How to successfully deal with whiteflies on tomatoes? How to get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse: methods and methods of control, means for treating tomato bushes from a pest How to treat tomatoes from aphids and whiteflies

Whitefly in the garden damages vegetable and berry crops

Whitefly in the garden: a description of the pest and signs of damage

In the process of development, the whitefly caterpillar absorbs plant juices. As a result, growth slows down, vital processes decrease. It is also dangerous because it is often a carrier of infectious diseases.

With the defeat of insects of plant crops, yellowing and twisting of the leaves, wilting of the buds can be observed. To understand how to deal with the whitefly in the garden, you need to know about the features of its life.

Adults harm plants by releasing fecal pollen. This substance corrodes and deforms the surface of the culture. At the same time, the insect population is constantly growing - as the females lay eggs on the inside of the leaves.

A serious problem is that preparations for the destruction of adult pests are useless in the fight against larvae. Therefore, if you notice this insect in the garden, comprehensive control measures are needed.

There are many ways to deal with insects, the most effective is the use of chemicals: Aktara, Malathion, Neudosan. But whitefly eggs do not let chemicals in, so spraying courses are carried out systematically as larvae appear.

Folk remedies are less traumatic for plants. With the help of various traps, infusions, solutions and fumigators, adults can be quite effectively neutralized and the crop saved.

Whitefly control on cabbage and cucumbers

Recognizing the appearance of a pest is quite simple. If you notice flying small insects of light ash and white near cabbage or cucumbers, it's time to sound the alarm. And if you shake a few leaves, dozens of butterflies will fly into the air.

Pests feed on the juice of leaves and stems. As a result of their vital activity, a specific sticky coating is formed on the surface of plants - a suitable environment for the reproduction of bacteria and infections.

Chemicals

If a whitefly is found on cabbage, control measures include the use of all available means. For processing, use Ciermetrin, Actellik and other hormonal insecticides designed to kill sucking pests. Chemistry should not be used for processing 3-4 weeks before harvest, as well as during the flowering period.

Biological and folk methods

If a whitefly is found in the garden: how to get rid of it quickly, but not harm the plants at the same time, is a paramount question for the gardener.

One of the best remedies is Verticillin based on the fungus Verticillium lecanii. This is a biological and completely safe drug that does not harm plants, the environment, and human health.

In addition, the affected plants are treated with a garlic solution prepared in the proportion of 100 grams of minced garlic per glass of water. The mixture is infused for 6 days, and for processing, 5 grams of the solution is mixed with 1 liter of water.

Lime mortar is well suited for the destruction of insects in the greenhouse. To prepare it, they take half a kilogram of bleach, dilute it in 12 liters of purified water, insist 5 hours and process the cultures.

In parallel, the leaves should be inspected for egg laying. If eggs are found, they should be thoroughly washed off with a sponge dampened with soapy water.

Whitefly on tomatoes: control measures, folk remedies

Tomatoes are more likely than other crops to be affected by the whitefly. Pest control is complicated by the fact that insects can simultaneously be present on the plant in three phases of development at once - eggs, larvae, butterflies.

  • sticky whitish coating on the leaves;
  • twisting and yellowing of leaves;
  • the formation of necrotic spots;
  • detection of larvae during visual inspection.

Disinfection of the greenhouse and soil

An insect can appear both in open ground and in a greenhouse. Infection of greenhouses treated with disinfectants is possible through purchased soil, seedlings. To treat greenhouses after infection with a whitefly, Ecocide C is used, fumigation with sulfur checkers, the inner surface is washed with a solution of lime or 1% iron sulphate.

For the prevention of imported soil for greenhouses, or to level the surface of the site, they are treated with fungicides Alirin B, Baikal-EM1.

Beneficial insects

The fight against whitefly on tomatoes can be carried out by completely biological methods, involving the cultivation of beneficial insects in greenhouse conditions that destroy the pest.

This group includes ladybugs, lacewings, macrolofuses. This method is completely safe for plants and the environment, but is effective only with the primary signs of damage.

The approximate cost of five hundred Encarsia individuals is 300 rubles. You can buy it in specialized stores for gardening, it is recommended to place it in a greenhouse during the day. The fight against whitefly on cucumbers with the help of beneficial insects is not effective because of the hairs on the leaves in which the pest larvae hide.

Folk ways

  • spraying tomatoes with yarrow infusion (100 grams per 1 liter of hot water);
  • application of tincture of dandelion roots (80 grams of plant roots per 1 liter of boiling water)
  • using garlic tincture diluted with water.

If the situation is running and the whitefly has managed to noticeably harm the plants, it makes sense to use special chemicals. You can use the same as for processing cucumbers and cabbage. In greenhouses, treatment with Vertimek, Fitoverm, Pegasus is recommended.

