Voracious melon aphid. How to deal with melon aphids on cucumbers Biological method of protection

Watermelon Pest Control Methods

To preserve the harvest of watermelons, it is necessary to take a whole range of measures:

1. All weeds are regularly destroyed (including those located near melons). This will help reduce the number of wireworms and melon aphids.
2. The soil is dug up in the fall, and thoroughly loosened in the summer.
3. Plants are regularly inspected. Leaves infected with aphids are torn off and burned.
4. For prevention, young plants are sprayed with infusion onion peel(200 grams per bucket of water).
5. In hot weather, watermelons are irrigated clean water. This will prevent the mass reproduction of aphids.
   It is necessary to apply crop rotation and timely treatment with insecticides.
6. Seeds are processed by "Fentiuram". Based on 3 grams per kilogram of seed.
   "Bazudin" is introduced into the soil to destroy wireworms.
7. After the appearance of sprouts, BI-58 is sprayed (against ticks) or Fitoverm (to kill thrips and aphids). If necessary, re-treatment with insecticides during the flowering period is carried out.

I decided a few years ago to acquire such a melon culture as a watermelon. Planted, but the result was deplorable. It turns out that the melon aphid was the culprit, which I didn’t even notice right away (it merges with the color of the leaves).
The next year, she did not abandon the idea of ​​​​growing watermelons, but decided to spray watermelon sprouts with an infusion of garlic and onion peels. This tool is effective, but only on young shoots.
Now I use such a drug as "Fitoverm". I don't watch aphids.

This year they suffered with melon aphids, there were just a lot of them, but still the harvest turned out to be good. For the first time I meet information that it is possible to treat melon seeds with Fentiuram, I always fought pests as they appeared. But now I understand that in order to save the crop, it is better to play it safe and process the seeds, as well as properly prepare the soil before sowing.

Watermelon aphid - often affects melon plants, this insect is capable of damaging 40 species of wild and domestic crops. Among them there are watermelons, aphids that have settled on them - main reason occurrence of fungal diseases.

Danger number 1 for gourds!

Adult aphids can be with or without wings; wingless aphids are more harmful to plants. If melon aphid breeds on watermelons, then the risk of various diseases - curly tops, cucumber mosaics - sharply increases. Ants contribute to the infestation of plants by aphids, these are their kind of "cows" that supply the ants with sweet secretions.

These little insects are waiting winter period on weeds growing along the edge of the field. In the spring they crawl to the garden and begin to lay eggs on the seedlings of garden plants. After a while, when the plants rise, the aphids move under the leaves of the watermelon and continue to multiply there.

Aphids appear on watermelons after acquiring infected seedlings, they are grown by ants (they carry larvae on their paws) and strong wind blowing from pest-infested areas.

What is the danger of watermelon aphids?

2. Insects secrete sticky substances that are almost ideal for the development of fungal and viral diseases.

How to quickly detect aphids

The presence of aphids on plants can be seen with the naked eye. It is only necessary to examine the watermelon bushes and pay attention to:

Availability white plaque below the leaf blade;

Inflorescences and ovaries wither and crumble;

Shoots become thin;

Leaves curl.

Regularly inspect the underside of the leaf, this will allow you to detect insects in time and reduce the risk of mass spread of the pest. The main task is to find the first aphid settlements, which are easy to destroy even by flushing them with plain water. If you miss this moment, then for sure all the watermelon bushes on the melon will be populated by the pest.

Fighting methods

Agrotechnical

In autumn, plant residues should be removed and burned;

Dig up the soil in the area to a depth of 20 cm;

Organize timely watering and proper feeding;

Foliar top dressing with a solution of potassium chloride at a concentration of 0.5% and superphosphate 0.1%%;

Sow seeds early or prepare seedlings;

Buy seeds of early ripe hybrids that resist pests well:

Constantly destroy weeds.

Biological

Plant parsley and dill near watermelon bushes;

Arrange in the beds with gourds crops herbs that strongly repel aphids - horse sorrel, tomato shoots, dandelion, celandine and garlic;

Spray the plants with an infusion of tobacco or hot pepper;

Spray gourds with ash and soap solution (in 8 liters of water, dilute 1 tbsp. laundry soap and insist there for a day 1 kg of ash).

Chemical

Watermelons are treated against aphids with insecticides - Fury, Ditox, Golden Spark, Aketellik, Confidor, Decis. They can only be used in strict accordance with the instructions. Processing is carried out only in dry weather, in the evening or in the morning.

