The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae), is one of the most important greenhouse pests worldwide. In order to determine the susceptibility of the strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) to natural infestation of the cotton aphid in a passive ventilated greenhouse, seven strawberry cultivars were grown and evaluated. The cultivars 'Carmine', 'Festival', 'Camarosa', 'Treasure', 'Sweet Charlie', 'Earlibrite', and 'FL 97-39' were planted at a density of 22 plants per m2. No chemical insecticides or fungicides were sprayed throughout the season. Ten strawberry leaflets were selected at random, and the total number of aphids per leaflet was counted weekly. Five releases of Aphidius colemani L. and one of Lysiphlebus testaceipes L. at the rate of approximately 200 wasps per 18 m row were made. 'Sweet Charlie' (665.33 ± 73.3) and 'Carmine' (614.00 ± 98.5) sustained the greatest average number of aphids per leaflet on 11 and 4 December, respectively; while 'FL 97-39' (0.00 ± 0.00) and 'Camarosa' (0.33 ± 0.14) had the lowest number of aphids per leaflet on 5 November and 9 October, respectively. The population dynamics of the aphid showed an increase in all cultivars from late November to mid- January; however, 95% aphid control was achieved by the end of February. 'FL9739' was among the highest yielding cultivars in this study, which relates with the lowest number of aphids per leaflet throughout the season. 'Carmine', on the other hand, was among the highest yielding cultivars in spite of sustaining very high number of aphids per leaflet.
Species 1: Homoptera Aphididae Aphis gossypii (cotton aphid, melon aphid)
Species 2: Hymenoptera Aphelinidae Aphidius colemani
Species 3: Hymenoptera Aphidiidae Lysiphlebus testaceipes
Keywords: strawberries
Back to Ten-Minute Papers, Section F. Crop Protection Entomology
Back to Ten-Minute Papers, Section E, F, Fa, Fb
Back to The 2003 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition