News » 10.07.2026 - Earlier detection of whitefly with pheromone technology

Whitefly remains a persistent challenge in many crops in the Netherlands. Beyond the direct feeding damage they cause, whiteflies can also transmit various plant viruses, making early detection important not only for limiting immediate damage but also for preventing further spread within the crop.

Both greenhouse whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and tobacco whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) can develop rapidly under favorable conditions, quickly building up significant pressure in a crop. Early detection is therefore essential to identify populations in time and take appropriate action.

Dutch company HortiPro offers two dedicated pheromone solutions for this purpose: PheroDes for greenhouse whitefly and PheroBem for tobacco whitefly. Both products are designed to work with yellow sticky traps to detect whitefly earlier and monitor populations more precisely.

Whitefly requires accurate monitoring
Whitefly affects a wide range of crops. Greenhouse whitefly is commonly found in gerbera, tomato, strawberry and various pot plants. Tobacco whitefly is a significant concern in several crops as well, partly because it can be difficult to control and can quickly cause problems once populations increase.

Damage occurs when adult whiteflies and larvae extract plant sap. They also excrete honeydew, on which sooty mould fungi can grow. This can contaminate the crop, reduce photosynthesis and lower quality. In crops where product quality and delivery reliability are critical, early detection of whitefly is therefore essential.

Especially important in poinsettia
In poinsettia, keeping whitefly pressure low is especially important. Because of export requirements and quality standards, growers aim to minimize the presence of whitefly as much as possible. Effective monitoring helps identify pressure in the crop early and determine more precisely whether additional measures are needed.

In crops with high quality demands, pheromone technology can be a valuable addition to regular scouting. By making whitefly visible on sticky traps earlier and more clearly, growers gain better insight into population development.

PheroDes and PheroBem
With PheroDes, HortiPro focuses on the detection and monitoring of greenhouse whitefly. This pheromone is used together with yellow sticky traps and helps growers get a clearer picture of greenhouse whitefly presence in the crop.

PheroBem was developed for tobacco whitefly. This pheromone is also applied in combination with yellow sticky traps and supports growers in monitoring tobacco whitefly populations.

Practical application in the greenhouse
For effective use, the pheromone dispensers are placed in yellow sticky traps with a central hole designed for the dispenser. The traps can be positioned in the greenhouse in different ways, depending on the crop and growing system.

In upright crops such as tomato, traps can be stapled to roller hooks, for example. In ornamental crops or pot plants, traps can be attached using magnetic hooks or placed on sticks among the plants.

Regular inspection of the traps remains important. Weekly monitoring of catches provides a clearer picture of population development and allows growers to assess the effectiveness of measures taken. Heavily soiled traps should be replaced promptly.

More control over whitefly
With PheroDes and PheroBem, growers gain additional tools to detect and monitor whitefly more precisely.

For crops in which whitefly poses a risk, such as gerbera, tomato, strawberry and poinsettia, pheromone technology offers a practical way to gain faster insight into pest pressure. This allows growers to respond earlier, take more targeted action and keep whitefly development under better control.

For questions about the application of PheroDes or PheroBem, growers can contact their crop protection advisor or HortiPro directly.

Source: www.floraldaily.com

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