Control of the Sweetpotato Whitefly in Cantaloupe with Endosulfan, Bifenthrin, and Other Treatments, 1991

Abstract

Abstract Cantaloupe was seeded into Sunshine Mix® potting mixture in 10 cm pots on 26 Mar in a greenhouse heavily infested with SPWF. Plants were transferred on 22 Apr into spray chambers (25 cm X 30 cm PVC cylinders) in a randomized complete block design with ten treatments and six replicates. Plants were irrigated daily using drip tubes to avoid wetting of foliage. Adults were counted on the second or third expanded leaf from the growing point and SPWF immatures were sampled on the oldest leaf using a 2.1 cm diameter leaf disk cutter 24 hours prior to treatment. Plants were sprayed to runoff (3 seconds/31 ml/plant, ca. 100 gal/acre) using a C02 backpack sprayer with two TX-4 hollow cone spray tips (Spraying Systems Co.) positioned 5 to 10 cm from the plant canopy (one above and one below) at 60 psi. Treatment applications were made on 23 Apr and 1 May. Untreated plants were inter-spaced between treated plants for an added source of SPWF adult re-infestation. SPWF adults were counted on the second or third expanded leaf on treated plants at 24 and 168 hours after the first application and at 24 hours after the second application. Immature SPWF (including eggs and all stages of nymphs) were sampled on one 2.1 cm diameter leaf disk/plarit and numbers were recorded by instar on the oldest or second oldest leaf at 72 and 168 hours after the first application and 48 hours after the second application.