Compatibility between acaricides and foliar fertilizers in different water resources for citrus leprosis mite control Brevipalpus phoenicis

Abstract

The addition of foliar fertilizers to an acaricide spray tank is frequently used in citrus crop targeting to reduce application costs. However, its implications are unknown. The aim of this study was evaluating the effect of acaricide spray mixed to foliar fertilizers and also prepared by different water resources for citrus mite control B. phoenicis. Two laboratory experiments were performed in 2009 and 2010, using B. phoenicis infested orange fruits. The first experiment was about three bio essays, which the purpose had been to evaluate the effect of leaf fertilizers and cyhexatin, propargite and acrinathrin acaricides blends into B. phoenicis control. In the second one, leaf fertilizers and propargite and acrinathrin acaricides blends were tested and, in addition, the evaluation of water resources effect into the spray preparation. The results presented that foliar fertilizers as zinc chloride; manganese chloride, urea and the mixture of potassium phosphite + urea + zinc chloride did not affect the cyhexatin, propargite and acrinathrin acaricide action into controlling B. phoenicis infestation. The zinc and manganese chloride mixtures with magnesium sulphate and the addition of potassium phosphite decreased some acaricides efficiency as propargite and acrinathrin, therefore, primarily, they must not be added at the same application. Water resources coming from Itápolis, Pirangi and Pirassununga interfered in the propargite and acrinathrin efficiency over B. phoenicis control, but the Itápolis water resource had shown better results. There was also observed a pH and electrical conductivity variation after some fertilizers addition into the spray water.