Biological control alternatives for the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) in the cultivation of kidney tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Main Article Content
Abstract
Introduction: the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is one of the main limitations in tomato cultivation, due to direct and indirect damage caused and the intensive use of chemical insecticides for its control. Objective: This research focuses on studying the biological control agents; Beauveria bassiana, Metharhizium anisopliae, Lecanicillium lecanii, and Paecilomyces spp and their effect on the population density of Bemisia tabaci in tomato production as a sustainable and environmentally friendly strategy. Specifically, the aim is to determine the population behavior of the pest under different biological management schemes, as well as to analyze the performance and evaluate the economic impact associated with the different control alternatives. Methodology: Four biological treatments were evaluated along with a conventional treatment for comparison and an absolute control under field conditions. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in a factorial arrangement of a 6 × 4 repetitions was used, an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and a Tukey test at the 5% significance level. Results: The results showed that biological treatments achieved a progressive and sustained reduction of the B. tabaci population, maintaining yields higher than the absolute control. Beauveria bassiana and Lecanicillium lecanii stood out, with densities of 8.25 and 9.50 individuals per treatment, respectively, followed by 2.11 and 2.74 nymphs per plant. Beauveria bassiana reached 79% efficacy, followed by Lecanicillium lecanii with 67%. Both treatments yielded 92 and 90 kg, respectively, representing the highest productive yield and resulting in favorable economic benefits, with a gross income of $70.00 and a net profit of $34.15. Conclusion: Entomopathogenic fungi are an effective and environmentally efficient tool for the integrated management of B. tabaci in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivation, being fundamental to reducing the use of chemical insecticide and promoting agricultural sustainability. General Area of Study: Agricultural Sciences. Specific area of study: Agricultural Entomology and Integrated Pest Management (Plant Health). Type of study: Original article.
Downloads
Article Details
References
Abubakar, M., Koul, B., Chandrashekar, K., Raut, A., & Yadav, D. (2022). Whitefly (bemisia tabaci ) management ( wfm ) strategies for sustainable agriculture : a review. Agriculture, 12(9), 1317.. https://www.mdpi.com/1797082
Artola-Díaz, A. J., Duarte-Herrera, M. A., Raudez-Centeno, D., & Estrada-Santana, D. C. (2020). Efecto de bioinsumos en la dinámica poblacional de Bemicia tabaci (GEN) Liriomyza spp, EN EL cultivo de tomate (Solanum lycopersicum, L), San Isidro 2017-2018. Revista Iberoamericana de bioeconomía y Cambio climático, 6(12), 1456–1480. https://doi.org/10.5377/ribcc.v6i12.9932
Cámara Procultivos ANDI. (2016). Manual para elaboración de protocolos para ensayos de eficacia con Pqua. Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario. https://www.andi.com.co/Uploads/Manual_Protocolos_Ensayos_Eficacia_PQUA_REV_08_09_2016 (2).pdf
Castellanos Castellanos, J. E. (2021). Evaluación del control biológico de mosca blanca (bemisia tabaci) en el cultivo de tomate chonto (solanum lycopersicum) en el municipio de Tinjaca [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, Bogota, Colombia]. https://repository.unad.edu.co/handle/10596/39045
Chávez-Escalante, G., & Méndez-González, F. (2024). El control biológico como alternativa para una agricultura sustentable en un entorno amenazado por el cambio climático. Mexican Journal Of Technology And Engineering, 3(1), 35–43. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380539603_El_control_biologico_como_alternativa_para_una_agricultura_sustentable_en_un_entorno_amenazado_por_el_cambio_climatico
Chirinos, D. T., Castro, R., Cun, J., Castro, J., Bravo, S. P., Solis, L., & Geraud-Pouey, F. (2020). Los insecticidas y el control de plagas agrícolas: la magnitud de su uso en cultivos de algunas provincias de Ecuador: la magnitud de su uso en cultivos de algunas provincias de Ecuador. Ciencia y Tecnología Agropecuaria, 21(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.21930/rcta.vol21_num1_art:1276
Espinel, C., Lozano, M. D., Villamizar, L., Grijalba, E., & Cotes, A, M. (2018). Estrategia MIP para el control de Bemisia tabaci ( Hemiptera : Aleyrodidae ) en melón y tomate. Revista Colombiana de Entomología, 34(2), 163–168. http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0120-04882008000200005
Fernández Campos, M. S. (2016). Evaluación de la eficacia biológica de los insecticidas Sulfoxaflor e Imidacloprid para el control de Bemisia tabaci en el cultivo de tomate [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad Zamorano, Zamorano Honduras]. https://bdigital.zamorano.edu/items/0cc631b4-a4b1-4b32-bd0d-e6a94d4e6a8f
