Effects of Insecticides on Leafminers, Liriomyza spp., and Associated Parasitoids on Spring Cantaloupes

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effects of repeated insecticide applications on leaf niner and parasitoid populations on spring melons. After four applications, none of the insecticides induced large build-ups of leafminer larvae. A new material, AC 303630, was very effective in maintaining low numbers of pupae. However, the results of this preliminary test indicate that all insecticides tested had a negative impact on the parasitoid population. In general, in the absence of insectcides, parasitoids were capable of maintaining L. sativae populations at low levels in the experimental plots.