Injury and Symptoms of the Whitefly
Adults and nymphs, with piercing-sucking mouthparts
- feed on soybean plant sap
- inject saliva and phytotoxic enzymes into leaves
- excrete excess liquid as honeydew onto leaves
Yield loss in soybeans occurs from
- plant sap removal, wilted leaves, stunted plants
- extensive sooty mold growing on honeydew-soaked leaves, which reduces photosynthesis
- incomplete pod filling caused by sap removal
No economic threshold has been developed for soybeans