Reduction of yield losses in pepper crops caused by potato virus Y in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, using plastic mulch and Yellow sticky traps

Abstract

Potato virus Y is the major cause of crop losses in pepper in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. An evaluation of the efficacy of five treatments to reduce transmission of the virus to pepper by aphids was conducted. The use of white plastic mulch was the most effective, resulting in a 32% yield increase over the untreated control. Yellow sticky plastic traps also had a significant beneficial effect on the yield, but mineral oil sprays as well as a neem-derived product were ineffective. Weekly mercaptothion (malathion) sprays caused an increase in virus incidence, and yields were only 49% that of the untreated control.