Belle Glade AREC Mimeo Report EV-1972-5 May, 1972


 Evaluation of Aluminum Foil-Oil-Insectic d1da i1 LIBRARY
 Combinations In Controlling the Spread of pepperr Viruses

 T. A. Zitter, H. Y. Ozaki, and H. J. Janes dUN 2 9 972


 INTRODUCTION I.F.A.S. Univ. of Florida

 Recent reports have been published on the use of aluminum foil and oil
 sprays to repel. and deter aphid movement and transmission of plant viruses. To
 our knowledge both methods have not been used simultaneously. Because of the
 seriousness of the pepper virus problem in south Florida, experiments were conduct-
 ed to determine if these approaches alone or in combination with insecticides could
 afford some measure of control. At the outset it was realized that this approach
 might not prevent a plant from becoming infected, but instead could delay virus
 spread and thus increase the chances of obtaining a good yield.

 Experiments were conducted during the winter months of 1970-71 and 1971-72
 at the Morikami Farm, Delray Beach. Commercial pepper growers in the area suffered
 severe losses during both of these periods, indicating that heavy aphid pressure
 existed during both experiments.

 MATERIAL AND METHODS
 The 1970-71 experiment. Each plot consisted of two beds, 6 feet wide and 20
feet long with two rows of pepper per bed. Thus each replicate consisted of 80
feet of row. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four
replications. Essentially no windbreaks were present. Cultural practices were
patterned after those recommended by the Agricultural Research Center, (Ft. Pierce)
Morikami Farm, Delray Beach, with the plots receiving routine fungicide and insec-
ticide sprays on a weekly basis.

 The four treatments were as follows:

 (1) Check which received no treatment other than the routine sprays.
 (2) 1% oil spray (light-medium Volck Oil) applied twice weekly at the
 rate of 50 gal/acre with a knapsack mist blower (Solo Motors, Inc.).
 (3) Aluminum foil bed mulch (Anaconda Co.).
 (4) Aluminum foil plus oil spray.

 The Early Calwonder peppers were direct seeded on November 19, 1970, and the
aluminum foil was placed over the beds on December 23. A reservoir-equipped,
water-pan aphid trap and a pair of sticky board traps were situated next to the
plots to monitor aphid flights. These were checked on a weekly basis.

 The 1971-72 experiment. Certain modifications were made during the second
year of testing. The experiment consisted of six treatments in a randomized com-
plete block design with three replications. Each plot consisted of one bed, 6
feet wide and 20 feet long with two rows of pepper per bed, thus giving 40 feet
of row per replicate.


/ Assistant Plant Pathologist, University of Florida, IFAS, AREC, Belle Glade;
 Associate Horticulturist, ARC (Fort Pierce), Morikami Farm, Delray Beach;
 and Assistant Entomologist, AREC, Belle Glade, Fla.