AERIAL ELECTROSTATIC CHARGED SPRAYS FOR CONTROL OF SWEETPOTATO WHITEFLY IN COTTON

by: M. A. Latheef, J. B. Carlton and I. W. Kirk

Research Entomologist and Research Agricultural Engineers

USDA – Agricultural Research Services (AWPMRU) Southern Crops Research Laboratory, College Station, Texas, USA

Written for presentation at the 1995 NAAA/ASAE Technical Session Mobile Civic Center, Mobile, Alabama,Dec, 5, 1995

SUMMARY

Aerial electrostatic spray charging technology was evaluated for seasonal control of sweetpotato whitefly (SWF), Bemisia tabaci (strain B), also known as silverleaf whitefly, B. argentifolii on cotton. Application treatments evaluated were an electrostatic charged and an electrostatic uncharged spray (applied with the electrostatic system) at full label a.i. rates; an electrostatic charged spray at one-half label a.i. rate and a conventional spray at full label a.i. rate. The spray mixture rate used in electrostatic system treatments were 4.68 L/ha. Early season SWFs were treated with two sprays with endosulfan + amitraz. Thereafter, four consecutive sprays with fenpropathrin + acephate were applied. Seventh and eighth sprays were applied with bifenthrin + acephate and esfenvalerate + profenofos, respectively. All sprays were applied when SWFs reached a threshold level of at least 5 adults per leaf. Spray applications began on July 17 and ended on September 13, 1995. Post-treatment counts of SWF adults were assessed by sampling top- and mid-canopy leaves, using the leaf-turn method. Eggs and nymphs were counted using leaf plugs. Electrostatic charged sprays with endosulfan + amitraz and fenpropathrin + acephate significantly reduced SWF adults in cotton to a level comparable to that of conventional sprays. Electrostatic sprays with esfenvalerate + profenofos reduced SWF adults significantly more than conventional sprays. Electrostatic charged sprays of bifenthrin + acephate resulted in a significant increase in SWF adults. The data suggest that improved control of SWFs on cotton can be achieved with electrostatic charged sprays with proper selection of mixtures of pest control materials.

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