Insect Control on Staked Tomatoes, 1997

Abstract

Abstract Six-week-old transplants were set on 4 July at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Re-search Station (Fletcher, NC). Plants were set 18" apart within 20-ft rows and rows were on 10-ft centers. Single-row plots were arranged in a RCBD with four replications. Snap beans and squash were interplanted between treatment rows in an attempt to increase populations of stink bugs (SB) and thrips. Materials were applied on 6, 15 and 25 Aug, and 5 and 15 Sep with a tractor-mounted boom sprayer delivering 50-125 gpa (gpa increased as plants grew) through 7 hollow-cone nozzles per row (three nozzles on each side and one overhead). The list of evaluated materials appears in the results tables. The transplants used in the Confirm 70 W treatment, which was targeted at lepidopterous pests, were treated in the flat with Admire just prior to planting. PA populations were monitored by observing 10 leaves (3rd most recently expanded) per plot and recording the number infested with ≤ 1 apterous aphid. Pink stage fruit were harvested on 22 and 29 Aug, 5, 12, 19, and 26 Sep and 3 and 10 Oct. The total number of fruit and number damaged by TFW, SB, and thrips were recorded. All data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA and means were separated by LSD (P = 0.05).