Whiteflies
GS PAPER II: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Context: Approximately 1.35 lakh hectares of coconut and oil palm in India are affected by rugose spiralling whitefly. The first reported invasive spiralling whitefly is now distributed throughout India except Jammu & Kashmir
- Whitefly, are reducing crop yield and wreaking havoc.
- The first invasive whitefly reported from Kerala in 1995 has now spread across the country, and a study has now detailed the damage caused by the pest.
- Extracted genomic DNA from individual adult whiteflies give details about eight invasive species found in India.
- Most of these species are native to the Caribbean islands or Central America
- It is possible that tourists may have brought the insect along with plants, which lead to the accidental introduction of this invasive species.
About Whiteflies:
- Whiteflies are Hemipterans that typically feed on the undersides of plant leaves.
- Agricultural threat: In warm or tropical climates and especially in greenhouses, whiteflies present major problems in crop protection.
- They act as most prominent disease vectors.
The whiteflies are difficult to control by using synthetic insecticides, and hence currently naturally occurring insect predators, parasitoids and entomopathogenic fungi (fungi that can kill insets) are being used.
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