Whitefly is one of the most dangerous pests tomatoes. After hitting favorable conditions insects quickly increase in number, weaken plants, and become the cause of viral and fungal diseases. In greenhouses infested with pests, good harvests can not be.
To prevent this from happening, it is important to take timely measures to destroy whiteflies. Otherwise, insects will settle on the site for a long time, destroying all the results of the work year after year.
There are more than 1,500 species of whiteflies in the world, 20 of which are common in Europe. Tomatoes are mainly affected by greenhouse whitefly.
This insect is native to South America, where it was first recorded as a tomato pest in 1870. Today the “enemy” is listed on all continents. In our climatic conditions, it mainly lives in greenhouses and indoors on ornamental and vegetable plants. Occasionally, it can also affect open ground tomatoes.
The whitefly is a very small insect, up to 3 mm in length, with a light-colored body. yellow color with white wings and grayish legs. The lifespan of a female is 30 days.
During her life, she lays 85-130 eggs on the underside of the leaf, placing them in groups of 10-20 in the shape of a ring. The eggs are initially light yellow, but after 10 days they become black.
After 12 days, larvae emerge from them with legs and antennae. They move around the leaf in search of a favorable place. After being sucked onto the leaf, the legs are lost and take on the appearance of flat, light green scales measuring 0.6-0.9 mm. So, in a motionless state, the larva feeds on the juices of the plant.
Soon the larva passes into the nymph stage. Its surface is covered with a waxy coating, which reliably protects against insecticides. Towards the end of development, the larva is covered with a puparium, and after 13-15 days winged individuals fly out of the pupa.
In year-round greenhouses, the whitefly produces 10-16 generations. Survives the winter in the form of an adult or a puparium-covered pupa in surface layers soil or plant residues. 
Maliciousness
Larvae and adults feed on tomato cell sap, depriving the plant of nutrients. The leaves turn yellow and fall off if severely damaged.
A particular threat is posed by larvae that suck out more crop juices than they need. At the same time, they secrete sugary substances, on which sooty fungi (cladosporium) subsequently settle. This leads to a decrease in photosynthesis and disrupts plant respiration. If the damage is severe, the tomato may die.
In addition, whiteflies carry viruses. Many of them are incurable and cause epiphytotics, the death of a significant part of tomatoes.
Causes of appearance and conditions for development
Initially, whiteflies enter the greenhouse with infected plants. Less often, another option is possible. Together with air currents, insects are able to cover impressive distances.
Migration often occurs due to changes in previous habitat conditions: when neighboring areas are treated with chemicals or the settlement of insects - the whitefly’s natural enemies.
In the future, the growth rate of the pest colony is facilitated by: a combination of high humidity and air temperature, excessive planting density, lack of ventilation of the greenhouse and nearby compost heaps.
The ideal air temperature for whitefly reproduction is +21°C…+27°C, air humidity is 60-75%. Overwintering adults and pupae die at temperatures of −12°C. 
Signs of a pest
Very often, the appearance of a pest in a tomato bed goes unnoticed. The insects are small, nest on the bottom of the leaf; eggs and larvae are difficult to see.
External signs of whitefly colonization of tomatoes appear only when the colony grows larger.
Obvious signs:
- inhibition of tomato growth;
- the appearance of faint white and yellowish spots on the leaves;
- numerous punctures on the surface of the sheet;
- sticky coating and light tubercles on the underside of the leaves.
If you touch or simply shake the stem of a tomato, you can see a large number of flying white insects. They look like moths, but several times smaller.
Mechanical methods of controlling whitefly
It is quite possible to get rid of whiteflies using mechanical methods while the pest colony is small. Before starting work, it is useful to reduce the air temperature in the greenhouse to +10°C. A cool atmosphere inhibits pests. Whiteflies become immobile and are easier to remove.
Washing with water
First, the tomatoes are washed with water from a watering hose. The soil with downed adult specimens is loosened by 1-1.5 cm and sprinkled with peat. Afterwards, the tomato leaves are washed with soapy water.
Manual removal
Collecting whiteflies by hand is quite difficult; at the slightest touch, the insects fly away in different directions. Best time for this purpose - the coolness of the early morning; in such conditions, pests are less mobile.
Many gardeners manual collection use a vacuum cleaner. It sucks up scattered insects well.
Traps
The whitefly sees colors and is strongly attracted to yellow. This feature of the pest is used in traps. You can purchase a ready-made glue trap at a gardening store. For example, the company "Bona Forte". Adhesive tapes from Fumitox or Moskitol. 
You can make the trap yourself. The base is cardboard, plywood or plexiglass. They are cut out (size 30 X 40) and painted bright yellow. Then mix the components of the adhesive base in equal proportions:
- Castor oil,
- petrolatum,
- pine rosin.
The mixture is kept in a water bath until it reaches a smooth consistency. The glue is applied with a brush to the cardboard. Traps are hung in places with the greatest concentration of pests.
The method is quite effective. At the slightest shaking of the bushes, the whiteflies fly up, rush to the yellow square and stick. One trap is enough for an area of 10 m², you just need to regularly wash off the adhered insects with warm water.
Fumigation
Smoke bombs are used after harvesting and destroying plant debris. Before fumigation, the greenhouse is sealed as much as possible, all surfaces are moistened. Sulfur bombs are set on fire in an amount calculated for the area of the room and left for 3 days. Then the greenhouse is ventilated.
How to get rid of it using folk remedies
For best results mechanical methods are combined with the processing of tomatoes with folk remedies. These products are indispensable during and 20 days before the fruiting of tomatoes, when chemicals cannot be used.