Fernández, I. M., & Escobar, I. P. (2020). Instructivo para la aprobación, ejecución y supervisión de ensayos de eficacia de plaguicidas y productos afines, de uso agrícola en Ecuador. Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería. https://www.agrocalidad.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Inst.-Ensay-Eficacia-Res-117-borrador.pdf
Graciano-Obeso, A., López-Atondo, J.-U., & Báez-Higuera, J.-A. (2024). Influencia de la aplicación de hongos entomopatógenos sobre el rendimiento de tomate en Guasave, Sinaloa. Revista Interdisciplinaria de Ingeniería Sustentable y Desarrollo Social, 10(1), 451–463. https://doi.org/10.63728/riisds.v10i1.58
Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología. (2024). Anuario meteorológico № 53-2013. https://servicios.inamhi.gob.ec/clima/
Litwin, A., Nowak, M., & Różalska, S. (2020). Entomopathogenic fungi: unconventional applications. ReViews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 19(1), 23–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11157-020-09525-1
Lorenzo, M. E., Pardo, G., & Bao, L. (2025). Advances in biological control of pests in protected tomato crops in Uruguay. Agrociencia Uruguay, 29, e1782. https://doi.org/10.31285/AGRO.29.1782
Moreno-Morales, S. M., Palma-Vera, A. A., Rivero-Herrada, M., Reyes-Pérez, J. J., Llerena-Ramos, L. T., Morales-Rodríguez, W. J., & Quinatoa-Lozada, E. F. (2024). Banana peels (musa paradisiaca): potential use as biostimulant in tomato cultivation. Terra Latinoamericana, 42, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.28940/terra.v42i.2015
Ocampo Estrada, M. M., & Pavón Muñoz, J. M. (2012). Uso de hongos entomopatógenos para el control de mosca blanca ( Bemisia tabaci ) en diferentes especies de plantas hospederas bajo condiciones de invernadero [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad Nacional Agraria Facultad de Agronomia, Managua, Nicaragua]. https://cenida.una.edu.ni/Tesis/tnh10e82.pdf
Perales Segovia, C., Bocanegra García, J., Carrillo Rodríguez, J. C., Chávez Servía, J. L., Silos Espino, H., Aguilar Ojeda, L., & Tafoya Rangel, F. (2015). Efecto de extractos vegetales en mosquita blanca bajo dos esquemas de aplicación. Revista Mexicana de Agroecosistemas, 2(1), 1–7. https://revistaremaeitvo.mx/index.php/remae/article/view/290
Quezada Quezada, W. F. (2014). Material didáctico que utilizan durante la ejecución de sus clases los profesores de cultura física de los centros fiscales de educación general básica del cantón saraguro de la provincia de loja. año lectivo 2013-2014 [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad Nacional de Loja, Loja, Ecuador]. https://dspace.unl.edu.ec/server/api/core/bitstreams/04952927-53d0-479f-9360-a6fd4ddf5096/content
Rios-Velasco, A. C., Pérez-Corral, D. A., Salas-Marina, M. Á., Berlanga-Reyes, D. I., Ornelas-Paz, J. J., Muñiz Acosta, C. H., Cambero-Campos, J., & Jacobo-Cuellar, J. L. (2014). Pathogenicity of the hypocreales fungi beauveria bassiana and metarhizium anisopliae against insect pests of tomato. Southwestern Entomologist, 39(4):739-750. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273305760_Pathogenicity_of_the_Hypocreales_Fungi_Beauveria_Bassiana_and_Metarhizium_Anisopliae_Against_Insect_Pests_of_Tomato
Sani, I., Ismail, S. I., Abdullah, S., Jalinas, J., Jamian, S., & Saad, N. (2020). A review of the biology and control of whitefly, bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), with special reference to biological control using entomopathogenic fungi. Insects, 11(9), 619. https://www.mdpi.com/823036
Sani, I., Jamian, S., Saad, N., Abdullah, S., Mohd Hata, E., Jalinas, J., & Ismail, S. I. (2023). Identification and virulence of entomopathogenic fungi , Isaria javanica and Purpureocillium lilacinum isolated from the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius ) ( Hemiptera : Aleyrodidae ) in Malaysia. Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control, 33(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-023-00657-4
Smith, H. A., & Krey, K. L. (2019). Three release rates of dicyphus hesperus ( hemiptera : miridae ) for management of bemisia tabaci ( hemiptera : aleyrodidae ) on greenhouse tomato. Insects, 10(7), 213. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/10/7/213
Valdiviezo Córdova, D. S., Bolaños Carriel , C. A., Constante Cruz, C. J., & Acosta Segovia , C. B. (2025). Evaluation of the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana and Beauveria brongniartii strains in the biological control of Tetranychus urticae under laboratory conditions. Conciencia Digital, 8(3.1), 26-39. https://doi.org/10.33262/concienciadigital.v8i3.1.3502
Vázquez, L. L., Murguido, C., Elizondo, A. I., Elósegui, O. & Morales, F. (2007). Control biológico de la mosca blanca Bemisia tabaci. Instituto de Investigaciones de Sanidad Vegetal (INISAV). https://cenida.una.edu.ni/relectronicos/REH10C397c.pdf
Vélez-Ruiz, M. C., Meza-Vera, R. J., Abasolo-Pacheco, F., & Álvarez-Romero, P. I. (2022). Use of botanical extracts to control the aphid (Myzus persicae: Aphididae) and whitefly (Bemisia tabaci: Aleyrodidae) in pepper crop (Capsicum anuum: Solanaceae), in Ecuador. Terra Latinoamericana, 40, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.28940/terra.v40i0.1454