SWEET-POTATO WHITEFLY (HOMOPTERA, ALEYRODIDAE) - ANALYSIS OF BIOTYPES AND DISTRIBUTION IN HAWAII

Nonspecific e16r2e banding patterns of the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), were analyzed by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Banding patterns of >300 B. tabaci adults from 30 populations in Hawaii matched the B type esterase banding pattern produced by the B biotype standard from Arizona. Banding patterns representative of other B. tabaci biotypes were not found. Zucchini, Cucurbita pepo L., 'Ambassador', plants colonized by field-collected individuals from seven populations developed symptoms of squash silverleaf disorder. Reproducing populations of the B biotype were observed on several crops not previously reported as hosts in Hawaii: papaya, manoa lettuce, taro, Brassica spp., and plumeria. The distribution and relative proportions of B. tabaci and the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), present in Hawaii vegetable crops was determined using vacuum samples from grower fields.