Embrapa warns for whitefly population increase in Brazilian crops

The increase of population of the whitefly (Bemisia Tabaci) in the crops can cause many problems for Brazilian producers. According to the experts, this pest must be controlled, since it can cause damage in the second harvest of corn or cotton.

One of the reasons for the population increase of the whitefly is the chemical control with non selective products made at the beginning of the soy crop in order to fight against the Helicoverpa Armigera, alerts the entomology researcher from Embrapa Agrossilvipastoril, Rafael Pitta.

"An insecticide of broad impact was applied at the beginning of the harvest that ended up killing the whitefly and its natural enemies. As the plague can reproduce faster and with greater quantity than the natural enemy, when the harvest finishes, the population of the whitefly increases and having no natural enemies, ends up causing problems" explains Rafael.

The expert reminds us that with the reduction of the population of the natural enemies in the field, which are responsible for making a biological control, the main form of whitefly control is with the application of chemical products.

"Today we are basically dependent on chemical control. We have very few products and of those we have, are used in the control of bedbugs. As a matter of fact, this is one of the factors that may have contributed to the increase of the whitefly population. Since the bedbug population was not very high, the amount of applications for the bedbug was reduced and just left the whitefly "analyses’ Rafael Pitta.