- Soap solution. Laundry soap (20 g) is dissolved in warm water (1 l) and foam is whipped. Use a soft sponge to wipe the underside of the leaf plate affected by the larvae.
- Tobacco. Tobacco is removed from 20 cigarettes and poured into 1 liter hot water. Leave for 5 days and filter.
- Yarrow. Fresh grass (300 g) is crushed, filled with water (3 l) and left for 3 days.
- Dandelion. Crushed rhizomes (100 g) and leaves (100 g) are poured with 3 liters of water and left for 3 days.
- Garlic. Chopped garlic (150 g) is poured into 10 liters of water, left for 1 day and filtered.
Before use, add 20 g to each infusion laundry soap.
Folk remedies have a short period of protective action. Tomatoes are sprayed every 5-7 days up to 6-7 times. With such a multiplicity, even numerous colonies can be destroyed.
Biological methods suitable for greenhouse
The best and completely harmless alternative chemicals- biological agents. This is the introduction of insects and fungi into the greenhouse - entomophagous whiteflies.
Encrasia
Encrasia females lay eggs in the bodies of whitefly larvae, and the hatching offspring feed on their contents. Whitefly larvae die and mummify.
The entomophage is introduced into the greenhouse immediately after the pest is detected. Cards with mummified enclave are placed evenly over the entire area. For prevention, 5-10 individuals per 1 m², with mass destruction 15-30 individuals per 1 m². If necessary, the procedure is repeated after 7-12 days.
Macrolophus
This is a predatory bug that feeds on whitefly larvae. During its life, one female bedbug destroys up to 2,500 pest larvae. When mass colonization is detected, 4-5 individuals per 1 m² are released, for prevention - 1 bug. 
Lacewing
Only lacewing larvae lead a predatory lifestyle. They are very voracious; one larva destroys up to 600 whiteflies. Since female lacewings are very fertile, populating a greenhouse with this predator gives good results.
Lacewing is used at the second instar larval stage. During mass colonization by the pest, 100-150 larvae per 1 m² are released into the greenhouse.
Ladybug
Predatory ladybugs and their larvae feed on whitefly adults, larvae and eggs. The insect destroys up to 100-120 pests per day.
To attract ladybugs, dill and other umbrella plants are sown nearby in the greenhouse, and dandelion and yarrow are left to grow. The first generation of ladybugs can be caught in the meadow, and then provide them with shelter conditions for the winter. Insects overwinter under dry tree bark and fallen leaves.
Verticillin
This is a biological product based on the entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium lecani. It grows into the body cavity of larvae and adults, releases toxins and causes their death.
25 ml of culture liquid is dissolved in 1 liter of water. Tomatoes are sprayed 3 times with an interval of 7 days, carefully treating the underside of the leaves.
Chemical methods
If the whitefly colony is numerous and threatens the well-being of the entire area, the use of insecticides cannot be avoided. But there is one problem. After just one treatment, surviving whiteflies can become resistant to the active ingredient of the drug.
Thiamethoxam
Preparations based on this active substance are applied to the soil. It is quickly absorbed and distributed throughout the plant. After 1 day, the pests die. The protective effect lasts 2-4 weeks. Hazard class - 2-3.
Preparations:
- “Aktara” VDG (watering at the root with an aqueous solution (1 g/10 l), consumption 1 l per 1 m² or 25 pots);
- “Doctor” briquettes (2-4 briquettes are added to each plant after abundant watering).
These are the leading drugs against whiteflies, and they should be used primarily in closed ground conditions. 
Acetamiprid
Penetrates into plants through roots and vegetative organs. After 1 hour it causes the death of pests. The period of protective action is 21 days. The drug "Mospilan". Spraying with an aqueous solution (5-8 g/10 l).
Imidacloprid
It has a general toxic effect on pests, causing their death after 1 day. The period of protective action is 14-21 days. Hazard class 3. Almost all drugs are used by spraying.
Preparations:
- “Biotlin” VRK (solution 5 ml/10 l, consumption 10 l per 100 m²);
- “Commander” VRK (solution 5 ml/10 l, consumption 10 l per 100 m²);
- “Commander Maxi” VDG (solution 1.5 g/10 l, consumption 3 l per 1 m²);
- “Iskra Zolotaya” VRK (used only during periods of mass whitefly infestation, solution 5 ml/10 l, consumption 10-30 l per 100 m²);
- “Iskra” TAB (applied to the soil for seedlings, the amount depends on the volume of the container, consumption according to the instructions);
- "Tanrek" VRK (solution 5 ml/10 l, consumption 10 l/100 m²);
- “Confidor Extra” VDG (solution 1.5 g/10 l, consumption 1 l per 10 m²).
Manufacturers note that the use of these drugs does not cause pest resistance. But in practice this is not always confirmed.
Pirimiphos-methyl
Applied by spraying, the pests die within 24 hours.
Preparations:
- "Actellik" CE (solution 20 ml/10 l, consumption 2 l/10 m²);
- “Phosbecid” EC (solution 10 ml/10 l, consumption 2 l/10 m²).
The period of protective action is 10-15 days, hazard class -2. 
Cypermethrin
It quickly paralyzes all organs of pests; whiteflies die within a day. Hazard class 3.
Preparations:
- "Inta-Vir" TAB (solution 8 g/10 l, consumption 2-3 l per 10 m²);
- “Iskra” TAB (solution 10 g/10 l, consumption 2 l per 10 m²).
The period of protective action is 10-15 days.
Malathion
The protection period is 7-10 days. The substance is used by spraying.
Preparations:
- “Fufanon” CE (solution 10 ml/10 l, consumption 1.5 l/10 m²);
- “Karbofos” SP (60 g/7 l, consumption 1 l/10 m²);
- "Kemifos" EC (solution 10 ml/10 l, consumption 1.5 l/10 m²).