If a plantation with watermelons is affected by aphids up to 10% of plants, then the pest can be destroyed with a 60% solution of karbofos. If the number of affected plants is greater, then you will have to use the drug "Commander". This is one of the most effective and inexpensive formulations against the pest. Most importantly, the effect of the drug continues after the treatment of plants, and it is effective even during extreme heat.

Important!"Commander" - a systemic drug is very toxic, including for the gardener. Its effect lasts for several days. For this reason, when using it, grown watermelons should not be consumed for a long time (until the chemical in the berries decomposes), and when preparing the working solution, you must follow the instructions exactly.

If shrubs or trees grow near the beds with watermelons, then in order to prevent the appearance of aphids, it is necessary to process fruit crops. This work must be done before the start of sap flow without waiting for the kidneys to swell. This prevention will help protect your site from the appearance of a pest.

Attention! On the open places use only systemic drugs, they are very effective. In protected structures, it is necessary to use preparations of intestinal and contact action, with correct use they won't harm a person.

In greenhouses, there is a poorly ventilated, closed space and it is not desirable for people to breathe toxic substances. No need to use insecticides alone long time, insects quickly get used to them, after 2-3 years you will not notice the desired effect.

Folk ways

1. With a slight spread of aphids on watermelons, you can use wood ash, adding tobacco dust to it, and pollinate the plants affected by aphids. For good adhesion of the drug, it is necessary to spray the plants with water in advance;

2. Soak 200 gr. in 1 liter of water. oven ash, insist 24 hours, then add 50 gr. finely planed laundry soap, mix the solution and strain, add 9 l pure water and process the watermelon bushes, trying to wet the lower part of the leaf blade well;

3. Half a kilogram of dandelion leaves, you need to pour a bucket of water heated to 40 degrees, insist this solution for 5 hours, strain and then spray the plants;

4. Take 200 gr. onion, grind it, add 120 liters of water, soak the solution for 8 hours, then spray the watermelon bushes;

5. At 1/3 of the volume, fill an empty bucket with finely chopped wormwood, fill the bucket to the top with water, soak for 48 hours, strain and process the watermelons;

6. Pour a liter of boiling water, 200 gr. tobacco crumbs, leave for 5 hours, add to a bucket of water, pour boiling water (1 l). Withstand the infusion for 5 hours, strain, add a bucket of water and process watermelons;

7. If a watermelon plantation is heavily infested with aphids, it is necessary, after picking the berries, to take out and burn the remains of the plants. After that, you can dig up the area.

There is no precise measure of effectiveness folk recipes. It can be assumed that there is little effect from the use of tobacco, dandelion, onion and ash products, with suitable external conditions- the presence of nearby pest breeding sites, the number of treatments, irrigation, wind speed, rainfall.

When growing watermelons, you need to remember that there are high chances of aphids entering your site. Provide for preventive procedures in advance, do not spare money and purchase in advance effective drug. Prevention should be done before planting watermelon seedlings on the beds. Use insecticides correctly, plan all treatments in advance.

This small insect is found in most different regions peace. The gourd aphid or Aphis gossypii, an almost omnivorous pest, can be found in the European part of Russia, Siberia, Japan, China, northern Africa, Europe, the Hawaiian Islands and Malaysia.

It develops on more than 300 types of cultural and wild plants. AT agriculture aphid is known for its addiction to gourds and cotton. It is dangerous not only for its large number and voracity, but also for the active transfer of viruses that cause diseases in plants.

Description of the insect

Larva

There are two varieties of this aphid: having wings in the adult state and wingless.

The size of the insect in the larval stage is less than a centimeter. The color of the body, depending on the variety, is yellowish or light green.

The larvae overwinter, hiding near the roots. perennials(for example, plantain or milkweed). well tolerated low temperatures while maintaining viability. The temperature maximum for wintering is -10 degrees.

In early spring, the larvae emerge from the soil and develop into adults within nine to twelve days.

