Timothy Vandervoet Conference Summary

Timothy Vandervoet
Ph.D. Candidate
Entomology & Insect Science GIDP

Conference Summary
International Whitefly Symposium
Arusha, Tanzania
February 14-19, 2016

From February 14-19th, 2016 I attended the 2nd International Whitefly Symposium (IWS) in Arusha, Tanzania. The sweetpotato whitefly species complex, Bemisia tabaci sensu lato, are major insect pests that feeds on hundreds of plants and numerous economically valuable crops. This year’s conference was held in east Africa to highlight the incredible need for solutions to the whitefly-vectored Cassava Brown Streak Disease, and Cassava Mosaic Disease. These diseases can devastate cassava production, a crop that millions in Africa are dependent on for subsistence.

 The conference was well attended, especially with scientists and students from east Africa and I was fortunate to meet with and talk to many of the whitefly researchers present. I’m very intent on pursuing a career in whitefly research in Africa, and the opportunity to introduce myself and my research to so many scientists was quite valuable. I presented a talk on the research we’ve conducted, discussing successes in Arizona cotton production for whitefly management and how we can improve whitefly management further by incorporating the effects of conservation biological control. We’re hopeful that the research conducted here in Arizona can serve as a model for whitefly management in different cropping and pest systems and regions throughout the world. The need for improved whitefly management is great and was especially reinforced at the conference. I received positive feedback from multiple participants and look forward to publishing this research soon.

 There were many excellent talks that I was able to attend at the 2nd IWS, many focused on how much remains to be understood in whitefly systematics and the need to standardize our naming. In this regard, I was slightly disappointed with the lack of possible solutions proffered for whitefly control in cassava. While this may in part reflect the lack of research focusing specifically on how to control whiteflies, this also indicates how much work there remains. I was also surprised to find a lack of work focusing on the dissemination of knowledge to farmers in Africa. I feel that this is major need, and perhaps an opportunity for me to pursue in the future. A great deal of emphasis was placed on the need for improved whitefly management by every speaker, and I look forward to learning of insights presented at the next IWS, likely to be held in Australia in 2018.

 I returned to Tucson with new ideas and optimism for my future in whitefly management and renewed desire to finish my dissertation quickly, so that I might soon pursue other challenges in whitefly control. I look forward to applying the knowledge I gained at this conference to my future work and possible career.