Berry protection and whitefly control on strawberries and grapes

Often the whitefly starts on strawberries or strawberries. If measures are not taken in time, the insect can not only negatively affect the taste of berries, but also completely deprive the gardener of the crop. The waste products of the pest are a favorable environment for the formation of soot fungus, which levels the processes of photosynthesis.

The whitefly is less common on grapes; in this case, the control measures are the same as for strawberries. For fruit and berry crops, the most effective means are:

  • sprays with the active substance fipronil;
  • chemicals Actellik, Aktara, Pegasus;
  • biological methods based on the effects of insects;
  • folk remedies with the use of solutions and infusions.

When choosing a method of struggle, it is necessary to take into account the general condition of the plants and the concentration of whiteflies in the affected areas. It is necessary to take action at the first sign of an insect attack, since these pests tend to multiply rapidly and spread to other crops.

Preventive measures to protect the garden from whiteflies

The whitefly can live and breed indoors and outdoors. After winter, the insect can enter the greenhouse along with the seedlings.

An insect can switch to planting material from indoor plants. It is recommended to regularly inspect all home flowers, and disinfect the tools and containers for planting periodically. To minimize the influence of an insect, you need to plant plants correctly, respect the neighborhood, and avoid accuracy.

Outcome

The whitefly can cause serious damage to horticultural and horticultural plants if proper measures are not taken when it appears. When using traditional methods of protection in combination with prevention and careful care of plants, you can count on a minimal risk of pest damage.

Kira Stoletova

Many farmers lose large amounts of crops due to pest infestation. Tomatoes are a garden crop that is most often attacked by various pests. Often the vegetable is grown in greenhouse conditions for sale. Of particular danger is the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse. If tough measures are not taken in time to destroy it, the insect can cause irreparable harm to the crop. What are the methods in the fight against "unexpected" guests?

  • How to identify the symptoms of pest damage?

    Whitefly on tomatoes in a greenhouse is a fairly common occurrence. The insect breeds quickly in warm, humid conditions, and a greenhouse is the perfect place for this. If measures are not taken in time, it may appear on cucumbers, herbs and other crops growing nearby. The fight against whitefly on tomatoes in a greenhouse is particularly difficult due to the high adaptability of adults to various types of treatments. The danger to the normal development and fertility of the plant is borne not only by adults, but also by larvae and their metabolic products. Manifestations of pest damage:

    • white spotting in the form of dots;
    • atrophy of some parts of the stem, leafy part, twisting of the leaves;
    • larvae at the bottom of the leaves;
    • mosaic yellow pattern on the edges of the leaves;
    • fruit atrophy.

    All these signs indicate that you need to intervene immediately, otherwise the entire crop planted in the greenhouse may die. The waste products of whitefly larvae are fertile ground for the reproduction of all kinds of infections and many strains of the fungus. Any disease in combination with the invasion of pests will be impossible to cure, then the entire crop will have to be destroyed.

    Biological methods for eliminating moths

    The whitefly in a greenhouse on tomatoes feels at ease. Warm, humid conditions favor its rapid reproduction. To prevent the complete destruction of the tomato crop, you need to perform the following actions before proceeding with its removal:

    • plants need to be separated from each other so that they are at a distance of 5-10 cm;
    • equip the greenhouse with good ventilation;
    • add all kinds of strengthening agents to the water for watering plants;
    • do not destroy insects such as ladybugs and lacewings - these are inveterate enemies of the whitefly;
    • observe the humidity regime.

    Insects such as the lacewing lay their eggs directly into the pupae of the harmful moth. When the first hatch, they begin to feed on whitefly larvae. As a result of this, the offspring of the whitefly dies and it remains only to get rid of the adult offspring, which will be very easy to do after the death of the pupae.

    To prevent the appearance or get rid of pests that have already appeared, you can treat the seedlings with special preparations. It is recommended to put a small amount of chicken manure in the wells before sowing, this will help strengthen the immunity of the tomato. In order for the soil to promote plant growth, and not whitefly reproduction, it must be constantly weeded, rid of weeds and dried.

    other methods

    You can remove the whitefly by catching with special glue-based traps. Devices for catching whiteflies can be made independently from small wooden boards. They should be treated with rosin with the addition of honey or vaseline oil. The main thing is to paint the fixtures yellow because insects are attracted to this color. At the top of the bush, you need to pull the twine with a homemade trap. After that, you need to shake the plants, when some of the pests are on the bait, it must be destroyed and a new one built.

    If the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse has appeared recently, and its number is relatively small, you can collect the moths by hand, and then treat the leaves and stems with soapy water to wash off their waste products and prevent infection with infectious diseases. Subsequently, it is recommended to regularly spray with garlic infusion. In autumn, it is recommended to remove all remaining vegetation, and disinfect the soil that will be used for planting next year.