Adult insects and reproduction

Control measures

• Prevention includes the timely destruction of weeds in the beds - that is, places for wintering aphids.
• The beds must be demarcated, making spatial isolation. This is especially true of watermelons, pumpkins and melons.
• If 10% of plants are damaged, it is necessary to treat them with karbofos (60%) or Phosbecid (30%) during the growing season.
• The new means of struggle include "Commander". One tablet of the drug is dissolved in a bucket of water (10 l). The solution can be treated with 100 square meters.
• When spraying, the lower part of the sheets is necessarily processed. Walls, aisles and paths are moistened in greenhouses.
• Effective and folk methods, such as spraying with an alkaline solution (fifty grams of laundry soap and two hundred grams wood ash to a bucket of water). Or pepper infusion (thirty grams of fresh hot pepper and two hundred grams of tobacco dust per bucket of water). The infusion settles for a day, filtered, mixed with liquid soap(tablespoon) and a glass of wood ash.

Aphids are a large group of insects. It has about 3 thousand species. Over time, scientists discover new types of aphids. Almost every plant can be damaged by some kind of this pest, including cucumbers.

It is not uncommon for gardeners to find yellowness on cucumber leaves. Gradually, the leaves curl and fall off. The growth of culture slows down significantly or stops altogether. On the inside on affected leaves, small insects can be seen, which can be almost transparent, light or dark green. This is an aphid that, without a timely fight, can destroy the entire crop of cucumbers.

Reasons for the appearance

Biologists believe that aphids exist in close symbiosis with ants. And it gets to the site with cucumbers precisely thanks to the ants. They feed on the waste product of aphids - honeydew (padya). It is a sticky and sweet liquid.

Aphids that live in the garden or in the greenhouse are often called gourds. The danger is that it is capable of destroying the entire plant, covering both young shoots and the ovary, flowers. The insect pierces the flesh of the culture, drinks cell sap and exudes poison. Under its influence, the leaves begin to curl. In such an impromptu "house" aphids live and multiply. Here it is reliably protected from birds and other insects that eat it. Aphids can also spread various viruses. As a result, cucumbers are affected not only by insects, but also by viral diseases.

Description of the pest

The gourd aphid has a length of 1.2-1.9 mm. The shade can be from almost transparent greenish-yellow to dark green. In winter, insects hide under the basal foliage of weeds. When in spring the air temperature warms up above +5 ° C, the aphid awakens and begins to multiply. On the underside of weed leaves, the pest forms entire clusters. Insects breed very quickly (up to 20 findings during the season). When the colony reaches such a number of aphids that there is little space on the weeds and there is a lack of food, the insect flies to other plants, preferring melons. During this period, young leaves are already appearing on the cucumbers, which become an ideal place for a further aphid population.

Starting the fight against aphids, it is necessary to simultaneously fight the ants that live in the garden.

Effective methods of struggle

The gourd aphid reproduces especially quickly in warm weather and high humidity. This pest, in addition to cucumbers, also affects dill, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, carrots, eggplants. Therefore, it is undesirable to plant these crops close to each other.

So that pest control on cucumbers gives positive result, it is necessary to test one or another selected tool on small plot. After achieving the desired effect from the application, you can process the entire area with cucumbers. Processing is best done in evening time. Under influence ultraviolet rays during the day, the drugs lose their toxicity.

Chemicals

Before planting cucumbers, it is advisable to disinfect the soil with help, which will serve preventive measure pest control. But if aphids have already appeared, these preparations can be used no later than 3 weeks before harvest (before the appearance of the ovary). This is due to the high toxicity of insecticides.

Aphid insecticides:

• Metaphos;
• Decis;
• Karbofos;
• Intavir;
• Kinmiks.

Foliar top dressing, which consists of 10 g of calcium chloride and 20 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water, gently affects the plant. The resulting solution is sprayed on the lower part of the foliage. Plants are re-treated after 6-7 days. This tool will also help fight ants. Processing cucumbers with chemicals must be carried out with regular loosening of the soil.

Important! We must not forget about health safety when processing cucumbers chemicals. Wash your face and hands thoroughly after spraying.

Biologicals

First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to drugs that are safer for human health. These are biological agents, after the use of which cucumbers can be eaten after 1-2 days. These include:

• Aktofit;
• Fitoverm;
• Arrow;
• Bithoxibacillin.

Plants that repel aphids

It is very useful to plant plants in the garden with cucumbers that repel pests:

• mint;
• marigold;
• thyme;
• sagebrush;
• thyme.

Near the cucumber beds, you can plant mustard or dill. They are very fond of ladybugs that eat aphids.

Effective methods for dealing with wireworms in a potato plot are described on the page.

