Methods for the control of whitefly (Aleyrodidae) in citrus: a systematic review

Objective: The work consisted of carrying out a systematic review of the methods used to control whitefly in citrus crops, the species of whitefly present and the organisms used for biological control, based on original articles published in the period 1950 to 2021. Design/methodology/approach: The study was carried out in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses. The literature was obtained from electronic databases. Mendeley was used as a bibliographic manager and a database was created from which the information analysis was carried out. Results: Two groups were identified as control methods: 1) chemical control and 2) biological control, the latter being the most used. Parasitoids were the most used as biological control, particularly several genera of the Aphelinidae family. Aleurothrixus floccosus was the most frequent in citrus orchards. Limitations on study/implications: Information is limited and scattered and there are no data on the efficacy of the methods. Findings/conclusions: The use of antagonistic organisms used as a method of biological control is of great relevance due to the effect they have on pests since they contribute to naturally regulating the population levels of insects that are harmful to citrus crops.Objective: To carry out a systematic review of original articles published from 1950 to 2021 about the methods used to control whitefly on citrus crops and the biological control organisms. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The reference works were retrieved from electronic databases. The Mendeley Bibliography Manager was used to create a new data base which, in its turn, was used to analyze the information. Results: Two groups were identified as control methods: 1) chemical control, and 2) biological control. The latter was used with greater frequency than the former. Several genera of the family Aphelinidae were the parasitoids most frequently used for biological control. Aleurothrixus floccosus was the most frequent pest in citrus orchards. Study Limitations/Implications: The information is limited and scattered. There is no information about the efficiency of the methods. Findings/Conclusions: The use of antagonistic organisms used as a biological control method is of utmost importance, given the impact those organisms have on pests. They make a contribution to the natural regulation of the population levels of harmful insects in citrus crops