CHEMICAL HANDLING OF THE PRINCIPAL PESTS OF MELON CULTIVATION UNDER TWO SOWING SYSTEMS, LOS SANTOS, PANAMA, 1999.

Abstract

The trail was established at the end of January of 1999, in order to measure the insecticide effectiveness and the effect of pruning of the guides on the populations of the principal pests of the melon cultivation. It was used a randomized complete block design with four repetitions in a split-plot arrangement. Evaluated insecticides were endosulfan, acetamiprid, piriproxifeno y tefubenozide plus a control plot. The second factor was pruning of the guides of the melon plant. Results of this trail indicated a small tendency of reducing aphid populations on the plots in which the guides were pruned. About the number of white flies per leaf, it was not observed this tendency. The insecticides of best aphid control were acetamiprid followed by endosulfan. These two insecticides also showed good white fly control. Piriproxifeno only controlled aphids during the first stage of the cultivation. Acetamiprid controlled efficiently the driller of the melon fruit.