Classical Biological Control of Bemisia tabaci in the United States - A Review of Interagency Research and Implementation

This book reviews interagency research and development of classical (importation) biological control of Bemisia tabaci (biotype B) conducted in the USA from 1992- 2002. The successful discovery, evaluation, release, and establishment of at least five exotic B. tabaci natural enemies in rapid response to the devastating infestations in the USA represents a landmark in interagency cooperation and coordination of multiple disciplines. The review covers all key aspects of the classical biocontrol program, beginning with foreign exploration and quarantine culture, through dev- opment of mass rearing methodology, laboratory and field evaluation for efficacy, to field releases, integration with other management approaches, and monitoring for establishment and potential non-target impacts. The importance of morphological and molecular taxonomy to the success of the program is also emphasized. The book’s contributors include 28 USDA, state department of agriculture, and univ- sity scientists who participated in various aspects of the project. Bemisia tabaci continues to be a pest of major concern in many parts of the world, especially since the recent spread of the Q biotype, so the publication of a review of the biological control program for the B biotype is especially timely. We anticipate that our review of the natural enemies that were evaluated and which have established in the USA will benefit researchers and IPM practitioners in other nations affected by B. tabaci.

Dr. Juli Gould received a bachelor of science in Natural Resources from Cornell University in 1982. She received a doctorate at the University of Massachusetts with a dissertation titled "Estimating the Impact of Parasitoids on the Dynamics of Populations of Gypsy Moths". Dr. Gould did post-doctoral research at the University of California at Riverside, where she was a member of the team that successfully controlled the ash whitefly with biological control. Dr. Gould joined USDA-APHIS in 1993 as the project leader for Russian wheat aphid biological control. In 1994, Dr. Gould moved to the Phoenix Plant Protection Center as project leader for biological control of the silverleaf whitefly. She also became project leader for biological control of saltcedar, an invasive, exotic weed. In 2001, Dr. Gould joined the Otis Survey, Detection and Exclusion Laboratory in Massachusetts. Her initial focus involved research on noctuid moths in the genus Copitarsia, with the goal of better assessing the risk posed by these species and developing better detection and interception strategies. Currently Dr. Gould is the lead scientist on biological control of the Emerald Ash Borer.

Dr. Kim Hoelmer studied biological control at the University of California in Berkeley, where he received his B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in entomology and studied behavioral ecology of natural enemies of whiteflies for his thesis research. He joined USDA in 1988 as an ARS research entomologist to study natural enemies of Bemisia tabaci in Orlando, FL, and subsequently served as an APHIS project leader of the Bemisia biocontrol implementation program in the Imperial Valley in Brawley, CA. Dr. Hoelmer transferred to the ARS European Biological Control Laboratory in Montpellier, France, in 1998 to conduct foreign exploration for natural enemies of mirid plant bugs, soybean aphid, wheat stem sawfly, and olive fruit fly. He is now with the ARS Beneficial Insect Introduction Research laboratory in Newark, DE, and continues to work on biological control of invasive insect pests such as soybean aphid and brown marmorated stinkbug. In addition to foreign exploration, the major focus of Dr. Hoelmer’s research has been the study of behavioral and ecological factors that influence the efficacy of predators and parasitoids, and the development of better and more predictable methods for introducing and establishing effective new natural enemies.

Dr. John Goolsby received his B.S. (1983) and Ph.D. (1994) from Texas A&M University in entomology. He is currently a Research Entomologist with the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) for the Beneficial Insects Research Unit in Weslaco, Texas. He specializes on biological control of weeds and insect pests. His current research focuses on biological control of giant reed, Arundo donax, in the Rio Grande Basin. He is also investigating the agroecology of insects vectoring zebra chip, a disorder of chipping potatoes in Texas. Formerly, Dr. Goolsby was director of the USDA - Australian Biological Control Laboratory in Brisbane, Australia. His research in Australia focused on exploration for the Old World climbing fern, Lygodium microphyllum, which is native to Australia and an invasive weed in the Florida Everglades. Prior to his overseas posting he was an entomologist with USDA-APHIS in Mission, Texas and co-project leader of the silverleaf whitefly biological control program.