ABSTRACT
Insecticides used for satisfactory control of Bemisia tabaci and, for that matter insects in general, have changed consistently with the introduction of an ever-increasing number of chemicals, matching the growing notoriety of the whitefly as a pest and virus vector. A brief survey of the range of products used against the whitefly will give some idea of the trend of chemical control. Few studies provide information on the impact of insecticides on the natural enemies of B. tabaci. Unlike cotton, insecticidal control of B. tabaci and other field crops has generally been aimed at curbing the spread of viral diseases rather than direct injury by the whitefly. The chapter discusses the various factors determine the effect of different chemicals on B. tabaci: chemical structure or group, formulation properties, time and frequency of application, method of application, nature of crop canopy, and differences in efficacy against different stages of whitefly.
