Evaluation Of Kaolin-Based Particle Film Coatings On Striped And Spotted Cucumber Beetle Suppression In Hybrid Yellow Squash And 'straight Eight' Cucumbers

Kelly Carter

Date of Graduation

Spring 2001

Degree

Master of Science in Plant Science (Agriculture)

Department

College of Agriculture

Committee Chair

Pamela Borden

Abstract

Three scheduled weekly spray regimes, two biweekly spray regimes of Surround and Thiodan and an untreated control were compared for the management of the striped cucumber beetle (Aclymma vittatum F.) and the spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardii). And the pathogen they vector, Erwinia tracheiphila, which causes bacterial wilt on the two crops tested, cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) and yellow squash (Cucurbit pepo). Treatments were compared at 2 locations for one season for their effects on prevention of bacterial wilt, fruit number, and fruit fresh weight. In an effort to determine an adequate spray regime for Surround, this study was set-up with seven treatments. The treatments were 25 lbs. Surround/100 gallons water, applied weekly, 25 lbs. Surround/100 gallons water, applied biweekly, 50 lbs. Surround/100 gallons water, applied weekly, 50 lbs. Surround/100 gallons water applied biweekly, conventional insecticide control, 1.2 ounces of Thiodan/gallon water, 25 lbs. Surround/100 gallons water, tank-mixed with 1.2 ounces of Thiodan/gallon water, applied weekly and the untreated control. The seven treatments were replicated three times. Results from these studies indicated that biweekly 25 lbs. Surround and the Surround/Thiodan mixture had significantily higher fruit weight and fruit number than the control treatment in the first week of data collection at one site. Thiodan applications did tend to increase summer squash yields in the early weeks at both locations, however disease incidence seemed higher where Thiodan had been applied. Some of the kaolin applications tended to increase fruit number on the squash and cucumber, compared to controls, but with the exception of the above average fruit fresh weight tended to be less than that of controls or Thiodan treated plants. Untreated and kaolin-treated plants had significantly less disease incidence than Thiodan treated plants.

Subject Categories

Plant Sciences

Copyright

© Kelly Carter

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