    The whitefly larva settles in the upper soil layer. After harvesting the tops, you need to set fire to smoke bombs, and then collect the entire upper ball of the earth. If all the above methods of control have failed, you will have to resort to the use of fungicides. Chemicals will help get rid of the whitefly for a long time, only they have a lot of disadvantages. The first and main one is the chemical composition.

    How and with what they fumigate a greenhouse

    The use of smoke bombs should be discussed in more detail. After each harvest, the greenhouse should be treated. Ideally, fumigation should be done twice a year. There are such means for fumigation:

    • smoke bomb;
    • sulfur candle;
    • tobacco bowl.

    Any kind of checkers are considered harmless to plants. It is best to fumigate in spring and early autumn. Before carrying out the procedure, seedlings should be taken out to a separate room or outside. If there is no desire to do this, you can use fumigation agents with the addition of a special preparation. As a result of such procedures, it is possible to get rid of not only adults, but also larvae with pupae.

    A sulfur candle releases sulfur into the atmosphere, the vapors of which can have a negative effect on plants and humans. Before using it, you need to carefully study the instructions for the drug. After fumigation, after 48 hours, it is necessary to properly ventilate the greenhouse.

    Chemical substances

    To completely destroy and forget about the whitefly on tomatoes and cucumbers for a long time, universal insecticidal agents are used. Many farmers are reluctant to use them because of the chemical composition, but when nothing else helps, and the crop needs to be saved, people are ready to go to extremes. With the correct use of insecticides and compliance with all the safety rules described in the instructions, you can not be afraid for your health.

    Mankind has been working on the earth for many years and trying to fight various pests. Progress does not stand still and today on store shelves you can choose any fungicide for treating plants. The most popular whitefly killers are listed below.

    1. Verticillin J.
    2. Confidor.
    3. Actellik.
    4. Pegasus.
    5. Rovikurt.
    6. Fufanon.

    In addition to chemicals for treatment during infection, there are many systemic preparations that are used when planting seeds. In order to prevent the appearance of whiteflies on tomatoes and other crops in a greenhouse, Biotlin is used. Spraying is recommended at the stage of active vegetation. Another drug with a similar effect, which is also used during the growing season, Warrant.

    Aktara is introduced under the root system, with drip irrigation. Iskra M is a broad-spectrum drug that helps to quickly get rid of many pests that can settle in a greenhouse. Processing should also be carried out during the growing season.

    Folk recipes against the moth

    Most gardeners prefer to deal with whitefly on tomatoes using proven grandfather's recipes. Such methods are completely safe and contribute to the health of plants. Garlic tincture helps to effectively get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes. For 1 liter water put a couple of peeled heads of garlic and insist about 10 days. Then spraying is carried out.

    Very often, a solution of potassium permanganate is used for watering and treating plants. A very long time ago, people began to use methods of treating plants from pests with soapy water. With a small number of insects, this is a sure way to defeat the whitefly. Decoctions of dandelion roots or aloe leaves are often used. Processing should be carried out at least once a month.

    The frequency of spraying and watering will be determined by the number of insects, as well as the condition of the plants themselves. It is not recommended to use means to get rid of other insects to combat whiteflies. The fight against this type of parasite is complicated by their immunity to most chemicals.

    In order to fight successfully, you need to know its appearance, and, accordingly, what the tomatoes affected by this midge look like.

    The whitefly is a miniature moth with four white-coated wings, the size is only 1.8 - 2 mm. In appearance, whiteflies are very similar to moths, but, despite this similarity, they are closer to aphids.

    These pests are distinguished by a complex development cycle, which consists of 3 parts. The first cycle is eggs. The second - a whitefly larva appears. It is attached to the leaves of tomatoes, with the help of wax secretions, which are produced by special glands. whitefly. The third stage is molting. The most recent stage of development involves the transformation of the larva into an adult whitefly.

    Having completely turned into an adult insect, it becomes one of the main enemies of greenhouses, because it multiplies quickly enough. In a short time, several small midges turn into a large colony that can lead to the death of a tomato crop.

    In addition, it is worth adding that in the first place, you need to fight with eggs and larvae. If the larva has turned into a motionless chrysalis, it will not be so easy to destroy it. During this period, the individual is protected by a shell, like an adult later - it protects itself with the help of a wax coating, which is found throughout the body and wings. On tomatoes, a greenhouse whitefly is often settled.

    These pests usually sit on the bottom of the leaf, on the surface of which a sticky, shiny pad forms, which is the excrement of an insect (a sure sign of the presence of whiteflies on tomatoes).

    Damage to tomatoes

    More damage from whitefly-produced honeydew. Over time, it becomes a good breeding ground for pathogenic fungi, especially sooty mob. Affected leaves on tomatoes first turn white, later blacken. As a result, the fruits lose their attractiveness, and the plant itself soon dies.

