Management of Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on poinsettia using a papaya banker plant system for the predator Delphastus pallidus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

• The banker plant had a higher control effect on pests than the insecticide in 2024. • The banker plant treatment showed a sustainable effect on whitefly management. • The papaya banker plant with D. pallidus can enhance B. tabaci control efficiency. The sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), is a major global pest of greenhouse crops, causing significant economic losses through feeding damage, honeydew production, and virus transmission. Delphastus pallidus , a specialist predator of whiteflies, has shown potential as an effective biological control agent against B. tabaci . This study evaluated the efficacy of a papaya banker plant system in supporting D. pallidus for B. tabaci MEAM1 control in poinsettias. A three-year greenhouse experiment was conducted with four treatments: a papaya banker plant system with D. pallidus , direct release of D. pallidus without a banker plant, chemical insecticide application, and an untreated control. The densities of whitefly and predator were monitored weekly. Results showed that the papaya banker plant system sustained D. pallidus populations more effectively than a direct release and increased the duration of whitefly suppression. In some instances, the banker plant treatment exhibited greater B. tabaci control efficiency than the insecticide application. These findings suggest that the papaya banker plant system promotes D. pallidus establishment, enhancing biological control of B. tabaci MEAM1. Future studies examining whether this banker plant system can be applied to other crops for controlling B. tabaci as well as other invasive whitefly species and associated crops are necessary to determine the extent of its utility for growers. Additionally, studying the enhancement of predator production in banker plant systems and identifying the optimal ratio of banker plants to target crop plants would likely further improve biological control using the papaya banker plant system.