Whiteflies quickly develop resistance, including to pirimiphos-methyl.
Pyrethrum
Insecticidal preparation in aerosol form. Hazard class 3. Spray onto the surface of the plant from a distance of 30 cm. Treatment is carried out in the morning or evening in diffused lighting in a room where there are no drafts or wind currents.
After the first treatment with any drug, it may seem that the pests have completely disappeared. It is not always so. Very often, some insects fly away, hide and lay eggs. After a while, a new numerous colony appears, already resistant to the drug used.
Therefore, treatment with drugs should be carried out in 2-3 passes. Each time it is better to use drugs with a new active ingredient. 
If whitefly appears on tomato seedlings at home, the plants need to be isolated from indoor flowers. The use of toxic chemicals in the apartment is undesirable. An exception is preparations for watering at the root or in the form of briquettes, which are added to each container.
But more often, gardeners use all mechanical methods and treatment with folk remedies. You cannot bring seedlings with pests and larvae into the greenhouse.
When planning to process tomatoes in open ground take into account weather conditions and ambient temperature. Optimal temperature air for working with insecticides +12°C…+22°C. The day is cloudy, but without precipitation and strong wind. If the weather is sunny, spraying is planned for the evening or morning hours.
Spray with chemicals during abundant flowering no tomatoes. This leads to mass death of bees. For the same reason, before processing, you need to remove all flowering weeds that grow near the garden bed.
The greenhouse is well ventilated until condensation is eliminated from the structures and plant leaves. The air temperature is reduced to the optimum.
The work is carried out with a high-quality sprayer that produces a fine drizzle. The leaves and stems of tomatoes should be moistened on all sides, and the soil near the bush should also be sprayed.
They work in closed clothing, gloves and a respirator. The maximum contact time with insecticides is 1 hour.
The immunity of tomatoes weakened after being attacked by a pest needs to be strengthened. To do this, remove severely damaged lower leaves. Tomatoes are sprayed with biostimulants: Epin, Immunocytophyte, Novosil, Agat 25.
Calcium ions have a positive effect on the synthesis of proteins, which help the plant survive stress. Therefore, foliar and root feeding with calcium will be useful.
You can find out some gardener's advice on methods of controlling whiteflies by watching the video.
Prevention
The risk of whitefly infestation of tomatoes can be reduced. To do this, a number of simple measures are used:
- the soil is dug up deeply;
- destroy all plant residues and weeds in and around the garden bed;
- the greenhouse and soil are disinfected with solutions of copper sulfate or 40% formaldehyde;
- freeze the soil in the greenhouse in winter: remove removable structures, open doors and windows in cold weather;
- when purchasing seedling leaves, they are inspected;
- the compost pit is located away from the greenhouse;
- control air temperature and humidity (according to the requirements of tomatoes);
- tomatoes are planted according to the scheme recommended for the variety;
- place traps in places where pests can enter (near windows, doors);
- Small mesh is installed on the windows and doors of the greenhouse;
- Any plant that is brought into the greenhouse is examined.
Preventative spraying will help prevent the appearance of pests. For this you can use any herbal infusion recommended for treatment.
Most problems can be easily avoided if you take the time to inspect your tomatoes every day. Gardeners often notice diseases or pests on tomatoes when the attack appears clear signs on dying plants. As a result, labor and money costs increase significantly.
Sooner or later, every gardener who grows tomatoes in a greenhouse has to deal with this insect pest. Indeed, whitefly is one of the most dangerous pests of tomatoes in a greenhouse.
Next, we’ll talk about what kind of pest this is, why it’s dangerous and, of course, we’ll look in detail at how to get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse, and how to treat and spray greenhouse tomatoes that have this pest.
Most known species whiteflies:
- cabbage;
- tobacco (cotton);
- citrus;
- strawberry;
- greenhouse (greenhouse).
In this article we are interested precisely greenhouse whitefly, which damages tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, eggplants and some flower plants growing in greenhouses, greenhouses and apartments.
Main characteristics of the greenhouse whitefly:
- Distributed throughout closed ground(including indoor conditions).
- In greenhouses and tropical climates it develops year-round (gives 3-4 generations), in temperate latitudes, in the wild and in greenhouses - only in summer at above-zero temperatures, in other words, the whitefly does not survive winter.
The optimal conditions favorable for the active formation of whitefly colonies on tomato leaves are the following:
- Air temperature - +20–25 degrees.
- Relative air humidity - 60–80%.
In other words, the whitefly prefers moist and relatively shady places.
Thus, the main reason for the appearance of whiteflies in a greenhouse is a violation, for example, excessive density of plantings and lack of ventilation.
The life cycle of a whitefly, like most insects, consists of three main stages (in total it lasts about 30-40 days):adults (imago), eggs, larvae(phase lasts 10-14 days), puparia (4th instar larva, “false” cocoon). Then the cycle repeats and a second generation appears.
Interesting! The whitefly is characterized by a tiered distribution of individuals:
- on young leaves - imago (adults) and eggs,
- below - larvae;
- on the lowermost leaves there are puparia and adults (adults) of the new generation.
Actually, the adult whitefly itself is an indirect pest. It is the females who lay eggs, placing them on the underside of the leaves.
Appearance of an adult whitefly- the body is pale yellow, with two pairs of wings with a white coating, 1-1.5 mm long, reminiscent of a moth.
The main pest is the whitefly larva, which immediately after leaving the egg attaches to the underside (inner) side of the leaf and begins to feed (suck out the juices - all the nutrients) from it.
Whitefly larva- elongated oval shape, flat, pale green, 0.3–0.9 mm long.
Adults (imago) and whitefly larvae
Thus, the main harm caused by the whitefly at the larval stage is that insect sucks juice from tomato leaves, and also additionally releasing a sugary sticky enzyme, which is a favorable environment for reproduction sooty fungus (“black fungus”).
It is very important to prevent large-scale whitefly dominance in your greenhouse, otherwise it can simply destroy all your plants.
The greenhouse whitefly is also a malicious carrier of many pathogens: yellow leaf curl virus (one of the causes), leaf mottling virus, infectious chlorosis. Moreover, both adult individuals (imago) - males and females - and, in some cases, larvae are capable of transmitting viruses.
How does a pest get into a greenhouse?
Most often, whiteflies are brought into the greenhouse along with purchased seedlings(which was grown in industrial greenhouses) or on clothes, because she can easily move with indoor plants(fuchsia, pelargonium, balsam, citrus), or from purchased greens(again grown in a greenhouse). They are also infected with whiteflies cut flowers. And often the pest enters the greenhouse together with purchased soil(which has already been used in greenhouses) or again through seedlings grown in contaminated soil.
Signs of whitefly appearing on tomatoes in a greenhouse
After planting the seedlings in the greenhouse, after 10-14 days, it is necessary to inspect the tomato foliage for the presence of whiteflies. So, if you touch the leaves and white butterflies immediately fly up from them, this means that whiteflies have appeared on your tomatoes and, most likely, have already laid their eggs.
Advice! When inspecting tomato bushes, use a magnifying glass, because... insects are very small.
As we found out earlier, whitefly larvae feed on the juice of young leaves, which significantly weakens the immunity of the plant (tomato). This manifests itself in a slowdown in the growth and development of tomato bushes, and also negatively affects their flowering, fruit formation and fruit ripening.
In addition to the direct harm caused by the pest itself, the condition of plants is negatively affected sooty mushrooms, which settle on the sugary secretions of whitefly larvae.
First, a sticky coating (honeydew) forms on the foliage in the form of shiny white spots (the waste product of the larvae), then they (the spots) are covered with a sooty fungus (“black”) and turn black (a black coating forms on them). As a result, it (the fungus) clogs the pores of the leaves, which makes the processes of respiration and photosynthesis difficult. As a result, the affected leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off.
Thus, due to the harmful activity of the whitefly (namely its larvae), tomatoes begin to get sick and lag in growth, which leads to uneven ripening of the fruit, as well as to a change in the color of the fruit core from pink or red to white. As a result, the commercial quality of the fruits drops noticeably.
By the way! In terms of its negative effects, the whitefly is in many ways similar to aphids.
Preventive measures against whitefly on tomatoes: how to protect tomatoes in a greenhouse
Remember! It is easier to prevent any problem than to fix it later.
To prevent the appearance of whiteflies, it is recommended to take the following preventive measures:
- Conduct regular preventive inspections for the presence of pests in the greenhouse.
- Promptly destroy weeds.
- Observe the growing conditions of the crop.
- Proper use and care of the greenhouse, namely:
- every autumn and/or spring should be carried out cleaning (remove all vegetation), including steaming or freezing the soil in a greenhouse (if you are a resident of the southern region);
By the way! About how to do it right prepare the greenhouse in the spring for the planting season, told, and process in autumn — .
However, it is worth considering that, unlike spider mite The whitefly does not persist on the surface, in the greenhouse, only in the ground.
- provide adequate ventilation in the greenhouse;
- carry out other preventive measures and use special means protection and methods of struggle.
Video: how to get rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse in the fall
How to fight whitefly on tomatoes: when and what to treat - the best control methods
There are several ways to combat whitefly in a greenhouse on tomatoes:
- mechanical methods (glue traps);
- biological methods (colonization of the greenhouse with entomophagous insects);
- chemical methods (preparations against insect pests - insecticides).
And folk remedies, decoctions of various herbs, but it’s worth saying right away that they are very ineffective... very.
Indeed, getting rid of whiteflies in a greenhouse is quite difficult. Therefore, be sure to regularly carefully inspect your greenhouse tomatoes (namely the lower or reverse side their leaves) in order to detect its appearance as early as possible and prevent it from multiplying greatly. If you notice even a small number of adults, proceed to treatment without delay.
Advice! For effective fight with whitefly use everything possible methods. You are unlikely to be able to completely destroy whiteflies in a greenhouse, but it is possible to reduce their numbers and reduce their harmfulness.
Video: whitefly and methods of combating it
Mechanical methods
The fight against whitefly in a greenhouse can be successfully carried out using yellow sticky tapes, glue traps, hung in the greenhouse, as well as fumigators.
Note! Naturally, such measures will only help you get rid of flying adults. If they have already laid eggs, only chemical and biological control agents are used against the larvae.
You can purchase sticky tape or glue traps at a hardware or gardening store, or you can make your own. 
To make a whitefly trap yourself, with your own hands, you need to cover a sheet of cardboard or plywood (about 20 by 20 cm or more in size) with a layer of yellow paint, and then apply an adhesive base, for example, honey, technical petroleum jelly, grease, castor or any other mineral oil, rodent repellent glue. Next, hang this yellow sticky cardboard on a rope (string) at the level of the tops of the plants.
By the way! According to experts, it is better to use cardboard to create a whitefly trap. yellow color, since this shade is able to attract insects. As a result, whitefly butterflies will fly to bright squares and stick to their surface.
