ABSTRACT
This chapter is devoted to a unique tactic in which the behavior of the target species is altered to the disadvantage of insects. The major benefit of this tactic is its compatibility with all other methods applicable for use against insect pests. Above all, this technique creates an the alteration in the pest’s behavior and is free from pesticide resistance problems in insect pests. The chemicals involved are such that the insect hardly possesses the ability to develop resistance. Due to this altered behavior, the whiteflies are either attracted to the host or repelled away from the host; thus allowing farmers to control whiteflies. The behavior of the whiteflies can be modified in two ways, one with the use of mulches and secondly, with semiochemicals. Mulch is a popular material used to cover the field entirely to conserve moisture in the deficient fields and had nothing to do with the control of pests in the earlier days. The covers used are mainly of straws, polythene sheets, or aluminum sheets. However, they have become effective in controlling whiteflies. The other components responsible for modifying whitefly behavior are UV rays. Whiteflies are attracted to UV light of the intensity of 320–400 nm. Semiochemicals are released by one species of an organism and elicit a response in the receiving individuals of the same species or the other species. Normally, these are categorized into two parts: allelochemicals (eliciting a response in the receiving individuals of other species) and pheromones (eliciting a response in the receiving individuals of the same species). The allelochemicals like allomones and kairomones have been exploited in IPMs against whiteflies. Paper cards impregnated with semiochemicals (Sesquiterpenes Zingiberene and Curcumene and the monoterpenes p-Cymene, alpha terpene, and alpha phellandrene) are attached on the branches of the tomato plant. On hanging, the cards start emitting chemicals that l trigger a strong repellency against whiteflies. The Western European celery varieties (Juventus and Ventura) and the Chinese celery variety (Jinnan) also showed strong repellency against the whitefly, which could be due to the presence of D-Limonene, β-myrcene, and (E)-β-ocimene compounds, D-limonene(Europe), and β-myrcene(Chinese). In this context, studies were conducted to control greenhouse whitefly through the disruption of osmoregulation. The osmoregulation disruption caused 70% mortality of greenhouse whitefly after 6 days. This chapter also discusses how semiochemicals like limonene and caryophyllene are preferred by whiteflies while myrcene, ocimene, etc. are repellent to the insect.