    The whitefly, at all stages of its development, is an excellent carrier of most infections and diseases of tomatoes. The list of diseases includes: leaf curl, chlorosis, yellow mosaics, jaundice, deformation of shoots, leaves, fruit necrosis.

    In some cases, shoot growth stops.

    Tomatoes affected by fungal diseases are thrown out, the ground near the dead plant is disinfected. It is recommended to burn the tops of seedlings affected by the whitefly.

    Ways to fight

    You can get rid of whiteflies in a variety of ways. There are folk, biological and chemical methods.

    The biological method deserves special attention in the destruction of the whitefly. These are quite simple measures, thanks to which you can quickly exterminate it. The method does not include the use of chemicals, but is built only on the settlement in greenhouses of other representatives of bugs (whitefly enemies in the environment).

    It is worth adding that with any biological method of dealing with whiteflies, it is impossible to pre-treat greenhouses with chemistry.

    It is worth adding to everything that really good results are achieved if you fight in a complex way against larvae and adult moths at once.

    Folk methods

    Not every gardener wants to resort to the help of chemicals, so folk methods are also common that help to effectively deal with the whitefly. Among the most effective, which make it possible to destroy the whitefly both outdoors, indoors, and in greenhouses, are:

    • Glue-based fly traps - sticky fly tapes work well, but it's best to make your own. To do this, you need plastic or a piece of fiberboard. The surface turns yellow (the whitefly is not indifferent to these shades). After drying, it is abundantly lubricated with petroleum jelly, castor oil or rosin with honey. The trap is then left near whitefly-infested tomatoes. Noticing an object of an attractive shade, whiteflies sit on the bait and stick. When whitefly a lot will gather on the surface, the trap is wiped off, and then re-smeared. In a greenhouse, you need to hang such boards around the entire perimeter (approximately 30x30 cm from each other). This will help get rid of adult midges;
    • Garlic tincture - 150 g of garlic is cut into small pieces and poured with 1 liter of water. This substance against the whitefly is infused for 5 days. After this time, we get a concentrate, which is diluted at the rate of 6 g per 1 liter of water;
    • Herbal infusion from the whitefly - for cooking you need 40 g of leaves and the same amount of dandelion root. The ingredients are crushed and placed in a container with water (1l). After a few days, the solution is filtered with gauze. The field of such simple actions, the tool is completely ready for use. Spraying from the whitefly is done once every 2 weeks;
    • Spraying tomato leaves with water from a hose - although it helps to eliminate the whitefly for a while, but if there are a lot of insects, this will not help.

    All methods show themselves well if the whitefly is not divorced too much. When there is a whole colony of whiteflies on tomatoes, such methods will not give the maximum effect.

    Drugs used to kill pests

    It happens that the moment is missed and the whitefly managed to breed. It is no longer advisable to fight with folk and biological methods. You won't be able to get rid of it quickly. In this case, the only way out is insecticides. Using them, even in critical situations, we get rid of adversity.

    Among the huge number of drugs on the shelves of agrochemical stores, there are a number of really effective tools that will help protect tomatoes in the greenhouse:

    • Aktelik - a tool designed to fight not only the whitefly, but also many other insects. The solution contained in the ampoule will make it possible to get rid of pests in the greenhouse on tomatoes, in just a few applications. It is diluted in 1 liter of water. The number of treatments should not exceed 4. The waiting period is 3 days;
    • Pegasus - the drug has shown itself well in the fight against whiteflies on tomatoes. It is diluted in 1 liter of water - 2 ml. You can get rid of insects after 2 treatments, with a 10-day break;
    • Verticillin - sprayed tomatoes in the greenhouse 2 times. Usually, this is enough to successfully fight the insect;
    • Confidor - whitefly is destroyed after the first spraying. After 3-4 days you can see a positive result. Entering the greenhouse after processing, it is impossible to stay there for a long time.

    When spraying in a greenhouse, you must follow the precautions indicated in the instructions for the drug and in no case exceed the dosage.

    Preventive measures

    By following such simple preventive measures in the fight against whiteflies, we can quite easily remove the root cause of the appearance of these annoying insects that annoy us, once appearing on tomatoes in a greenhouse.

    Reading time: 5 min

    In mid-latitudes, it most often affects greenhouses, hotbeds and greenhouses where tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers and green crops are grown, flowers, and also often harms indoor plants. What is the danger of the whitefly on tomatoes, how to protect the crop when this pest appears, and what kind of prevention exists - in detail in our article.

    Description of the pest

    Greenhouse whitefly - a species native to the tropics, a polyphage, the optimum breeding temperature is + 20-27 degrees, it does not tolerate winter. The moth is a moth-like insect, no more than 1.5 mm long, with a pale yellow body and white translucent wings. Lifespan - up to 30 days.

