Thermal Biology and Developmental Parameters of Bemisia argentifolii (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) at Constant Temperatures

Abstract

Bemisia argentifolii is a highly destructive polyphagous pest that infests a wide range of agricultural and horticultural crops, causing direct feeding damage and transmitting several economically important plant viruses. Understanding its thermal biology is essential for predicting population dynamics and improving pest management strategies. The present study was conducted to evaluate the developmental parameters and thermal requirements of B. argentifolii at constant temperatures under controlled laboratory conditions. Eggs, nymphal instars, and pupae were reared at different constant temperature regimes, and developmental duration, survival rate, fecundity, and adult longevity were recorded. Results indicated that temperature had a significant influence on all life stages, with development rate increasing as temperature rose within an optimal range, while extreme temperatures negatively affected survival and reproduction. The shortest developmental period was observed at higher favorable temperatures, whereas prolonged development and increased mortality occurred at lower or supra-optimal temperatures. Thermal constants, including lower developmental threshold and degree-day requirements for each life stage, were estimated to model population development. The findings demonstrate that B. argentifolii exhibits strong temperature-dependent growth characteristics, enabling rapid population buildup under suitable environmental conditions. The study also highlights the pest’s adaptability to varying thermal regimes, which contributes to its invasive success across diverse agroecosystems. These results provide critical baseline information for predicting seasonal abundance, optimizing monitoring schedules, and developing temperature-based pest forecasting models. The integration of thermal biology data into integrated pest management programs can significantly enhance the timing and effectiveness of control strategies against this pest in field and greenhouse cropping systems.