Late Season Biological Control of Whiteflies in Fall Cantaloupe Using Formulations of Beauveria Bassiana

Abstract

Beauveria bassiana is a naturally occurring fungal disease of insects that has been shown to be an effective biological control against whiteflies in cotton and vegetable crops. Six treatments were initiated in drip irrigated fall cantaloupe on October 2, and repeated on October 9 and 23. The six treatments consisted of 1) a check or unsprayed plot; 2) 0.5 lb. Mycotrol WP/acre; 3) 1 Ib. Mycotrol WP /acre; 4) 1 pt. Mycotrol ES/acre; 5) 0.5 lb. Mycotrol WP /acre + pyrethroid tank mix; and 6) 12 oz. Naturalis-L/acre. Under moderate to light sweetpotato whitefly pressure, the Mycotrol formulations provided significant control (68-79%) compared to unsprayed check plots, and were superior to Naturalis-L formulation whose effects were relatively short lived. Mycotrol WP applied in three applications at the labeled rate of 1 lb. product/acre had the cumulative effect of maintaining adult whitefly leaf counts below the currently recommended economic threshold of 3 per leaf at 28 days after treatment initiation, under the conditions of this study.