CONTROL OF BROAD MITE ON BELL PEPPER, FALL 2003

David J. Schuster
2005 Arthropod Management Tests  
Broad mite (BM): Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks) Transplants were set 10 Sep, 12 inches apart on 8-inch-high and 32-inch-wide beds of EauGallie fine sand soil covered with white on black, low density polyethylene mulch. Each plot consisted of a single row of 14 plants with rows on 5-ft centers. Treatments were replicated four times in a randomized complete block design and were applied with a 2.5 gal, hand-held CO 2 -powered sprayer at 60 gpa on 20 and 27 Oct. The sprayer was outfitted with a
more » ... single nozzle with a D-5 disk and no. 45 core and was operated at 60 psi. All plots were sprayed for control of mites on 8 Oct with Microthiol Disperss at 3 lb product/acre and for the pepper weevil on 30 Oct with Actara 25WDG at 4 oz product/acre with a high clearance sprayer that was operated at 200 psi and delivered 60 gpa. On 23, 27, 30 Oct, 3, 10 and 17 Nov, one leaf from a terminal of each of 10 plants from the middle of each plot was examined for the presence of eggs and motile forms of the broad mite. Subsequent counts were discontinued because broad mite damage was so severe on the checks that there were no terminals to sample. Fruit were harvested from the middle 10 plants of each plot on 13, 21 Nov and 11 Dec and the number and weight of non-damaged fruit and the number of fruit damaged by broad mites were determined. On 4 Nov the severity of foliar damage due to feeding by broad mites was rated on a scale of 1 -5 by each of two persons where 1 = no injury, 2 = light leaf curling and elongation (strapping), 3 = moderate leaf curling and strapping , 4 = heavy leaf curling and strapping, and 5 = death of terminal and lateral growing points. The two values were averaged prior to analysis.
doi:10.1093/amt/30.1.e49 fatcat:k37bcvtwhjetdeg65efqkr74fu