Management of whitefly, tomato, eggplant, Samoa

November 2012. Samoa asked about the control of whitefly in a tunnel containing tomato and eggplant heavily infested with the insects.

There were a number of comments and suggestions:

• methylated vegetable oil 700 g/l
• neem oil 15 g/5l plus 10 washing powder sprayed in the late afternoon (Editor: preferably use washing soap, not laundry soap or powder) (country not given)
• in a screen house situation, Encasia works (well country not given)
• In New Caledonia, the IPM program is based on chemical free methods for whitefly control:
  • Both Eretmocerus eremicusand Encarsia formosa are reared locally
  • yellow sticky traps and rollers are used,
  • soap sprays (using plant soap, e.g. BioSoap®)
  • organic chemicals such as citrus essential oils (e.g. Prevam®) and neem oil products (such as BioNeem® or NeemAzal TS ®)

The first thing to do is to identify the white. If it is spiraling whitefly then Encarsia haitiensis works well.