Go to the address and find out effective ways treatment for ear mites in cats.

Folk remedies and recipes

The safest for fighting aphids are folk remedies. Those who prefer organic farming, refuse to use chemistry and replace it with products based on natural ingredients. They don't pollute the soil harmful substances and do not harm human health.

Proven Recipes:

• Dissolve 300 g of ash and 50 g of laundry soap without additives in a bucket of water. Leave the solution for 24 hours. Spray on aphid-infested cucumbers.
• 300 g of dried celandine pour 2-3 liters of boiling water. Let it brew a little. Then add another 7-8 liters hot water. Let stand for 2 days, and apply for treatment from aphids.
• 0.5 kg of green dandelion leaves pour 10 liters of hot water. Insist 3 hours and spray cucumber seedlings.
• Pour 1 kg of tomato tops with a bucket of water. Insist 4 hours. Boil the infusion and leave for another 3 hours. Add water, increasing the volume of liquid by 2 times. The tool is ready.
• Finely chop the garlic, place in glass jar. Add the same amount of water. Close tightly and leave for 10 days. Dilute 25 ml of the finished product in a bucket of water and spray the plants affected by aphids.

Folk remedies may not cope with insects if the area affected by aphids is very large. It is necessary to start treating plants when there are not very many pests yet. Means must be freshly prepared, as they quickly lose their quality.

26.01.2018

Hello dear gardeners! On the dachka-ogorodik.ru blog, we continue our classes on cucumber pests. And "visiting" us is a vile insect that infects cucumbers and others cucurbits- melon aphid. An adult individual of the pest hibernates on the leaves of weeds, in spring and early summer it lives there, on weeds, and then moves to the underside of a cucumber leaf or other melon plant.

Measures to combat melon aphids

divided into active and passive.

Among the passive ones can be attributed the breakdown near the greenhouse of beds with carrots, parsley, dill. By doing this, you will attract aphid enemies to the garden, who look at it as an object of food - hoverflies.

You can dissolve containers with sawdust in the greenhouse - earwigs, which also eat aphids, will settle in them.

Treat with care ladybugs- the worst enemies of aphids.

Hang a couple of birdhouses - the birds will help you in the mass extermination of aphids.

- Effective in the fight against aphids, spraying with infusion of tobacco dust, diluted soapy water. Remember that when spraying, 2-3-fold applications with an interval of 7-10 days are necessary.

- You can spray plants affected by aphids (moreover, not unsuccessfully), with a solution of tar soap (10 g per 1 liter of water) or a settled and strained decoction of wood ash (300 g of sifted ash is poured with boiling water and put on fire for 30 minutes; before use, add 10 l of water). Or an infusion of garlic or onions in a solution of laundry soap. Or infusion of nettle. Insecticides are also used to kill aphids.

- The gourd aphid will not have the opportunity for wintering and subsequent existence and reproduction with regular and timely removal of weeds.

- To combat aphids, insecticides and acaricides are also used, the use of which requires a waiting period of at least 30 days.

During the fruiting period of cucumbers, especially in hot and dry weather, biological preparations are used. They are usually used twice, with an interval of 14-15 days.

Traditional ways to deal with melon aphids

• Infusion of hot pepper. Take 1 kg of hot pepper, cut and boil for 1 hour in a closed enamelware, then leave it to infuse for two days. Strain, bottle, screw on the lids tightly and put in a dark, cool place. To spray herbaceous plants, we take 125 g of infusion for 10 liters of water plus 40 g of laundry soap.
• Infusion of horseradish. Take the leaves and roots of horseradish, chop, fill the bucket to half, add water and let it brew for 2-3 hours. Infusion sprinkle cucumbers.
• Soda solution. 1 st. Dissolve a spoonful of soda ash in 1 liter of water and add shavings of a quarter of a piece of laundry soap. Spray cucumbers with soapy water.
• Infusion of ash: pour 200-300 g of ash with boiling water, let stand to cool, then strain, add soap.

It is worth adding that the melon aphid secretes a sticky sweet liquid called honeydew (or honeydew), on which a sooty fungus immediately settles. And this fungus, growing into vast colonies, further weakens the already weakened plant.

Therefore, if, God forbid, such a misfortune happened to you, be patient. And just like in the fight against spider mite, alternate drugs used against whiteflies, because these insects are able to get used to commonly used drugs.

See you soon!