Document Type : Agricultural Entomology
Author
Abstract
It is unarguably important that insecticides suppress target pest populations, but
the primary goal for successful management of vectors of plant diseases should be to
minimize the feeding by all life stages on the crop. Thus, it is paramount that comprehensive
testing of insecticides includes assessments of how they affect probing and feeding
behavior and oviposition. In this laboratory study, we counted number of stylet sheaths
(indication of probing and feeding), total oviposition, and mortality of adult potato psyllids,
Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc)(Hemiptera: Psyllidae) when exposed to potato leaves treated with abamectin, flonicamid, novaluron, distilled water, and a surfactant. Treatments with abamectin, flonicamid and novaluron caused significant decreases in both oviposition and numbers of stylet sheaths. Choice test was included to simulate incomplete leaf coverage, and the results highlighted the importance of including the effect of canopy coverage (application method) in performance analysis of insecticides
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