There is an opinion that it is effective against whiteflies fumigator(which is usually used against mosquitoes and flies). To do this, you need to plug the device into the power supply (by extending the extension cord into the greenhouse) and completely close all doors and ventilation vents. An obvious disadvantage of using this product is the fact that, in addition to the whitefly, the fumigator destroys all other inhabitants of the greenhouse, including beneficial ones.
Advice! You can also simply get rid of the pest mechanically periodically irrigating tomato bushes with plain water, and then washing the leaves with soapy water.
Biological methods
To combat whiteflies, you can use insects that feed on this pest (they are also called entomophagous insects).
This option is especially relevant for gardeners who exclude any use of chemicals.
These include ladybug, lacewing fly, ichneumon beetle.
You can purchase biological enemies of whiteflies in specialized stores or online resources.
Chemicals
Naturally, the easiest way to quickly and completely get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse is to use chemicals (insecticides).
A few rules and tips for spraying tomatoes against whiteflies:
- Solutions should be prepared only according to the instructions on the packages, following the dosage recommendations (no less and no more).
- Solutions should also be used only according to the instructions.
It should be processed either early in the morning, before the first rays of the sun appear, or late in the evening, after sunset. If during the day, then only in cloudy weather.
- Be sure to pay attention to the waiting period after processing (after how long you can eat the fruits).
Important! Systemic drugs have long term waiting (up to 20 days), i.e., when the tomatoes ripen, they can no longer be used.
- Be sure to pay attention to the expiration date of the drug, i.e. How long will it protect your plants from pests?
- To improve the effect of treatment, you can mix drugs with different active ingredients (preferably from different chemical classes).
- As a rule, the first application is carried out when the pest first appears, and repeated applications are carried out at intervals of 7-14 days.
As a result, you will have to carry out several treatments, because... Most drugs act only against adults (imagos), and they have no effect on the larvae.
- The treatment must be carried out very carefully, especially spraying the inner (lower) part of the leaves.
- In order not to cause the pest to become addicted, you should periodically alternate the drugs, or rather their active ingredients.
Note! Many drugs from different companies have the same active ingredient.
The most popular and effective drugs(insecticides) to get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes are (the active substance, method of penetration or nature of exposure and chemical class are given in parentheses):
- Alatar (
- Alioth ( Malathion (Karbofos), enteric-contact insectoacaricide, class of organophosphorus compounds (OPC);
- Aktara ( Thiamethoxam (Aktara), systemic insecticide of enteric contact action);
Note! Used to water the soil under plants.
- Actellik (Pirimiphos-methyl (Actellic) , systemic enteric-contact insectoacaricide + fumigant, class of organophosphorus compounds (OPS);
- Biotlin ( Imidacloprid, systemic insecticide with enteric contact action , class of neonicotinoids);
- Inta-Ts-M ( Malathion (Karbofos) and Cypermethrin, insecticide of contact-intestinal action, class pyrethroids + organophosphorus compounds (OPS);
- Intavir ( Cypermethrin, insecticide of contact-intestinal action, pyrethroid class);
- Karate Zeon (Lambda-cyhalothrin , insecticide of contact-intestinal action, pyrethroid class);
- Golden spark ( Imidacloprid, systemic insecticide of contact-intestinal action, class of neonicotinoids);
- Talstar (Bifenthrin (Talstar), insecticide of contact-intestinal action, pyrethroid class);
- Teppeki (Flonikamid, has systemic and translaminar activity, chemical class - pyridine carboxamides);
- Bison ( Imidacloprid, systemic insecticide of contact-intestinal action, class of neonicotinoids).
Interesting! There are also biological agents against insect pests, such as Akarin, Fitoverm, Bitoxibacillin, Actofit, Verticillin. However, they are not very effective against whiteflies.
Video: how to deal with whitefly
Folk remedies
If the whitefly infestation of tomatoes in a greenhouse is not very severe, then in order not to use chemicals, you can try using folk remedies, which, as a rule, use various infusions of herbs, garlic, etc.:
By the way! Folk remedies are most often used to get rid of whitefly larvae, rather than adults.
- Turpentine + camphor oil (10%).
Recipe from the Procvetok channel for 10 liters of water (basic):
- gum turpentine (up to 1.5 l - for the most difficult cases for plants with dense leaves, up to 1 l - for difficult cases for more delicate plants (tomato, cucumber), 0.2-0.5 l - for prevention on all plants and in the case of isolated pests)
- laundry or green soap - up to 50-150 g (depending on the amount of turpentine),
- aqueous solution of ammonia (25%) - 1-2 tablespoons - to enhance the dissolving effect of turpentine.
Modifications:
- Turpentine can be replaced (up to 50%) with 10% camphor oil.
- You can add 50-100 ml of tincture of mint, eucalyptus, pine extract to the solution.
- You can replace it with decoctions of the same plants - 100-200 g of dry plants are boiled in a liter of water, the decoction is infused and added to the turpentine solution.
- Benzyl benzoate - 20-30 ml per 1 liter of solution.
- It is very good for restoring plants from damage by pests to add nicotinic acid to the solution - 1 tablet of 50 mg for each liter of solution (either 3 grams of dry or 12 grams of raw yeast).
Plants should be watered or sprayed with a similar composition in the evening, over well-watered soil.
Waiting period: if without benzyl benzoate, then it’s practically gone. But first you just need to remove the fruits, then process them and wait at least 24 hours. If with benzyl benzoate, it is better to wait 2-3 days. It is clear that fruits and vegetables must be thoroughly washed after any treatment, even if it is just laundry soap or whey.
- Garlic tincture;
- Dandelion infusion;
- Infusion of wormwood;
- Infusion of yarrow;
- Tobacco infusion.
Some summer residents also carry out anti-whitefly fumigation of greenhouses with tobacco sticks(not sulfur, but tobacco).
