Management of Insects on Fresh Market Tomatoes, Spring 1996A

Transplants were set 27 Feb, 18 inches apart on 8-inch-high beds of EauGallie fine sand covered with white polyethylene mulch. Each plot consisted of a single 15 ft row with rows on 5 ft centers. Treatments were replicated 4 times in a randomized complete block design and were applied with a 2.5 gal, hand-held CO2-powered sprayer on 10, 17, 25 Apr, 1,8, 15, 22, 29 May, and 5 Jun. The sprayer was operated at 60 psi and delivered 90 gpa the first four applications and 120 gpa for the remaining applications using a single nozzle fitted with a D-5 disk and #25 core. On 7 Jun, the numbers of tomato pinworm leafmines and leaf rolls were counted by two persons in a 2 min. whole plot search. On 20 May, the numbers of Liriomyza spp. leafmines were counted by two trained observers in a 1 minute whole plot search. On 20 May and 7 Jun, each plot was rated by two persons for increasing percentage of defoliation by southern armyworm larvae using the Horsfall-Barratt system. With this system, ratings of 1-12 corresponded to 1-100% defoliation. The ratings were averaged prior to analysis. Pinworm and leafminer damage counts of both persons were totalled and damage ratings were averaged. Fruit were harvested on 22 May and 3 Jun. The number and weight of undamaged fruit and the number of fruit damaged by armyworm larvae, flower thrips (fruit with five or more oviposition dimples on the blossom end) and stinkbugs were determined.