Life table study of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii [Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) Biotype B.]

The developmental time from egg to adult for the silverleaf whitefly, Bemesia argentifolii Bellows & Perring, reared on poinsettia Euphorbia pulcherima was 22 ± 0.56 days at 25 ± 1°C, 70% RH and 13½, L: 10½, D. The longevity of a female was 23.7 ± 4.7 days, which was longer than that of a male (17.2 ± 4.7 days). The sex ratio (female: male) was 1.7:1 and the mean fecundity of female was 170 eggs. The maximal reproduction rate within a day was 17 eggs and the maximal fecundity was 236 eggs. The intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) for B. argentifolii was 0.149 female/day⁻¹, the net reproductive rate (R_o) was 102.13 female offspring, the mean generation time (T) was 31.52 days and the population doubling time (10_D) was 4.722 days.