You can also try to artificially lower the temperature in the greenhouse (as you remember, the favorable temperature for whiteflies is +20-25 degrees), opening the greenhouse at night, installing windows and doors for ventilation.
Of course, it will not be possible to completely destroy the pest using these methods, but it is quite possible to reduce the population.
Thus, now you know that, first of all, it is necessary to follow the basic rules for caring for and growing greenhouse tomatoes, as well as carry out preventive measures. But in any case, you will most likely have to use one of the above methods to combat whitefly on tomatoes.
Video: anti-whitefly remedies
In contact with
When planting tomatoes, gardeners often anticipate the pleasure of the future harvest and plan what dishes and preserves they will make from ripe berries and vegetables. Often the crop is in wait for many pests, and in order to protect it from their attacks, it is necessary to make a lot of effort. Whitefly can cause great damage to crops. Learn more about how to recognize an insect and how to eliminate it.
Where does whitefly come from on tomatoes?
Experienced gardeners who grow tomatoes in the garden or in a greenhouse know how important it is to carefully inspect the bushes of the plant during the season. Be prepared that during the inspection, whiteflies will be found on the foliage and stems.
This butterfly got its name because of the white, almost transparent color of its wings. It is small, about 3 mm in length. A fine powdery coating can be seen on the white wings. The harm from such a small fly is that it draws all the juices from the plant (the juices are its food). The leaves of the affected crop turn pale and soon completely lose color. The plant dies completely.
The first inspection of the crop should be carried out 10-12 days after planting the seedlings.
White butterflies appear on plants in warm summer months. It is important that there is a lot of precipitation, because for this aphid, warmth and moisture are optimal living conditions. If the air temperature drops to +10ºС and below, then adult butterflies die. It should be noted that their eggs do not suffer from low temperatures and tolerate even severe frosts well. During a season, one female can lay about 250 of them.
The whitefly thrives in greenhouses and greenhouses. “Resort” conditions for it are considered to be a humid air temperature of +20-+22ºС, dense planting of crops in a greenhouse or in open ground. That is why it is necessary to ventilate greenhouses so that the air does not stagnate.
Important! The breeding ground for whiteflies can be contaminated soil that gets onto the site or into the greenhouse along with the seedlings, and the seedlings themselves. The larvae can appear in the remains of leaves and tops of plants that have not been harvested since autumn.
Signs of infection
At the initial stage of appearance, it is not so easy to see the whitefly: you need to carefully examine the back side of the leaf. And if we take into account the fact that gardeners plant large tomato plantations, then such a task is not only troublesome, but also physically exhausting. In addition to inspection, there are other methods and signs that indicate whitefly.
When growing tomatoes you should pay attention to:
- You can see plants above the bushes white cloud of moth-like midges. The cloud soars especially intensely after shaking the bush.
- Scales appear on the back of the leaf, which are difficult to notice due to their translucent color. These are the larvae of the pest.
- Appearance of honeydew on leaves– white sticky coating.
- Blackening of parts of the bush infected with sooty fungi. Such sooty fungi are waste products of insects.
- Slow development of bushes: Tomatoes that suffer from whitefly attacks are stunted in development.
- The leaves on the tomatoes turn pale and curl.
Why is whitefly dangerous?
It is not so much the part of the plant on which they are located that suffers from whitefly attacks, – More harm occurs on the parts that are located below, because all the waste products of insects linger on the lower leaves, forming a film of sticky whitish plaque. This phenomenon is caused by the fact that moth feces contain fungal spores that take root in leaf tissue. We are talking about sooty fungi. The infected part of the leaf becomes covered with a white coating, then turns black and dies. This is fraught with the death of the entire tomato plantation. And there can be no talk of any harvest.
The body of whitefly larvae hatching from eggs secretes a sticky enzyme that resembles liquid wax. Thanks to this enzyme, aphids attach to the surface of the plant. And if we take into account the fact that pests live on the bottom of the leaf, then they simply need this enzyme. In addition, sticky coating is a favorable environment for the life and rapid proliferation of sooty fungus, the damage from which can be irreparable.
Methods for controlling whitefly on tomatoes
The fight against whiteflies can be complicated (or completely useless) by the fact that on parts of the crop the pests can be located in different phases of their development: in the form of an egg, a moth, or a larva. If you organize the control process correctly, tomato plantings can be saved (and, accordingly, the harvest).
Did you know? Tomatoes are an ideal product for those on a diet: 100 grams of this ripe berry contains only 23 calories.
Chemicals
After discovering an insect in the garden or greenhouse, it is effective to resort to chemicals struggle. Processing of plantations must be carried out in special protective clothing. Be sure to use a respirator. Such measures are necessary to ensure that chemical solutions do not come into contact with the skin, eyes or respiratory system of a person.
More information about how to process tomatoes:
Important! The solution cannot be used» , after he stood. Even if a large amount of diluted drug remains after treatment, storing it and using it in the future is prohibited.
- "Talstar". The peculiarity of this insecto-acaricide is that, thanks to its contact-intestinal action, it effectively helps to remove not only whiteflies, but also other insects that have coveted your plantings. Unlike the listed drugs, it not only paralyzes nervous system, but also stops the nutritional function of aphids. One hectare of plantings will require up to 3 liters of working solution. Protection lasts for two weeks.
Folk remedies
Many gardeners are wondering what to do with whiteflies if they don’t want to resort to chemicals. The answer is simple: turn to people's ingenuity. Some folk remedies that you can resort to will help in pest control:
Important! If the situation is dropped, andwhitefly infestationsignificant, pest control should be organized by combining traditional methods with insecticides.
