Life Balance of Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Chili Plant (Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract

Introduction: Bemisia tabaci is one of the important pests that cause direct damage by sucking plant fluids. The purpose of this study was to provide information on the life balance of the pest Bemisia tabaci in chili plant. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted at the Laboratory in the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara, Medan from January to February 2020. The plants used in this test were three-month-old chili plant of Keriting Bogor The life balance test on plants was initiated by inserting 15 individuals of B. tabaci (5 males and 10 females) into a plastic tube. Results: The whitefly stuck in the hood from chili plant and has a long morphology of 0.2 to 0.3 mm. Eggs are inserted into plant tissue. Eggs under the leaves at the temperature of 26 to 32oC the incubation period lasts for 4 to 6 days, meanwhile at the temperature of 18 to 22oC increased to 10 until 16 days.