Fighting aphids on eggplant seedlings
Aphids on eggplant seedlings both in the open field and in the greenhouse lead to a lack of harvest, the death of the culture. Extermination of the insect should be carried out at the beginning of its development. Chemical and folk methods will help with this.
Fighting aphids on eggplant seedlings
Description of the pest
Eggplant affects 2 types of aphids. The green peach attacks the eggplant early in the season in mid to southern latitudes.
The insect is light green and light pink. The pigmentation of the affected plant affects the color of the pest. The color also changes from the air temperature: the lower it is, the darker the color.
The stage of the insect's life cycle affects the presence of wings. Aphids have “horns” on the back of the abdomen. Winged individuals have a dark spot at the apex of the abdomen.
Melon or cotton aphids on eggplants appear in the southern regions in the middle of summer, because it needs high air temperature for development and reproduction. Insects vary in size and shape within a species. Adults come with or without wings. The color of the pest can be either green-yellow or black. The darker the insect, the larger it is.
Small light-colored individuals grow slowly, reproduce, and move around.
Their colony rarely grows to cause a lot of damage to the plant.
Large pests of dark shades of blue, green, brown, black multiply rapidly. They can destroy eggplant plantations in a few days.
Both types cause significant damage to the plant:
- Insects suck out the juice, weakening the eggplant. Culture slows down growth, dies.
- The waste product of the pest is sticky honeydew. Aphids on eggplant seedlings lead to the formation and development of black mold, which slows down photosynthesis.
The parasite carries viral (tobacco mosaic), fungal diseases.
Biological and physical methods of control
The biological method will help to reduce the population - attracting the natural enemies of insects to seedlings - ladybirds. For them, aphids are a food source. Most of all, aphids eat insect larvae - up to 100 individuals of the pest. In the case when the ladybirds could not be lured to the garden, other methods of struggle are used.
Due to the fact that the pest is slow and does not have a protective shell, it is not difficult to physically destroy it by hand. Eggplants are cultivated in small beds, so the procedure does not take much time.
The flushing method is also effective. Insects have weak legs, so they easily fly off the plant. Cold tap water will not work. Water is used at room temperature. As a tool - a spray bottle. The strong flow from the hose can damage the delicate leaves of the crop. The water is directed so that insects are not carried away to other crops.
Chemicals
Processing is carried out in dry weather
Some chemical insecticides are dangerous to humans. They are used to combat severe insect damage to the plant, when sparing folk and physical remedies are not effective.
The preparations are not applied during flowering and fruiting. Processing is carried out in dry, calm weather in the early morning or late evening. The working fluid is prepared in the open air.
Chemicals are divided according to the principle of action:
- contact - penetration through the chitinous cover;
- intestinal - entering the digestive system, followed by absorption into the blood;
- systemic - long-term impregnation for 3-4 weeks of the plant that the insect feeds on.
The drug Prestige has a systemic effect on aphids. Before processing it is diluted 1x15 / 20. The bushes are sprayed evenly. The product protects the plant from aphids for 40 days.
Insecticide Aktara is introduced into the soil, the culture is sprayed with it. 1 package of the substance is dissolved in 1 liter of water. This is a stock solution. Before spraying, take 200 g of the mixture, add 4 liters of water. Close the lid tightly and spray.
The Actellik product is used both outdoors and in a greenhouse. It acts on the intestinal tract of the insect, causing paralysis.
The solution is prepared by diluting 1 ampoule with water at room temperature. The product is stirred. For severe damage, use 2 ampoules.
Use other chemical, no less effective drugs: Karbofos, Decis Profi, etc. They are diluted according to the instructions.
Folk remedies
A mixture of soap and water helps to fight aphids on seedlings of homemade eggplants. Use any container that is filled with warm water. Add dishwashing detergent in a ratio of 2 tsp / 1 l of water. Cover the dishes with a lid and mix thoroughly. Begin to spray the beds from the lower leaves upward. Then the tops of the leaves, shoots, and trunk are treated. The tool kills the parasite in an hour.
Perform the procedure early in the morning or on a cloudy day. Direct sunlight combined with detergent can burn the plant.
The mixture with oil is prepared as follows: mix 1x1 warm water with oil. Vegetable, horticultural will do. Plants are treated in a similar manner.
The onion and garlic remedy is one of the most effective. You should take 1 small onion, 2 cloves of garlic. Plants are crushed. Add 1 tbsp. baby shampoo, pour 2 glasses of warm water. The solution is stirred in a blender, let it brew overnight.
Filter the sediment and wring it out before spraying. The thick mixture is diluted with a little water.
After treatment, the plant is washed with clean warm water. Spraying washes away dead insects and product.
Fumigation of the room with tobacco smoke will help fight aphids on eggplants grown in a greenhouse. Insects do not tolerate smoke, they die within an hour.
Conclusion
To prevent the appearance of aphids on eggplant seedlings, preventive measures are important. Before planting a new crop, the plant is inspected for the presence of pests. the pest tends to spread throughout the garden. Planting umbrella plants such as parsley, carrots, and fennel will scare away the parasite. Correct, regular feeding will minimize insect damage.