Insect Control on Fresh Market Tomatoes in West-Central Florida, Spring 1983

Abstract

Abstract Transplants were set 15 Mar., 18 in. apart on 2.5-ft-wide by 8-in.-high beds of Myakka fine sand covered with black polyethylene mulch. Plots consisted of 10 staked plants and were replicated 4 times in a randomized complete block design. Treatments were applied 7, 14, 21, 28 April; 5, 12, 20, 26 May; and 2 and 9, June, with a 2.5-gal, handheld CO2 powered sprayer which was operated at 40 lb/in2 and delivered 70 to 100 gal/acre (gallonage increases as the plants grew). On 13 June, the numbers of large leafmines (ca. 0.5 inch or longer) were counted on the terminal 3 leaflets of the 4th fully expanded leaf from the tops of 10 branches per plot. The numbers of undamaged fruit and the numbers of fruit damaged by armyworm larvae (principally the southern armyworm and a climbing cutworm), tomato pinworm larvae or sucking pests (southern green stink bug, brown stink bug and leaffooted bug) were totalled over harvests taken on 6 and 16 jun. The percentages of damaged fruit were calculated and transformed arc sine (%)/(0.01) before analysis but data are presented in the original scale. After the last harvest, 5 plants were cut, inverted and shaken. Dislodged insects were identified and counted. The percentage of foliage affected by mites was rated 1 to 12 by the Horsfall-Barratt system. Analyses of variance were performed on all data and, if siginificant (P = 0.05). F values were obtained, means were separated by Duncan’s multiple range test.