Blending moringa root extract with biorational insecticides: A potential approach for the management of Bemisia tabaci through synergistic interactions and induced plant defense

• Aqueous extract of moringa root showed an excellent synergism with afidopyropen and flupyradifurone against Bemisia tabaci . • Tank-mix application of MRE and afidopyropen significantly reduced the B. tabaci populations in greenhouse and field trials. • MRE-based treatments significantly elevated defensive enzymes of chili, eggplant, and tomato plants compared to single insecticides. • Emission of volatile organic compounds was significantly higher in MRE + afidopyropen treated plants upon B. tabaci herbivory. The silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia tabaci , is an invasive polyphagous pest affecting several agricultural and horticultural crops worldwide. A multimodal effort involving mixing new-generation chemicals and botanical insecticides effectively eliminate this destructive insect pest and resistance problems through synergistic actions. Moringa oleifera , often known as the ‘miracle tree’, has evolved into a plethora of secondary metabolites in the root system that possess exceptional insecticidal potency and interfere with the defensive mechanisms of other plant genera. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of flupyradifurone 17.09 % SL or afidopyropen 50 g/L DC alone and in combination with moringa root extract (MRE) (10 % w/v) on B. tabaci nymphal and adult mortality, as well as on the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and plant defense enzymes of chili, eggplant and tomato crops. The tested insecticides exhibited excellent synergism with MRE at 1:10 and 1:20 ratios, with combination indices <1. Overall, the flupyradifurone or afidopyropen + MRE treatments at medium to high dosages significantly reduced the percentage of healthy nymphs (1.82–2.17 %), while increasing the percent reduction of adults in the greenhouse (29.76–90.07 %) and nymphal and adult populations of B. tabaci in the field (20.21–92.29 %) compared with the control (96.32 %, 2.18–5.96 %, and 2.09–5.32 %, respectively) and single insecticidal treatments (3.92–4.48 %, 29.27–88.39 %, and 21.18–89.25 %, respectively). In addition, the MRE-based treatments significantly elevated the activities of peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzymes, as well as the subsequent emissions of the lipoxygenase pathway and monoterpene compounds in host plants following whitefly herbivory. Mixtures of lower recommended doses of afidopyropen or flupyradifurone with MREs could be a viable option to prolong the field efficacy of the insecticides against B. tabaci via excellent synergism and activating plant defensive compounds.