Silicon and acibenzolar-S-methyl as resistance inducers in cucumber, against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotype B

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of calcium silicate (CaSiO3) and of the activator acibenzolar-S-methyl (BTH) on resistance induction in cucumber, against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B. Antibiosis, free-choice and no-choice preference tests were conducted in a greenhouse and at laboratory of the, Departamento de Entomologia of the Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), MG, Brazil. The design was completely randomized, with the following treatments: 1) control; 2) application of 3 g calcium silicate.kg(-1) of substrate; 3) two 200ml applications of 1 % calcium silicate solution per pot; 4) two 100ml applications of 0.005 % BTH solution per pot; and 5) application of calcium silicate and BTH at the rates used for treatments 3 and 4. To eliminate the effect of calcium, treatment 1 (control) received I g of calcium carbonate (control). Calcium silicate and BTH diminished the whitefly population by reducing oviposition and increasing cycle length and mortality at the nymphal stage and can be chemical alternatives for the whitefly integrated management in cucumber.