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    One female can lay up to 130 eggs, placing them in rings of 12-20 pieces on the bottom of the leaves. The eggs are small, elongated, pale green in color, attached to the leaf with a proboscis. As it matures, the shell darkens. The larvae go through 4 stages. In the first two stages, the larvae move by sucking the juices from the leaves; in the third and fourth stages, the larvae are immobile, but very voracious. It takes 8-10 days to the imago stage.

    At positive temperatures and humidity not lower than 62%, the number of regenerations of the whitefly is unlimited, therefore, in greenhouses, in just two weeks, it develops on a catastrophic scale, occupying plants with larvae from top to bottom.

    One more point should be taken into account - it is not the moths themselves that are terrible for tomatoes, but especially their motionless larvae. They secrete a large amount of sugary secretions, on which a black soot fungus immediately develops, due to which the leaves dry out. Plants begin to lag behind in growth, the color crumbles, yield and fruit size decrease. If the pest is not removed from the greenhouse, the plants die in 1-2 weeks.

    Symptoms of whitefly damage to tomatoes:

    • The presence of white small moths on the leaves, if the bush is shaken, they take off.
    • Bent painting and leaf curl, young shoots grow deformed.
    • On the underside of the leaf plate are rings of small greenish eggs.
    • Small white moving larvae with antennae, or motionless, with a proboscis.
    • Shedding of flowers and ovaries.
    • The appearance of a yellow mosaic on the leaves due to thinning.
    • Black, less often white dot plaque, which turns into mold spots.

    What should be done

    If even a single whitefly is found on tomatoes, measures should be taken immediately, using all known control methods - from biological to harsh chemistry. With a massive infection of greenhouses and greenhouses, the only remedy for the whitefly is the removal and burning of all affected plants, followed by antiseptic treatment of all structures.

    We will describe all the existing methods for the destruction of the whitefly in the greenhouse. The safest are mechanical and biological methods. But first, you can try just opening the greenhouse on a cool night - this may be enough for the moths to die.

    The second simple way when insects appear is to pour a jet of cool water under pressure on the tomato bushes. All moths will be washed off onto the soil, which must be loosened immediately. It is important to provide good ventilation for the plants to dry quickly.

    Mechanical method from the whitefly

    This method is effective only against adults, as well as other insect pests, and only with a slight infestation of plants. It consists in the use of special traps lubricated with sticky substances attractive to insects. Such ready-made traps are sold in specialized stores. And you can make a trap yourself:

    • take sheets of cardboard or thick paper of bright yellow or orange color;
    • using an ordinary school brush, apply ordinary pharmacy petroleum jelly on one side (or maybe on two);
    • fasten the sheets vertically and at an angle in the greenhouse, can be hung on strings.

    After a day, the traps are covered with insects. They must be wiped off with a rag, and the sheet re-lubricated with petroleum jelly. You can also use castor or burdock oil, honey.

    Traps for whiteflies in a greenhouse can also be made on the basis of a soapy solution or a pharmacy emulsion for scabies. On the same principle, one can

    There is another common method of dealing with the whitefly at the first appearance of the pest. It is usually used on tomato seedlings. You need to grate laundry soap and mix with hot water in a ratio of 1:6. The emulsion should be diluted as follows: 50 ml per 1 liter of warm water. When the solution has cooled, it must be filtered and sprayed with bushes from above and below.

    This composition immobilizes both moths and larvae, envelops them and makes breathing difficult. Insects and larvae die. Processing seedlings of tomatoes should be carried out several times with an interval of a week.

    Biological control methods

    These are wasps Erythmocerus and Enkarsia, they are released at the rate of 3 pieces per 1 sq.m. greenhouses with an interval of 10 days. You can also get rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse by releasing the predatory bug Macrofolus - 5 individuals per sq.m. 2-3 times every 2 weeks. Such insects can be bought in specialized centers and used as a preventive measure.

    Of the local insects, it is worth luring ladybugs, riders and lacewings into greenhouses, the only problem is that they are difficult to find. But if you grow dill and fennel between tomatoes, they attract beneficial insects with their smell.

    Folk methods

    Such whitefly tomato treatment products are not very effective, but they allow you to get rid of insects in the greenhouse while there are not many of them. The most accessible:

    • Yarrow decoction is prepared by steaming 100 g of plant leaves in 1 liter of boiling water. Infuse for a day in a dark place, strain and process the plants.
    • Garlic infusion is a traditional folk remedy for whiteflies on tomatoes. Pour 50 g of crushed garlic cloves with two liters of warm water, carry out the processing after a day of infusion.
    • An infusion of dandelion root is also an effective remedy. It is necessary to dig up 100 g of roots, chop them and pour 1 liter of water. After a day, strain and spray the bushes above and below the leaves.

    Sooner or later, every gardener who grows tomatoes in a greenhouse has to deal with this insect pest. Indeed, the whitefly is one of the most dangerous pests of tomatoes in the greenhouse.