Mechanical methods
The most common method is considered rinsing with soapy water under significant pressure. It is better to use laundry or tar soap. The dosage ratio is 30-50 g of soap per 1 liter of hot water. The spraying procedure must be carried out three times, observing a weekly interval. You can wash tomato leaves with this product, but this is a rather troublesome task, especially for owners of large plantations.
Strengthen the effect of 1 l soap solution 150 g of kerosene will help. The product should be thoroughly stirred until an emulsion is obtained, then add warm water(5 l). This product is intended for irrigating soil in a greenhouse. Be careful not to get it on the leaves or stems of the plant. After the irrigation procedure, the greenhouse is closed for 3 hours. At this time, the solution evaporates, and its evaporation kills the pest moths. After the procedure, you need to ventilate the greenhouse room well. And after 4-8 days, repeat all steps, since during this period new moths appear.
You can get rid of larvae manually, but this method takes too much time.
Gardeners also resort to collecting adult pests, using a small vacuum cleaner. It is recommended to carry out the procedure in the morning or evening, when it is cool outside. This can also be done in cloudy weather.
Did you know?A tomato can be called a vegetable that gives joy, because it contains seratonin, a joy hormone that can lift your spirits.
Biological method
Preventive measures
Despite the many methods of controlling the pest, it is still better to simply prevent it from appearing on tomatoes.
To do this, you should adhere to the following preventive measures:
- Prevent the appearance of snails, nettles, and woodlice in the garden plot. These plants attract whiteflies.
- Monitor the air temperature in the greenhouse. The best option– +15ºС. Higher temperatures become a favorable environment for insect life.
- Ventilate the greenhouse in a timely manner in order to avoid increasing air humidity.
- When planting a tomato maintain the required distance between seedlings so that there is no thickening. So, only 4 seedlings can be planted per 1 m² according to the scheme: 50 x 50 or 70 x 30.
- In a timely manner carry out pinching of plants.
- When purchasing seedlings, they must be carefully considered.: Larvae may be hiding under the leaves.
- Preparing a garden plot for planting tomatoes should begin in the fall.: the soil is cleared of tops and fallen leaves, and the soil is loosened.
- Greenhouse in which the tomatoes will be planted, it is necessary good to freeze in winter: it must be opened when the air temperature drops below -10°C (-15ºC).
- Aphids can live on indoor flowers and only then move on to seedlings if you grow them on windowsills yourself.
- Before planting tomatoes in a greenhouse, thoroughly disinfect it.(use disinfectants– potassium permanganate, copper sulfate) and paint the structural parts. The pest can hide in greenhouse cracks. Make sure that the room is well ventilated.
- Do not fertilize the soil with compost.
Video: Another way to get rid of whiteflies
Do you still think that the most important thing in growing tomatoes is preparing the site and planting the plant? No and no again. The crop needs to be constantly looked after, protected from pests. Otherwise, the harvest may not be expected: it may be destroyed by an inconspicuous whitefly - a small moth. When correct managed care and following preventive measures, insect attacks can be repelled almost painlessly.
If you suddenly discover that a whitefly has appeared on your tomatoes in your garden, then under no circumstances leave things to chance. Whitefly is an insect that harms not only tomatoes. "Under hot hand"Other vegetables, as well as herbs and flowers, may also be included.
Whiteflies are small flies, no more than 3 mm in length, with wings covered with former plaque. They inhabit the plant in large quantities. Their largest accumulation is usually on the underside of the leaf. The main damage that whiteflies cause on tomatoes is the excrement that it leaves on the leaf, usually on its upper part. Initially they look like a shiny coating. Later, in places covered with such a coating, sooty fungi are formed, which are first white and then black.
The fight against whitefly on tomatoes begins with preventing its appearance. To do this, plants that are at risk of whitefly damage are planted in well-ventilated places with a low temperature, if possible 14-15 degrees. Because main reason the appearance of an insect - too close arrangement of plants in poorly ventilated places with high temperature and humidity.
If the plantings are already inhabited by whiteflies, control measures must be persistent. To begin with, if the plants are inhabited by adult midges, it is necessary to place glue traps nearby. Commercially available adhesive tapes designed for flies will work just fine. Can be done similar traps on one's own. To do this, paint pieces of cardboard or any other material in a bright color, for example, yellow or white (this will attract insects to the bait), and then lubricate the surface with castor oil or Vaseline. Insects, landing on such a surface, will stick.
The next step, thanks to which the whitefly on tomatoes will disappear, is spraying the plants using various chemicals. According to advice experienced gardeners, an effective folk remedy for fighting whiteflies - from the pharmacy, for the treatment of scabies. Of course, you need to buy not an ointment, but an emulsion, which, after diluting with water in a ratio of 30-50 grams of product per liter of water, will become a composition for spraying damaged plants. Do not forget to wash off insects and plaque covering the leaves with water, only then proceed with processing. Spray the plants every few days until the whitefly on the tomatoes completely disappears.
Another folk remedy is garlic infusion. To prepare it, pour about 150 grams of garlic with a liter of water, tightly close the lid of the container with the composition and leave for 5 days. After the specified time, the product is ready. Dilute about 6 grams of infusion with a liter of water and spray the plants with the same frequency and in the same way as in the first case.
If folk remedies, which are quite mild, do not help, do not delay complete cure and proceed to treatment with pesticides. When choosing a product, carefully study the instructions for use - not all products are safe for all types of plants. Consider the location of your plantings: some products are recommended for use indoors, while others are recommended for outdoor use. The method of use for different drugs is different: some are used once, while others require a course of procedures.
