Whitefly:

Causal Organism: Aleurolobus barodensis Mask

• Water logging and nitrogen starvation cause severe out break of whiteflies.
• Summer droughts and dry spells during monsoon season also favour build up of this pest.
• Varieties with broad and long leaves are more susceptible to this pest.                                                 
• The whitefly infestation retards cane growth and reduces sugar content. At 80% leaf infestation, 23.4% loss in cane yield and 2.9% units’ loss in sucrose occurs.     

                Fig: Symptoms of White fly

 

 Symptoms:

• The nymphs of white flies suck the sap from the under surface of leaves which turn yellow and pinkish in severe cases and gradually dry up.
• Heavy infested leaves are covered by the sooty mould caused by the fungus, which adversely affects photosynthesis.