    Next, let's talk about what kind of pest it is, why it is dangerous and, of course, we will analyze in detail how to get rid of the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse, how to process and spray greenhouse tomatoes on which this pest has wound up.

    The most famous species of whitefly:

    • cabbage;
    • tobacco (cotton);
    • citrus;
    • strawberry;
    • greenhouse (greenhouse).

    In this article, we are interested in greenhouse whitefly (greenhouse), which damages tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants and some flower plants growing in greenhouses, greenhouses and apartments.

    The main characteristics of the greenhouse whitefly:

    • Distributed everywhere in closed ground (including indoor conditions).
    • In a greenhouse and a tropical climate, it develops year-round (gives 3-4 generations), in temperate latitudes, in the wild and in greenhouses - only in summer at positive temperatures, in other words, the whitefly does not survive the winter.

    The optimal conditions favorable for the active formation of whitefly colonies on tomato leaves are as follows:

    • The air temperature is +20–25 degrees.
    • Relative air humidity - 60-80%.

    In other words, the whitefly prefers moist and relatively shady places.

    Thus, the main reason for the appearance of whiteflies in a greenhouse is a violation, for example, excessive planting density and lack of ventilation.

    The life cycle of the whitefly, like most insects, consists of three main stages (it lasts about 30-40 days in total):adults (adults), eggs, larvae(the phase lasts 10-14 days), puparia (4th instar larva, "false" cocoon). Then the cycle repeats itself, and the second generation appears.

    Interesting! The whitefly is characterized by a tiered distribution of individuals:

    • on young leaves - adults (adults) and eggs,
    • below - larvae;
    • on the lowest leaves - puparia and adults (adults) of a new generation.

    Actually, the adult whitefly itself is an indirect pest. It is the females that lay eggs, placing them on the underside of the leaves.

    Appearance of an adult (imago) whitefly- the body is pale yellow, with two pairs of wings with a white coating, 1-1.5 mm long, resembles a moth.

    The main pest is the whitefly larva., which, immediately after leaving the egg, attaches to the lower (inner) side of the leaf and begins to feed (suck out juices from it - all the nutrients).

    whitefly larva- elongated-oval, flat, pale green, 0.3–0.9 mm long.


    Adults (adults) and whitefly larvae

    Thus, the main harm that the whitefly causes at the larval stage is that insect sucks juice from tomato leaves, while additionally releasing a sugary sticky enzyme, which is a favorable environment for reproduction sooty fungus ("black").

    It is very important to prevent the large-scale dominance of the whitefly in your greenhouse, otherwise it can simply destroy all your plants.

    The greenhouse whitefly is also a malicious carrier of many pathogens: yellow leaf curl virus (is one of the reasons), leaf mottling virus, infectious chlorosis. Moreover, both adults (adults) - males and females, and in some cases larvae are capable of transmitting viruses.

    How does the pest get into the greenhouse?

    Most often, the whitefly is brought into the greenhouse together with purchased seedlings(which was grown in industrial greenhouses) or on clothes, because it can easily move from houseplants (fuchsia, pelargonium, balsam, citrus), or from purchased greens(again grown in a greenhouse). Also whiteflies are infected cut flowers. And often the pest enters the greenhouse together with purchased soil(which has already been used in greenhouses) or again through seedlings grown in contaminated soil.

    Signs of the appearance of whitefly in a greenhouse on tomatoes

    After planting the seedlings in the greenhouse, after 10-14 days, it is necessary to inspect the foliage of tomatoes for the presence of whiteflies. So, if you touch the leaves and white butterflies instantly take off from them, then this means that whiteflies have started on your tomatoes and, most likely, have already laid their eggs.

    Advice! When examining tomato bushes, use a magnifying glass, because. insects are very small.

    As we found out earlier, whitefly larvae feed on the juice of young leaves, which significantly weakens the immunity of the plant (tomato). This is manifested in a slowdown in the growth and development of tomato bushes, and also negatively affects their flowering, fruit formation and fruit ripening.

    In addition to the direct harm caused by the pest itself, the condition of plants is negatively affected by sooty mushrooms, which settle on the sugary secretions of whitefly larvae.

    First, a sticky coating (honeydew) forms on the foliage in the form of shiny white spots (a waste product of the larvae), then they (spots) are covered with a sooty fungus (“black”) and turn black (a black coating forms on them). As a result, it (the fungus) clogs the pores of the leaves, which makes it difficult for the processes of respiration and photosynthesis. As a result, the affected leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off.

    Thus, due to the harmful activity of the whitefly (namely its larvae), tomatoes begin to hurt, lag behind in growth, which leads to uneven ripening of the fruit, as well as to a change in the color of the fruit core from pink or red to white. As a result, the commercial quality of the fruit drops markedly.

