Economic comparison of insecticide treatment programs for managing tomato pinworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on fall tomatoes
1990
The efficacy and economics of various insecticide treatment programs for preventing fruit damage caused by tomato pinworm, Keiferia lycopersicella (Walsingham), on fall plantings of staked tomatoes, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., were compared during 1982-1984. Methomyl (1.0 kg [AI]/ha) was used in all treatment programs. Weekly or biweekly applications of insecticide begun when larval density in foliage was greater than or equal to 10 larvae per 3 m of row resulted in less fruit damage than in untreated plots, but the damage increased throughout most of the growing season. Of the treatment programs examined, maximum net revenue (crop value minus treatment program costs) was observed when weekly applications were started at 3-4 larvae per 3 m of row (approximately 0.5 larvae per plant). Insecticide applications begun at this threshold produced less fruit damage than in untreated plots, and damage was stable throughout the growing season. Sampling larvae on foliage provided a direct method for accurately timing the start of weekly insecticide applications.
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