LAUSR

Abstract Bemisia tabaci (Gennaduis) is a large complex of cryptic species whose members are invasive pests of economically important commodities, including cotton, vegetables, and ornamental crops. A new state detection of Mediterranean (MED; biotype Q) whitefly on poinsettia from a commercial greenhouse was made in Wisconsin in July 2018, bringing the total positive MED whitefly states to 27, indicating that MED is still expanding its geographical range in the United States. Middle Eastern Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1; biotype B) and MED whiteflies were the primary targets for this survey of agricultural ecosystems from field, greenhouse, and nursery plants. Seventy samples were collected from 19 crops across 23 counties in Georgia, with the bulk of the samples taken in 2016 and 2017. Five whitefly samples were collected in both 2011 and 2012, representing nine counties and five different host plants (verbena, lantana, pepper, cucumber, and poinsettia). Overall, cotton was the most heavily sampled commodity (n = 27), followed by 7 samples of bell or ornamental pepper and 6 samples each of poinsettia, peanut, and squash. Other crops sampled included soybean, cowpea, corn, snap bean, zucchini, kale, tomato, sweet potato, eggplant, cantaloupe, and mum. MED whitefly of the B. tabaci cryptic species complex was detected on verbena and lantana in 2011 and poinsettia in 2012 at commercial greenhouses. Only MEAM1 whitefly was detected in all the field grown commodities sampled in Georgia regardless of the year. This survey serves as a baseline for Georgia in the event that MED whiteflies are eventually detected in the field.