Development and reproduction of Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on three bean species

ABSTRACT

Abstract The development, survivorship and reproduction of Bemisia tabaci B-biotype on three bean species were studied at 26±1°C in the laboratory. The developmental periods from egg to adult varied from 27.80 days on garden beans to 18.20 days on soybeans. The survivorship from egg to adult on soybeans, cowpeas and garden beans was 77.14, 70.14 and 64.28%, respectively. The average longevity of female adults ranged from 12.30 days on soybeans to 9.80 days on garden beans, and the oviposition of B. tabaci varied from 160.85 eggs on soybeans to 98.00 eggs on garden beans. Life table parameters were calculated as biological attributes for Bemisia tabaci populations fed on three bean species. The results indicated that the intrinsic rate of increase (r_m), the finite rate of increase (λ) and net reproductive rate (R₀) were high for populations fed on soybeans, with values of 0.1857, 1.2041 and 82.1576, respectively. The corresponding values were less for populations fed on garden beans, with values of 0.1097, 1.1159 and 31.2661, respectively. The parametric values for cowpeas were intermediate between soybeans and garden beans but no significant difference were observed for the r_m values for soybeans and cowpeas. Experimental evidence in our investigation indicated that Bemisia tabaci is best adapted and shows the greatest preference for soybean of the three bean species tested in this study.