CONTROL OF SOUTHERN ARMYWORM AND TOMATO PINWORM ON STAKED TOMATO, 2006

Southern armyworm and tomato pinworm are the principal lepidopteran pests of fresh market tomatoes in southwest Florida. This trial compared present standards with a new chemical class that could provide growers an additional option for controlling these pests. Greenhouse-raised tomato seedlings were planted at the Southwest Florida Research and Extension Center, Immokalee, FL on 6 Mar 2006 at 36-inch spacing on 3 raised beds 240 ft long on 6-ft centers, each covered with black polyethylene film. A seedling of Amaranthus viridis was placed between each tomato plant to serve as an attractant for SAW. Admire Pro (imidacloprid, 42.8%) was applied at 7 oz/acre as a drench in 50 ml of water at transplant to control whiteflies. Maintenance fungicides Kocide® @ 3 lb/acre, Manzate® 75DF @ 1.5 lb/acre, Tanos® 8 oz/acre and Gavel® @ 1.5 lb/acre were applied as needed. Plants were irrigated and fertilized using Netafim® drip tape with 12-inch spacing between emitters and sprayed. The treated beds were divided into plots 30 ft long to which 7 treatments (Table 1) were assigned in a completely randomized block design with 4 replications. Treatments were applied using a high clearance sprayer made from a raised John Deere® model 990 tractor fitted with a HyPro model 9910-D50 diaphragm pump (maximum flow 14 gpm) connected to two vertical booms operating at 200 psi. Each boom was fitted with 3 or 4 ceramic yellow Albuz® ATR hollow cone nozzles to deliver 60 or 80 gpa respectively, depending on plant height. Number of TPW larvae and feeding damage on 4 plants per plot was monitored weekly 5 times starting 31 Mar. Damage was rated as 0 = no damage, 1 = 1% leaflets with damage, 2 = 2 to 5%, 3 = 6 to 15%, 4 = 16 to 30% and 5 > 30%.