Zaini, Mohd Rasdi
(2013)
Effect Of Nutrient, Competitor Pests And Early Infestation On The Population Abundance Of Whitefly (Bemisia Tabaci Gennadius) On Brinjal (Solanum Melongena L.).
PhD thesis, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
Abstract
The assemblage of these arthropods species (whitefly Bemisia tabaci
Gennadius, aphids Myzus persicae Sulzer, thrips Thrips sp., red spider mites
Tetranychus sp., and predatory mite Phytoseiulus sp.) on early infested (pre-infested)
brinjal plants (Solanum melongena L.) that were fertilized with three levels of
nutrients concentrations, N1 (50ppm=0.05g/L), N2 (150ppm=0.15g/L) and N3
(300ppm=0.3g/L) were investigated and the interactions of all trophic levels (pests,
natural enemy and host plant) were evaluated.
In addition, the infestation of whitefly was also closely associated with host
plant phenology; vegetative and fruiting stages. Much higher whitefly infestation was
recorded on non early-infestation (control) plants receiving high nutrient
concentrations. However, on whitefly pre-infested plants, whitefly populations were
lower regardless of the concentrations of nutrients supplied to the plants. The lowest
infestation was observed on plants receiving 150 ppm nutrients, a rate recommended
to the growers by the Department of Agriculture, Malaysia. Thus nutrient level was
considered as the optimum nutrient concentration for sustaining whitefly infestation
on brinjal plants. Furthermore, higher induction of plant chemical defence was
detected at low whitefly population level which led to the conclusion that a more
potent pest (whitefly) was able to stimulate the production of effective chemical
defence.
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