Identification Keys of Whiteflies Using Single and Multiple Access on Cultivated Plants in Bogor and Surroundings

Abstract

The whitefly (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is one of the most important pest groups in agricultural crops. This pest is considered polyphagous because it has a wide host range and diverse species. Whiteflies can cause damage directly and indirectly to plants. Direct damage occurs because this pest pierces and sucks the phloem sap of the host plant, resulting in wilting, inhibited growth, and reduced productivity. The indirect damage caused by whitefly infestation involves the accumulation of honeydew produced by nymphs and adults for the growth of sooty mold and can transmit some viruses to plants. Whiteflies are relatively small and are difficult to distinguish from one another. Furthermore, there are limited taxonomic publications on whiteflies in Indonesia. Therefore, this research aims to build single access (dichotomous key) and multiple access (lucid key) identification keys for whiteflies on cultivated plants in Bogor and surrounding areas. Whitefly samples were collected in the field using purposive random sampling methods and later brought to the laboratory to prepare permanent microscope slides. Whitefly identification was based on the morphological characteristics observed from the pupal case or pupa of the whiteflies. Subsequently, single access and multiple access identification keys are created, and multiple access is generated using Lucid Builder 4.0 Software. A total of 21 whitefly species were identified, three species belonging to the Aleurodicinae subfamily and 18 species from the Aleyrodinae subfamily. One species from the Aleyrodine subfamily has yet to be identified. There are several new hosts that have been identified, including ylang-ylang and Jerusalem cherry as host plants for Aleurodicus dugesii, saliara, and jawer kotok as host plants for Bemisia tabaci. Besides that, there are the Geiger tree and red shoot flower as host plants for Aleurodicus dispersus. Both single-access and multi access identification keys for whiteflies were successfully developed. The multiple access key offers several advantages over the single access key, including practicality, flexibility, and ease of use.