Insect Control on Staked Tomato, 1993

Five-wk-old transplants were set on 30 Jun at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station, Fletcher, NC. Plants were set 2 ft apart within 20 ft long rows, and rows were on 10 ft centers. Single-row plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Insecticide applications were initiated at first fruiting, and applied on 28 Jul, 4, 11, 18 and 25 Aug and 1, 7 and 16 Sep. All applications were made with a CO2 backpack sprayer operating at 50 psi and delivering 50-100 gal/acre (volume increased as plants grew) through 6 hollowcone nozzles per row. Each row was sprayed on both sides with three nozzles spaced 12 inches apart on the spray wand. Rainfall was sparse throughout the trial period, with a total of 3.44, 5.44 and 1.95 inches in Jul, Aug and Sep, respectively. PA populations were monitored by observing 10 leaves (3 most recently expanded leaf) per treatment (40 total per 4 reps) and recording number infested with >1 apterous aphids. In addition, on 3 Sep, each of 10 leaves per treatment were rated on a scale of 0 to 3 (0 = no aphids, 1 = 1-10 aphids/leaf, 2 = 10-20 aphids/leaf, and 3 = >20 aphids/leaf). Thrips were sampled on 16 and 26 Aug by counting total thrips in each of 10 flowers per treatment (40 total per 4 reps). Fruit were harvested as mature greens on 17 and 24 Sep, and those damaged by SB, thrips, and lepidopterous pests (TFW, CL and YSAW) were recorded.