Integrated Control of the European Red Mite With and Without the Mite Suppressant Dinocap12

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to investigate new tactics for controlling Panonychus ulmi (Koch) in Pennsylvania apple orchards. In the 1st experiment, 5 insecticide treatments were applied in a season-long program. Two replicates received the mite suppressant fungicide Dikar® (74% a coordination product of zinc ion and managanese ethylene bisdithio-carbamate + 6% dinocap) and 2 replicates received the nonmite suppressant fungicides captan plus sulfur. The mite population in most captan treatments began to increase earlier than in the Dikar treatments, which encouraged an earlier increase in the mite predator Stethorus punctum (LeConte). One timely low dosage of cyhexatin to each fungicide treatment supplemented S. punctum predation and kept the mite population at low levels the remainder of the season. A 2nd experiment was conducted in a mixed apple cultivar block. No oil or dinocap was used during the season. The S. punctum population increased throughout the season and exerted continuous pressure on the mite population. During July and Aug. the predatory mite Amblyseius fallacis (Garman) reached high numbers and contributed to mite control. Cyhexatin was applied 3 times for a total of 282 g/ha for the season. These experiments demonstrated that integrated biological and chemical control of the European red mite in Pennsylvania apple orchards can be successful without the use of dinocap. They also demonstrated the utility of low dosages of a miticide in manipulating the European red mite population to make more effective use of mite predators.