Indução de resistência em plantas de crisântemo pela aplicação de silício no manejo de mosca-branca Bemisia tabaci biótipo B (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Abstract

The chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum Tzvelev) which is cultivated as an ornamental occurs worldwide and in Brazil is considered one of the most important ornamental plants. Bemisia tabaci is an increasingly important problem in chrysanthemum production and the dependence on chemical control has driven to resistance levels to many different insecticides. The present experiment was carried out in a greenhouse condition from March to June. We evaluate the effect of silicon as a resistance inducer of chrysanthemum to B. tabaci. Also the number of eggs and nymphs of the 3rd and 4rd, wet and dry weight of the aerial parts and Si content in the leaf tissue were evaluated. Silicon application did not affect the oviposition of the whitefly however altered the nymphs development in a free choice test. And also we verified that silicon applied via leaf reduced the whitefly eggs viability. There was no significant differences in the wet and dry weight of the plants and no effect on the silicon content among treatments. Thus the silicon applied via leaf can reduce eggs viability and affect nymph development of whitefly. These results suggest that silicon can contribute for whitefly management in chrysanthemum production.