| Abstract: | In Portugal during the 1960/1980s, there was intensive development of vegetable crop production, in particular protected crops, of which tomato was the most important. The main producing regions now are Ribatejo e Oeste, Alentejo and Algarve. Tomato presents extensive phytosanitary problems, being host to a wide range of pests, including the whiteflies Trialeurodes vaporariorum, in protected crops, and Bemisia tabaci, in protected and field crops. Portugal has applied for the status of an EU ‘protected zone’ for this latter pest. As B. tabaci is an important vector of a large number of viruses, including tomato yellow leaf curl viruses (TYLCV), a monitoring programme of the tomato crop was implemented in Portugal. Preliminary data are presented concerning B. tabaci in the three main tomato‐growing regions of the country. |
