Characterization of Bemisia in the Lesser Antilles (Homoptera : Aleyrodidae)

Since the 1990's, a significant proliferation of whiteflies of the genus Bemisia has been observed in ail the Lesser Antilles. At the same time, new phenomenons were being reported such as the squash silverleaf the irregular ripening of tomato, severe attacks on crops usually non-susceptible to Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), and a new virus affecting tomatoes. We have been recently studying some biological aspects of the Bemisia found in the Lesser Antilles including the duration of the different development stages, the fecundity of females, the host plant choice, and the induction of the silverleaf. Our results match the data obtained elsewhere on Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring. An electrophoresis of the esterases confirmed the presence of these species by showing the same profile for all the individuals collected, in the Lesser Antilles except for those living on Jatropha gossypifolia which present a profile corresponding to the biotype N of Bemisia tabaci.