Bemisia: Bionomics and Management of a Global Pest

This is the most informative compilation I have ever read. The original workshop took place in 2006, and all information was updated to produce the book. Worldwide outbreaks of Bemisia in the past 25 yr have been economically devastating. In the future, we can expect this trend to continue, especially with the spread of insecticide-resistant biotype Q. I read about whiteflies in the context of pesticide resistance and tolerance but had no idea how quickly an insect species can evolve. (When you do research with Lepidoptera, such mental blocks might be normal.) The anatomy and morphology of Bemisia species (especially in the Bemisia tabaci Gennadius complex) is amazing. What distinguishes one sibling group from the other? Section I (edited and introduced by R. J. Gill and J. K. Brown) describes the systematics and applications of multilocus molecular analysis to justify the B. tabaci complex. Section II (Biology and Ecology of B. tabaci, edited and introduced by S. E. Naranjo and J. P. Legg) focuses on B. tabaci biology, ecology, virus–vector interaction, epidemiology, and integrated pest management. The exposition of these topics is extraordinarily well written. Because of my background, my personal favorite is Chapter 4 by G. P. Walker, T. M. Perring, and T. P. Freeman. Functional anatomy and feeding behavior in relation to life history is a difficult topic to describe, and the authors' description is simply outstanding. Section III (Biology and Epidemiology of Bemisia-Vectored Viruses, edited and introduced by M. Lapidot and J. E. Polston) is impressive in its detail. Section IV (Management of Bemisia in Diverse Cropping Systems, edited and introduced by D. Gerling and A. R. Horowitz) is huge, detailed, and clearly written. Section V (introduced by J. K. Brown) has only one chapter. H. Czosnek and J. K Brown describe the frightening evolution of Bemisia to superbug status. Philip A. Stansly and Steven S. E. Naranjo are to be congratulated in compiling and editing this wonderful book. Would I buy the book? Yes. I highly recommend that this text be used in any graduate entomology course that includes the concepts of integrated pest management. It is a must! Could a student afford the purchase price? No! I recommend that Springer release a low-cost electronic version immediately.