Effect of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) infestation on eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) leaf

The nature of damage of sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) B biotype was investigated at the vegetative stage on eggplant (Solanum melongena L., family Solanasae, variety Baiyu) under laboratory conditions (temperature 25 ± 1°C, RH 70 ± 10% and photoperiod 12 h L:12 h D). The investigations were carried out after completing one generation of whitefly on the basis of morphology, physiology and anatomy of eggplant leaf. Significant differences were observed on three morphological parameters—leaf area, leaf fresh weight, and leaf dry weight. The reduction percentages of these three parameters were 26.6, 21.8 and 19.27%, respectively. Significant differences were also observed on two physiological parameters—chlorophyll content and rate of photosynthesis. The reduction percentages of these two parameters were 9.7 and 65.9%, respectively. There were no damaged tissue observed in the epidermis and mesophyll, but there were some damage tissue observed in the vascular bundle of infested leaf. There were no damaged vascular bundles observed in the control leaves. The non-damaged vascular bundles contained both xylem and phloem; while some damaged vascular bundles contained either xylem or phloem. Associated with the non-damaged vascular bundles on whitefly infested leaves were two settled whitefly nymphs apparently deriving nutrition from phloem sap. After one generation of whitefly infestation, the number of damaged and non-damaged vascular bundles of eggplant leaf was significantly different.