratory bioassays were carried out with four neonicotinoid insecticides on multiple strains of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) to evaluate resistance and cross-resistance patterns. Three imidacloprid-resistant strains and field populations from three different locations in the southwestern USA were compared in systemic uptake bioassays with acetamiprid, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. An imidacloprid-resistant strain (IM-R) with 120-fold resistance originally collected from Imperial Valley, California, did not show cross-resistance to acetamiprid, dinotefuran or thiamethoxam. The Guatemala-resistant strain (GU-R) that was also highly resistant to imidacloprid (RR=109-fold) showed low levels of cross-resistance when bioassayed with acetamiprid and thiamethoxam. However, dinotefuran was more toxic than either imidacloprid or thiamethoxam to both IM-R and GU-R strains as indicated by low LC50s. By contrast, a Q-biotype Spanish-resistant strain (SQ-R) of B. tabaci highly resistant to imidacloprid demonstrated high cross-resistance to the two related neonicotinoids. Field populations from Imperial Valley (California), Maricopa and Yuma (Arizona), showed variable susceptibility to imidacloprid (LC50s ranging from 3.39 to 115 microg ml(-1)) but did not exhibit cross-resistance to the three neonicotinoids suggesting that all three compounds would be effective in managing whiteflies. Yuma populations were the most susceptible to imidacloprid. Dinotefuran was the most toxic of the four neonicotinoids against field populations. Although differences in binding at the target site and metabolic pathways may influence the variability in cross-resistance patterns among whitefly populations, comparison of whitefly responses from various geographic regions to the four neonicotinoids indicates the importance of ecological and operational factors on development of cross-resistance to the neonicotinoids.     

Multiple generation effects of high temperature on the development and fecundity of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotype B

Insects are ectotherms and their ability to resist temperature stress is limited. The immediate effects of sub‐lethal heat stress on insects are well documented, but longer‐term effects of such stresses are rarely reported. In this study, survival, development and reproduction of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotype B, were compared over five consecutive generations at 27, 31 and 35 °C and for one generation at 37 °C. Both temperature and generation significantly affected the fitness of the whitefly. These impacts were more dramatic with increasing generations and temperatures. Among the experimental temperatures, the most favorable for development and reproduction were 27 °C and 31 °C. At 27 °C, survival, development and fecundity were all stable over these five generations. At 31 °C, immature survival rate was the highest in the fifth generation, but female fecundities decreased in the fourth and fifth generations. At 35 °C, egg hatching rate, immature survival rate and female fecundity decreased significantly in the fourth and fifth generations. At 37 °C, survival of B. tabaci was not adversely affected, but female fecundity at 37 °C was less than 10% of that at 27 °C or 31 °C. These results demonstrate that the lethal high temperature for B. tabaci is over 37 °C, and the whitefly population continued expanding in the five generations at 35 °C. The ability of B. tabaci biotype B to survive high temperature stress will play an important role in its population extension under global warming.     

烟粉虱(Bemisia tabaci)的寄主选择性

通过田间系统调查、实验室嗅觉测定、笼内和培养皿内自由扩散观察,对烟粉虱的寄主选择性进行了研究.结果表明,在田间,烟粉虱对不同的寄主植物存在明显的寄主选择性,其中对茄子、花椰菜、黄瓜等植物具有较强的嗜性,而对蕹菜、芹菜、苋菜等植物的嗜性较差;烟粉虱对同一植物的不同品种也有明显的选择性.烟粉虱对寄主植物颜色有明显的选择性,选择结果与烟粉虱对这些寄主的嗜性趋势基本一致.烟粉虱对单株寄主植物的嗅觉反应不敏感,但对植物叶片的乙醇抽提物有明显的嗅觉反应,并表现出较强的寄主选择性.在养虫笼内,烟粉虱从虫源皿向寄主植物自由扩散的过程中,在不同寄主植物和同一植物的不同品种上着落的成虫数量不同,并且在一定的时间范围内,着落在寄主叶片上的虫量还会不断的发生变化.     

Efficacy of multiple biocontrol agents against the sweet potato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on tomato

Abstract: Biological control provides an environmentally harmonious and potentially stable management tactic to combat noxious pests such as Bemisia tabaci, notorious for its resistance to synthetic pesticides. Bioassays conducted under control chamber conditions integrating applications of the parasitoid Encarsia formosa, reared for 20 years on Trialeurodes vaporariorum, and the fungus Verticillium lecanii on the third‐fourth instar nymphs of B. tabaci on tomato, showed a comparable effect between the parasitoid‐fungus combined treatment and the fungus treatment alone (70.7% vs. 70.4%). Analysis of our results indicates antagonism between the two biocontrol agents related to the parasitoids’ ability to discriminate between infected and healthy B. tabaci nymphs. The parasitoid treatment alone produced 36.3% mortality, with no mortality in the distilled water controls. The behavioural performance of the parasitoid could have either genetic or environmental causes. Bioassays studying the feeding habit of the imported mirid predator Macrolophus caliginosus (adults) and the indigenous mirid Camptotylus reuteri (nymphs and adults) on eggs, or early second instar nymphs of B. tabaci, and choice preference tests indicated a significant difference in feeding between M. caliginosus and C. reuteri. There was no significant difference in percentage feeding of M. caliginosus on eggs (2.2%) or second instar nymphs (8.0%). There was a significant difference in feeding of M. caliginosus adults (18.6%) when offered eggs and second instars in the same arena compared with eggs or second instars offered separately. These results could be attributed to the biological behaviour of the predator having a type III functional response. Studies with the local C. reuteri species showed no significant difference in adult and nymphal consumption on second instars of B. tabaci compared with nymphs on eggs. However, C. reuteri adults fed less on eggs compared with nymphs. This local predatory species appears to be more efficient than M. caliginosus in feeding on particular stages of B. tabaci without depending on prey density. This is further supported by the low consumption of both adults and nymphs in the choice test (4% and 2.3%, respectively) compared with M. caliginosus adults (18.6%).