Vacuum Fumigation with Ethyl Formate to Control the Green Peach Aphid in Packaged Head Lettuce1

Abstract

Vacuum fumigation for 2 hours with 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5% ethyl formate (EF) killed 93–97% of the green peach aphids [ Myzus persicae (Sulzer)] in film-wrapped, packed head lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.). EF at 0.5% did not injure the lettuce, but 1.0 or 1.5% EF injured 30 and 97% of the heads, respectively. Regardless of the EF dosage used, about 75% of the fumigant was sorbed by the lettuce within 1 hour. A 1-hour vacuum fumigation using 0.5% EF appears to be optimal to control the green peach aphid in film-wrapped, packed lettuce.