Efficiency of Certain Evaluated Pesticides and Phytochemicals on the Inspected Aphids (A. gossypii) on Growing Cucumber Plants in Greenhouse and Market

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant Protection Dept., Faculty of Agric. Saba Basha, Alex. Univ.

2 Plant Protection Res. Instit., Agric. Res. Center, El-Sabaheia, Alex.

Abstract

The present research was carried out during winter and spring   growing seasons of 2014 for controlling the aphid attacking the cultivated cucumber in greenhouse. In the spring season of 2014, azadirachtin was evaluated against the aphid and compare with the tested essential oils, while in the winter season azadirachtin was compared with two insecticides (abamectin and pyrethrin). Metalaxyl as a fungicide was applied during the both growing seasons as a protective agent against the downy mildew. The results showed that onion oil and red basil oil were the most effective treatments throughout the test period of spring season in reducing the number of aphid giving the highest general mean of reduction percentages, 73.8%, 68.85%, respectively, but in winter season, azadirachtin and abamectin were the most effective treatment throughout the test period in reducing the number of aphid giving the same highest general mean of residual reduction percentage (74.17% and 74.15%), respectively, while Pyrethrin showed a reduction of 72.40%. The residues of the applied pesticides, were determined in the collected samples of commercial and experimental cucumber fruits. The results showed that the detected amount of carbohydrates; potassium and vitamin C were high in the sample of experimental cucumber fruits (prince variety), where the lower detected ones were recorded in commercial cucumber fruits (mixed varieties). Moreover, it was found that commercial cucumber fruits contained higher amount of the pesticide residues of propamocarb (a carbamate fungicide) (0.53 ppm) and iprodione (a carbamate fungicide) (0.19 ppm) which are greatly dangerous to human health. It is noticed that the Egyptian farmers are using so much pesticides and therefore, it is important to advise the farmers about the type of pesticides and the rate they are applying via safe recommendations.

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