Some gardeners are sure - reliable means pest protection - greenhouses. However, it is not. A greenhouse can really protect plants from pests, but not from all of them, but only from a small part. For example, the building will not save you from whiteflies. This is a small moth (its size does not exceed 1-2 mm) white. They are found in “flocks”. That is, your plantings will be attacked not by one small butterfly, but by several hundred. Despite its small size, the pest causes irreparable damage and is capable of destroying the entire crop that you planted. Tomatoes can be especially affected. This happens as follows: the whitefly feeds on plant sap, sucking it and seedlings, dooming them to certain death.
How can you tell if a plant is suffering from whitefly? It simply begins to wither. The leaves curl and wither. Small black spots appear (places from which the moths sucked the juice), and the pests themselves can also be seen; in an advanced stage, their population is so large that these white bodies simply cannot be overlooked. In addition, it remains on the plants white coating(especially when whiteflies are just beginning to populate the plantings), it can be detected when inspecting the plant (you need to do this regularly).
Favorite conditions for the existence of whiteflies: high humidity air, high temperatures, windlessness. Very similar to those same greenhouse conditions, isn’t it? Therefore, the mythical statement that the greenhouse is the enemy of pests is truly a myth.
Another danger posed by moths is the liquid they secrete (honeydew). This is an ideal place for the development of fungus, so the damage from the pest can be double: sucking the juice out of the plant and infecting it with fungus (sooty fungus).
It is necessary to fight this infection, otherwise you may be left without a crop and with an infected area. It is quite difficult to eradicate midges from an area, however, with the use of comprehensive measures, it is quite possible. The main thing is to know the correct and effective measures to combat the hated whitefly. After reading this article, you will definitely find useful ways for yourself.
How to fight whitefly
Everyone knows that methods of controlling any pests are divided into three groups: mechanical measures, traditional methods and chemicals.
Using mechanical methods It is possible to remove large pests (eg slugs) or insect pests. All that is required of you is yours physical strength. Typically, these methods involve manually collecting pests, digging traps, and installing various repellent devices. Not suitable for controlling all pests.
Traditional methods- recipes for solutions that are prepared from ingredients available to everyone. They are especially popular because their effects are completely safe for both humans and plants. However, some methods are not effective.
Chemical treatment produced using specially developed drugs. They can have levels of toxicity that harm plants, animals and nature's helpers (birds, bees and others). However, now there are fewer and fewer such drugs; the most popular ones are safe. This method is more effective than others, however, it is not particularly popular.
Mechanical measures
The only one available mechanical measure here it is setting traps. Such units have adhesive properties. In the store you can look at the following:
- Argus;
- Bona Forte;
- Pheromones.
However, it would be advisable to use them only in small sown areas (otherwise it is simply not financially profitable).
If you don’t want to spend money on purchased traps, you can make alternative ones at home. You will need colored cardboard (so that you can easily distinguish small moths) and glue with for a long time drying (it is better to use products such as honey). Hang the resulting devices among the beds with tomatoes and change them as whiteflies stick to them.
In addition, glue traps are only effective for early stages appearance of whiteflies. If your plants begin to die, and you can clearly see a whole flock of midges on the leaves, it’s too late and it’s time to move on to other measures.
Another effective method, but too expensive when it comes to large plantings - fumigators. They poison the pest through airborne droplets.
Chemicals
Insecticides will help us fight and ultimately completely destroy whiteflies. These are special preparations aimed at destroying harmful insects, so their effectiveness increases.
- Karbofos. The good old remedy will really be effective in the fight against whiteflies. It is not so expensive: for 20 grams of the product the price will be about 30 rubles, for 60 rubles, respectively, 60 rubles. It is also available in liquid form - the price per liter is approximately 150 rubles. Minimum consumption: per 10 square meters you will need 10 milliliters of concentrated solution (mixed in 10 liters of water).
- Aktara. Also quite a popular drug, it is famous for its multi-functionality (capable of destroying various insects). A 4 gram bag will cost about 105 rubles. This amount is enough to process 6-7 hectares (0.6 ml diluted in 4 liters of water is needed per 1 hectare). The protective effect is about 3-4 weeks.
- Fitoverm. Available in liquid form: 25 ml cost about 110 rubles. Per 100 square meters you need 5 ml of the drug, diluted in 3 liters of water. This insecticide differs from the previous ones in that you can do several treatments at once with an interval of 15-2 days (no more than 3 times).
How to process
Don't forget to protect yourself when working with chemicals
To begin, choose the appropriate drug. Dilute it with water in the proportions indicated on the instructions. Treat using the method indicated on the package or the method most suitable for you (this may be spraying or watering). Carry out processing carefully, do not forget about inside leaf (the place where whiteflies gather in groups).
Use protective clothing, as some drugs can be harmful to humans and cause an allergic reaction if they come into contact with mucous membranes.
Very important point : when treated with the same drug 2-3 times in a row, whiteflies develop immunity, so the chemicals will not have any effect on them. Therefore, you should alternate medications.
Folk methods of struggle
- Soapy water. Dissolve a bar of laundry soap in a bucket of water. Water the plantings and areas around thoroughly. This will not get rid of whiteflies completely, but it will help reduce their population.
- Garlic water. Crush two large cloves of garlic and mix with a liter of water. Leave for some time (half an hour is enough) and water the affected areas.
Prevention against whitefly
- If there is high humidity in the air, you should not spray the plants.
- Avoid thickening plantings. Plant bushes at the correct distance.
- Don't forget to ventilate the crop.
- Plant only those tomato varieties that are resistant not only to whiteflies, but also to pests in general.
- Remember that before new plantings, the soil must be prepared. Clear it of last year's residues, tops and other products.
