Greenhouse whitefly spreading in Finland

Greenhouses have improved the possibilities of invasion of greenhouse whitefly into the wild in the boreal region, new study finds. Genetic analysis sheds new light on the survival of whiteflies in Finland and helps to plan efficient pest management.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2014-09-greenhouse-whitefly-unwanted-wild.html#jCp

Greenhouses have improved the possibilities for invasion of greenhouse whitefly into the wild in the boreal region, a new study finds. Genetic analysis has shed new light on the survival of whiteflies in Finland and aims to provide help to plan efficient pest management.

Irina Ovcarenko, research scientist at the MTT Agrifood Research Finland, has studied genetic diversity and ecology of greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) in her thesis. Greenhouse whitefly is a widespread invasive pest, which has occurred in Finland since the year 1920. It does not belong to the original fauna of the country, but survives in Finland as it finds suitable overwintering habitats in greenhouses. Carefully planned pest management reduces crop damages.

 

"Genetic analyses revealed that the same whitefly populations persist in the majority of the sampled greenhouses for two years. Year-round greenhouse crop producers should avoid planting new crop without complete extermination of whiteflies not only from the old crop, but also from the greenhouse premises," Ovcarenko says.

 

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