Living and synthetic mulches were evaluated for control of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring, and melon aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover, in zucchini Cucurbita pepo L. Two living mulches, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.), and two synthetic mulches, reflective and white were evaluated. Results showed that adult whitefly populations were significantly higher in white (synthetic) mulch, and significantly lower in buckwheat (living) mulch compared with the bare ground control. Similar observations were observed with aphid populations. Significantly higher aphid populations were found in white mulch. However, reflective (synthetic) mulch had significantly lower aphid populations than the bare ground control. As a result of high immature whitefly densities, silverleaf symptoms on zucchini were significantly higher in the control than the other mulch treatments evaluated. Although high densities of immature whiteflies were recorded in the reflective mulch, silverleaf symptoms were significantly reduced when compared with the control. The competition between living mulches and zucchini resulted in significantly more marketable zucchini from plots with reflective and white mulch.
Species 1: Homoptera Aleyrodidae Bemisia argentifolii (silverleaf whitefly)
Species 2: Homoptera Aphididae Aphis gossypii (melon aphid, cotton aphid)
Keywords: mulch
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