    By the way! By its negative effect, the whitefly is in many ways reminiscent of aphids.

    Preventive measures against whiteflies on tomatoes: how to protect tomatoes in a greenhouse

    Remember! Any problem is easier to prevent than to fix later.

    To prevent the appearance of whiteflies, it is recommended to perform the following preventive measures:

    • Conduct regular preventive inspections for the presence of a pest in the greenhouse.
    • Promptly destroy weeds.
    • Comply with growing conditions.
    • Properly use and care for the greenhouse, namely:
    • every autumn and/or spring should be carried out cleaning (to take out all the vegetation), including steaming or freezing the soil in a greenhouse (if you are a resident of the southern region);

    By the way! About how to do it right prepare the greenhouse in the spring for the planting season, told, and handle in autumn — .

    However, it should be borne in mind that, unlike the spider mite, the whitefly does not persist on the surface, in the greenhouse, only in the ground.

    • make full ventilation in the greenhouse;
    • carry out other preventive measures and use special means of protection and methods of struggle.

    Video: how to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse in autumn

    How to deal with whiteflies on tomatoes: when and how to process - the best methods of struggle

    There are several ways to deal with whitefly in a greenhouse on tomatoes:

    • mechanical methods (glue traps);
    • biological methods (settlement of the greenhouse with insects-entomophagous);
    • chemical methods (drugs against insect pests - insecticides).

    As well as folk remedies, decoctions of various herbs, but it’s worth saying right away that they are very ineffective ... very.

    Indeed, getting rid of the whitefly in the greenhouse is quite difficult. Therefore, be sure to regularly carefully inspect your greenhouse tomatoes (namely, the underside or reverse side of their leaves) in order to detect its appearance as early as possible and prevent it from multiplying strongly. If you notice at least a small number of adults, then proceed to processing without delay.

    Advice! For effective control of whiteflies, use all possible methods. You will hardly be able to completely destroy the whitefly in the greenhouse, but it is possible to reduce its number and reduce harmfulness.

    Video: whitefly and methods of dealing with it

    Mechanical Methods

    The fight against the whitefly in the greenhouse can be successfully carried out with the help of yellow sticky tapes, glue traps hung in the greenhouse, as well as fumigators.

    Note! Naturally, such measures will only help you get rid of flying adults. If they have already laid eggs, only chemical and biological means of control are used against the larvae.

    You can buy sticky tape or glue traps at a hardware or gardening store, or you can make your own.

    To make a whitefly trap yourself, with your own hands, you need to cover a sheet of cardboard or plywood (approximately 20 by 20 cm or more in size) with a layer of yellow paint, and then apply an adhesive base, for example, from honey, technical petroleum jelly, grease, castor or any other mineral oil, glue from rodents. Next, hang this yellow sticky cardboard on a rope (string) at the level of the tops of the plants.

    By the way! According to experts, it is better to use cardboard to create a whitefly trap. yellow color, as this shade is able to lure insects. As a result, whitefly butterflies will fly to bright squares and stick to their surface.

    There is an opinion that it is effective to use against whitefly fumigator(which is usually used against mosquitoes and flies). To do this, it is necessary to turn on the device in the mains (by extending the extension cord into the greenhouse) and completely close all doors and ventilation windows. A clear disadvantage of using this tool is the fact that, in addition to the whitefly, the fumigator destroys all other inhabitants of the greenhouse, including useful ones.

    Advice! You can also mechanically get rid of the pest simply periodically irrigating tomato bushes with plain water, and then washing the leaves with soapy water.

    Biological Methods

    To combat the whitefly, you can use insects that feed on this pest (they are also called entomophage insects).

    This option is especially relevant for gardeners who exclude any use of chemicals.

    These include ladybug, lacewing fly, rider beetle.

    You can buy biological enemies of the whitefly in specialized stores or on Internet resources.

    Chemicals

    Naturally, it is easiest to get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse most quickly and completely with the help of chemicals (insecticides).

    A few rules and tips for spraying tomatoes from whiteflies:

    • Solutions should be prepared only according to the instructions on the packages, following the dosage recommendations (no less and no more).
    • It is also necessary to apply solutions only according to the instructions.

    It should be processed either early in the morning, before the first rays of the sun appear, or late in the evening, after sunset. If during the day, then only in cloudy weather.

    • Be sure to pay attention to the waiting period after processing (after how long you can eat fruits).

    Important! Systemic preparations have a long waiting period (up to 20 days), i.e., when the tomatoes ripen, they can no longer be used.

    • Be sure to pay attention to the duration of the drug, i. how long will it protect your plants from pests.
    • To improve the effect of the treatment, you can mix drugs with different active ingredients (preferably different chemical classes).
    • As a rule, the first treatment is carried out at the first appearance of the pest, and repeated application - with an interval of 7-14 days.

