A model of greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) population development and management on Camarosa variety strawberry plants

A deterministic parameterized model of development of a greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) population on field grown strawberry plants (Fragaria × ananassa) is presented (var. Camarosa). The model calculates the timing of the physiological development of individual whiteflies and population size as a function of temperature, mortality, oviposition, and plant condition using parameters from the literature and field observations from California. Simulated dynamics of a T. vaporariorum population accurately reflected the observed population development in an untreated strawberry field, and its response to applications of pyriproxyfen and imidacloprid under production conditions in central coastal California. It was validated with an independent field observation where both imidacloprid and pyriproxyfen were applied at different periods of strawberry plant development. These results present an opportunity to predict effects of management strategies targeting T. vaporariorum populations on variety Camarosa strawberry plants.