Evaluation of Acaricides for Control of Spider Mites on Almonds and Impact on Two Beneficial Arthropods, 1997

Twenty treatments were evaluated in an orchard near Modesto, CA, to determine their ability to control spider mites and to assess their impact on two beneficial arthropods. The experimental design was a RCB with 4 replications. Trees were in the ground for three years and were approximately 7 ft in diameter and 10 ft tall. Sprays were applied with a 5-hp backpack mist blower on 8 July in 100 gallons of water per acre. Although this was a concentrate application, coverage was excellent due to the small size of the trees and the directed application. Prior to the research application, the grower had applied a field rate of Ambush for worm control with a commercial speed sprayer. Spider mites were monitored by removing 50 leaves per tree, brushing onto glass plates and counting pests and beneficials with a binocular dissecting microscope at 15X.