Biopesticides for the control of whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in greenhouse conditions

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of biopesticides against whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood) in greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivation. Design/methodology/approach: The treatments evaluated included Isaria javanica, Beauveria bassiana, and a commercial insecticide. Evaluations were conducted at four post-application dates (DAA): 3, 5, 7, and 14 days. A factorial design was employed in randomized complete blocks with interaction, considering two factors: Factor 1: treatments, and Factor 2: DAA (3, 5, 7, and 14). The study variables included the number of surviving adults, nymphs, eggs, and the total number of surviving whitefly organisms. Results: No statistical differences were observed among treatments in their effectiveness against whitefly eggs and adults. However, Isaria javanica and the commercial insecticide demonstrated a higher control percentage for nymphs. Regarding the total number of organisms, Beauveria bassiana showed a statistically significant difference compared to the commercial insecticide, whereas Isaria javanica showed no significant difference. The interaction between biopesticides and DAA did not yield significant differences across the variables studied. Findings/conclusions: Biopesticides were shown to be efficient or better than the commercial insecticide for whitefly control in greenhouses.