Evaluation of colored sticky traps to attract greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum

The greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum, is an important pest of greenhouse plants. To prevent the problems of using chemical pesticides in the greenhouse environment, it is necessary to use non-chemical methods. This study was carried out to evaluate efficiency of different colors and to determine the best light wavelength of sticky trap on tomato plants in greenhouse, during 2019–2020. Four experiments were carried out in a completely randomized design with 6 replications to evaluate the efficiency color of the sticky trap on attraction T. vaporariorum, throughout comparison between six colors (yellow, orange, green, blue, red, and white), and to evaluation efficiency height of the sticky trap on attraction, through comparison between three heights (30, 80, and 160 cm above the ground). Finally, the daily mean of trap capture and the light wavelength of the colored traps were measured. The results showed that, the orange and yellow colors had the best efficiency with the daily mean capture of 66.96 and 65.55 T. vaporariorum per trap, respectively. The most capture of sticky colored traps, was recorded at an installation height of 160 cm, with the daily mean capture of 115 T. vaporariorum per trap. The results of spectral measurement of traps showed that, the maximum wavelength reflectance in yellow and orange sticky traps were 580 and 600 nm, respectively. According to the results of this study, orange sticky traps with a light wavelength of about 600 nm, have the best efficiency in attracting and control of the greenhouse whitefly, T. vaporariorum.