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Title: Comparison of three single-nozzle operator-carried spray applicators for whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) management on squash

Author
item Simmons, Alvin
item ABD-RABOU, SHAABAN - Egyptian Ministry Of Agriculture
item HINDY, MOHAMMED - Egyptian Ministry Of Agriculture

Submitted to: Agricultural Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/23/2015
Publication Date: 11/26/2015
Citation: Simmons, A.M., Abd-Rabou, S., Hindy, M. 2015. Comparison of three single-nozzle operator-carried spray applicators for whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) management on squash. Agricultural Sciences. 6:1381-1386.

Interpretive Summary: Whiteflies cause problems in vegetable production worldwide. The B biotype sweetpotato whitefly (also called silverleaf whitefly) is the whitefly that causes the most problems. In small fields, gardens, and limited-resource crop production, personal backpack style spray applicators are commonly used for pesticide treatments. Three personal portable pesticide spray applicators were compared for their effects on whitefly control on summer squash. The Economy Micro Ulva sprayer resulted in more whitefly mortality as compared with the Arimitsu sprayer and the CZP-3 sprayer, although there was not a dramatic difference, and all five insecticides in the study suppressed the whitefly population by 73 to 95% over 3 weeks. These results on portable sprayer equipment will be useful to limit-resource producers, small scale producers and other individuals involved in pest management.

Technical Abstract: Whiteflies cause problems in vegetable production on a global scale. The primary worldwide whitefly pest is Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Insecticides are commonly used to mitigate the whitefly problem in vegetable crops. In limited-resource crop production, operator-carried spray applicators are commonly used for pesticide treatments. Three operator-carried single-nozzle spray applicators were assessed for their efficacies for whitefly (B. tabaci) control on summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) in Egypt. Each spray equipment was evaluated with five biorational and conventional insecticides. Counts of whitefly nymphs (first, second, third and fourth instars) on leaf samples were taken on 3, 9, 15 and 21 days after treatments with the insecticides. Nymphal mortality was not dramatically different among the three equipment treatments; morality varied about 10% among the three treatments. Yet, the Economy Micro Ulva sprayer resulted in significantly more nymphal mortality as compared with the Arimitsu sprayer and the CZP-3 sprayer, respectively. All insecticides greatly suppressed the whitefly populations; mean mortality ranged from 73 to 95% for all nymphs combined by day for a given treatment. These results on portable sprayer equipment will be useful to pest management practitioners.