Biological and chemical protection of melon crops against Myiopardalis pardalina Bigot

Abstract

The aim of this project was to explore the cycle of the pest’s development and to evaluate the efficacy of insecticides from the pyrethroid, organophosphate and neonicotinoids groups in controlling Myiopardalis pardalina Bigot in melon plantations under the conditions of Southeast Asia. Three kinds of traps were tested (pheromone, stick and feeding) for monitoring quarantine flies. The application of thiamethoxam/cyhalothrin (A) and chlorpyrifos/cypermethrin (B) in variant A, B, A in dose 0,2; 0,5; 0,2 l/ha was more effective than threefold applications of chlorpyrifos/cypermethrin in variant B, B, B in dose 0,7; 0,7; 0,7 l/ha during the growing season. Among all traps used, the lowest degree of melon damage (8.8%) was noted only for the variant with 10 pheromone traps per hectare, where the crop yield of melon was slightly higher than in the case of the other traps (16.63 t/ha). The combination A, B, A improved the quality of fruit, decreased melon infestation with ovipositor marks and significantly reduced fly population up to 14 days. Only chlorpyrifos residues were determined in melon after harvesting at an acceptable level.