New integrated approaches to control Bemisia spp. gr. tabaci and their related virus problems on vegetable crops

Species of the Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) group (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are important pests worldwide, attacking a wide range of cultivated plants and causing significant losses to many crops, especially due to indirect damage related to transmission of dozen virus species. In south Europe, they are especially harmful to vegetable crops cultivated both in open field and under greenhouses, where their infestations are highly problematic to control, due to the frequent capacity of these insects to acquire resistance to most of conventional insecticides used. Therefore, an integrated strategy based on a combination of different approaches for vector/virus control is mandatory to achieve an efficient and ecologically safe reduction of these pathosystems. In line with the need to develop new integrated approaches for controlling Bemisia spp. gr. tabaci on vegetable crops, especially tomato and cucurbits, research has been recently carried out in Sicily (Italy) in the frame of the project "Emerging viral diseases in tomatoes and cucurbits: implementation of mitigation strategies for durable disease management (VIRTIGATION)", funded by the European Union under the Horizon 2020 programme. In particular, main results are reported here from tests aimed at evaluating new biorational products for the control of virus-vector whiteflies, both causing direct mortality to the insects and/or stimulating plant-defence responses, as well as from screening new plant genotypes for their resistance against vectors.