New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science
abstracts
Effect of imidacloprid foliar treatment and banana leaf age on Pentalonia nigronervosa (Hemiptera, Aphididae) survival
Jacqueline D. Robson
Mark G. Wright*
3050 Maile Way, Room 310
Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI 96822, United States
email: markwrig@hawaii.edu
Rodrigo P. P. Almeida
137 Mulford Hall
Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management
University of California, Berkeley
CA 94720, United States
Abstract Pentalonia nigronervosa, the banana aphid, is the vector of Banana bunchy top virus to banana. This virus is the etiological agent of banana bunchy top disease, a limiting factor in many banana growing regions, including Hawaii, United States. Laboratory bioassays on banana plants were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of imidacloprid (Provado®), to control P. nigronervosa by comparing insect mortality at four different insecticide concentrations (120, 60, 24, and 12 ppm) over 1 month, and compared effects on the aphids on new emerging, and old leaf material. We found significant differences between treatments and time after treatment. Aphids survived poorly on newer plant growth, regardless of presence or absence of imidacloprid, or time after treatment. Examining the insecticidal effect on old leaves only, we found that the three highest concentration treatments resulted in high mortality over the 4-week-long period of testing. Our results confirm that imidacloprid foliar application on bananas results in effective control of aphids and does not become systemic within the plant. From these results, it is likely that management of banana aphid using imidacloprid under field conditions will be effective on old leaves and new leaves that are sprayed, but leaves emerging after sprays will not be completely protected from aphids. Regular scouting for aphids should be implemented in support of imidacloprid applications.
Keywords banana bunchy top virus; pest management; Provado; vector
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2007, Vol. 35: 415–422
0014–0671/07/3504–0415 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2007
*Author for correspondence.
H07057; Online publication date 15 November 2007
Received 16 May 2007; accepted 30 July 2007
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