Whitefly infestations are increasing across vegetable fields in central and southern Florida, according to the South Florida Pest and Disease Hotline.
Multiple scouts reported low but increasing numbers of whiteflies on tomatoes in the central Florida area. Older squash plantings have been hit hard by the insects, as reports indicate moderate to high populations. Younger squash plants have low populations.
Populations have also increased in Southwest Florida, though they are observed to be patchy and variable from day to day. On average, populations are moderate to high in crops like tomatoes, squash, eggplant, watermelon and cucumbers, while sporadic in peppers.
Along the east coast, scouts indicate whitefly numbers are mostly low in tomato and eggplant. An isolated occurrence of high egg counts has also been noted.
According to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, successful management later in the season depends on early suppression of the populations. Producers should be aggressive with the best systemic materials like Venom, Sivanto, Prime and Verimark early in the season.
Effective cultural controls include avoiding planting next to older, infested crops. UV-reflective mulches can delay the introduction of virus vectored by whiteflies. Weed-free fields are also important, as they can serve as hosts for whiteflies.