Chemical strategy to combat insect's pest of melon (Cucumis melo L.) in greenhouses

Abstract

Insect pests in melon are complex to control and pesticides are used irrationally. The objective was to develop a chemical strategy for the control of insect pests in melon (Cucumis melo L.) under greenhouse. An experimental plot was implemented in a greenhouse in the community of Puerto La Boca, Ecuador, in the agricultural period 2019, where four treatments were evaluated: (1) Systemic insecticide (Thiamethoxan+lamda cyhalothrin) 0.25 mL/L + Contact insecticide (Avemectin) 2.25 mL/L (alternate application), (2) Systemic insecticide [(Thiamethoxan+lamda cyhalothrin) 0,25 mL/L + Contact insecticide (Confidor) 0.60 g/L (alternate application), (3) Systemic insecticide (Thiamethoxan+lamda cyhalothrin) 0.25 mL/L + Neen (organic) 4 mL/L (alternate application) and (4) Control (water). These treatments were distributed in a completely randomized block experimental design with four replications. Each experimental unit consisted of three rows with 123 plants. The response variables were plant height, stem diameter, number of nodes, number of total flowers, number of fertilized flowers, number of fruits, fruit volume, fruit weight. The number of insects in the traps before and after the treatment was also evaluated and a cost analysis was made for each treatment. The results showed that the best control was with treatment T2 [systemic insecticide (Thiamethoxan+lamda cyhalothrin) 0.25 mL/L + contact insecticide imidacloprid 0.60 g/L (alternate application)], obtaining an average fruit weight of 0.97 kg, with respect to the control which was 0.58 kg. With this treatment, a profitability of $2.10 was obtained for the supermarket and 46 cents for the local market.