Effects of UV-absorbing Films on Dispersal Behavior of Greenhouse Whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum

Fewer insect pests such as aphids, leafminers, thrips and whiteflies, occur in greenhouses covered with UV-absorbing films. This study was conducted to investigate dispersal behavior of the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum between greenhouses covered with UV-absorbing films and open fields. We observed locomotion of female adults of the greenhouse whitefly released in a glass tube in a laboratory. The tube was covered partially with either UV-absorbing or standard (UV-nonabsorbing) film. Whiteflies were less likely to move from no film to UV-absorbing films compared to standard films. The same behavior was observed even when a potted host plant (tobacco) was placed under UV-absorbing film. A much greater number of whiteflies under UV-absorbing film moved to no film than standard film. However, no locomotion was observed when whiteflies were placed directly on host plants. In the experiments with a glass tube covered thoroughly with UV-absorbing or standard films, dispersal behavior of whiteflies was observed. These results suggest that a major effect of UV-absorbing films against greenhouse whiteflies is likely induced by locomotive suppression from open fields into greenhouses.