    As a result, several treatments will have to be carried out, because. most drugs act only against adults (adults), and they do not affect the larvae in any way.

    • It is necessary to carry out the processing very carefully, especially spraying the inner (lower) part of the leaves.
    • In order not to cause addiction to the pest, you should periodically alternate drugs, or rather their active ingredients.

    Note! Many drugs from different companies have the same active ingredient.

    The most popular and effective preparations (insecticides) for getting rid of whitefly on tomatoes are (active substance, method of penetration or nature of exposure and chemical class are given in brackets):

    • Alatar (
    • Aliot ( Malathion (Karbofos), enteric-contact insectoacaricide, a class of organophosphorus compounds (FOS);
    • Aktara ( Thiamethoxam (Aktara), a systemic insecticide of enteric-contact action);

    Note! It is used for watering the soil under plants.

    • Actellik (Pirimifos-methyl (Actellik) , systemic enteric-contact insectoacaricide + fumigant, class of organophosphorus compounds (FOS);
    • Biotlin ( Imidacloprid, systemic insecticide of enteric-contact action , class of neonicotinoids).

    • Inta-Ts-M ( Malathion (Karbofos) and Cypermethrin, an insecticide of contact-intestinal action, a class of pyrethroids + organophosphorus compounds (FOS);
    • Intavir ( Cypermethrin, an insecticide of contact-intestinal action, a class of pyrethroids);
    • Karate Zeon (Lambda Cyhalothrin) , insecticide of contact-intestinal action, pyrethroid class);

    • spark of gold Imidacloprid, a systemic insecticide of contact-intestinal action, a class of neonicotinoids);
    • Talstar (Bifenthrin (Talstar), a contact-intestinal insecticide, pyrethroid class);
    • Teppeki (Flonicamide, has systemic and translaminar activity, chemical class - pyridine carboxamides);
    • Bison ( Imidacloprid, a systemic insecticide of contact-intestinal action, a class of neonicotinoids).

    Interesting! There are also biological agents against insect pests, such as Akarin, Fitoverm, Bitoxibacillin, Aktofit, Verticillin. However, they are not very effective against whiteflies.

    Video: how to deal with the whitefly

    Folk remedies

    If the defeat of tomatoes in the greenhouse by the whitefly is not very strong, then in order not to use chemistry, you can try to use folk remedies, which, as a rule, use various infusions of herbs, garlic, etc.:

    By the way! Folk remedies are most often used to get rid of whitefly larvae, and not adults.

    • Turpentine + camphor oil (10%).

    Recipe from Procvetok channel per 10 liters of water (base):

    • gum turpentine (up to 1.5 l - for the most difficult cases for plants with dense leaves, up to 1 l - for difficult cases for more delicate plants (tomato, cucumber), 0.2-0.5 l - for prevention on all plants and in the case of single pests)
    • laundry or green soap - up to 50-150 g (depending on the amount of turpentine),
    • an aqueous solution of ammonia (25%) - 1-2 tablespoons - to enhance the dissolving effect of turpentine.

    Modifications:

    • Turpentine can be replaced (up to 50%) with camphor oil 10%.
    • To the solution, you can add 50-100 ml of tincture of mint, eucalyptus, coniferous extract.
    • It can be replaced with decoctions of the same plants - 100-200 g of dry plants are boiled in a liter of water, the decoction is infused and added to the turpentine solution.
    • Benzyl benzoate - 20-30 ml per 1 liter of solution.
    • It is very good to add nicotinic acid to the solution to restore plants from damage by pests - 1 tablet of 50 mg per liter of solution (either 3 grams of dry or 12 grams of raw yeast).

    Plants should be shed or sprayed with a similar composition in the evening, over well-spilled soil.

    Waiting period: if without benzyl benzoate, then it is practically absent. But first you just need to remove the fruits, then process and wait at least 24 hours. If with benzyl benzoate, it is better to wait 2-3 days. It is clear that after any processing, fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly washed, even if it is just laundry soap or serum.

    • Garlic tincture;

    • Dandelion infusion;
    • Infusion of wormwood;
    • Infusion of yarrow;
    • Tobacco infusion.

    Some more summer residents against whiteflies spend fumigation of greenhouses with tobacco checkers(not sulfur, but tobacco).

    You can also try to artificially lower the temperature in the greenhouse (as you remember, the favorable temperature for the whitefly is + 20-25 degrees), opening the greenhouse at night, putting windows and ventilation doors.

    Of course, it will not be possible to completely destroy the pest in such ways, but it is quite possible to reduce the population.

    Thus, now you know that, first of all, it is necessary to follow the basic rules for the care and cultivation of greenhouse tomatoes, as well as to carry out preventive measures. But in any case, you will most likely have to use one of the above methods of dealing with whiteflies on tomatoes.

    Video: whitefly remedies

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