Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore.
Abstracts of Research Papers Presented during the National Symposium of Indian Virological Society at Unit of Plant Virology, Division of Plant Pathology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110 012, October 14–1.
Development of silver leaf symptom on the squash (Cucurbita pepo) plants exposed to Bemisia tabaci is used as a basis to identify the B biotype of Bemisia tabaci whitefly. In this study, certain varieties of Squash and Pumpkin were tested. The feeding duration, role of immatures, age of the crop and number of adult female B biotype whiteflies required for induction of silver leaf symptoms were determined. Squash variety ‘Ambassador’ and pumpkin variety ‘Big’ were found more suitable for bioassay. An exposure period of 12 hours with 5 female adult white flies and the immatures hatched out of the eggs laid by these adults during this period resulted in inducing silver leaf symptoms on squash. Squash plants of one to four leaf stages were found to be better for bioassay of B biotype.
