Determining the effects of the refugia plant on the whitefly population and the production of several cultivars of red chili (Capsicum annuum L.) was the focus of research conducted from March to June 2019 in the experimental garden, Faculty of Agriculture, Teuku Umar University, Meulaboh, West Aceh Regency, Indonesia. The genetic materials consisted of three chili genotypes, i.e., cultivar TM-999 and two hybrid cultivars, Lado F₁ and Lidia F₁. The experiment in a 3 × 2 split plot design had three replications. The factor studied was the presence of a whitefly. The Refugia (R) plants, used as main plots, included R0 = Control, R1 = Zinnia, and R2 = Kenikir. Red chili genotypes comprised the sub-plots, i.e., V1 = TM-999, V2 = Lado F₁, and V3 = Lidia F₁. The studied variables were the whitefly population determination, the percentage of attack rate, and the chili production per plot. The results showed that Refugia plants greatly affected the whitefly population, portion of pest attack rates, and chili production per plot. Specifically, the refugia plant highly affected the whitefly population (Refugia kenikir 1.41% compared with control 11.89%), the percentage rate of pest attack (Refugia kenikir 44.44% compared with 100% of check), and production per plot (kenikir 23.59 g compared with the control’s 23.07 g). Refugia plants are influential in reducing whitefly development/production.

Keywords: red chili (Capsicum annuum L.), chili production, Refugia plants, whitefly population

Key findings: Refugia developed a microhabitat that expects to contribute to efforts to conserve natural enemies. Refugia plants can be effective pest traps, especially whiteflies on red chili plants, because, in addition to providing temporary shelter for natural enemies of pests, refugia also benefits from biotic ecosystem interactions.