Management of Thrips on Potato, 1992

‘La Rouge’ potato seed pieces were planted into a Krome very gravelly loam soil in a 0.2 ha research plot at the University of Florida’s Tropical Research and Education Center on 31 Jan. Fertilizer (1344 kg/ha of granular 8:16:16) was applied and incorporated into the soil on 21 Jan. The soil was fumigated with Terr-O-Gas (75% methyl bromide, 25% chloropicrin; 246 kg/ha) and covered with white on black plastic mulch on 22 Jan. Sencor 4 was applied (0.84 kg (AI)/ha) between the beds on 27 Jan for weed control. Plastic mulch was removed on 27 Jan and a furrow was dug in the center of each bed. Seed pieces were cut and dipped in 10 ppm Pro-Gib and then in Manzate 45 (0.26 kg/liter) on 29 Jan. Seed pieces were spaced 23 cm apart within beds on 1.8 m-center beds. Plants were irrigated twice per week (1.27 cm/irrigation) with overhead sprinklers. Four insecticide treatments and a nontreated check were compared. Treatments were: weekly applications of AC 303630 36 SC (0.11, 0.22, and 0.33 kg (AI)/ha); weekly applications of Guthion 2L (0.56 kg (AI)/ha) in combination with Lannate 1.8 L (0.50 kg (AI)/ha) and SunSpray Ultra-Fine Spray Oil (4.7 liters/ha); and nontreated check. All treatments were applied with Bond (2.0 liters/ha). Treatments were applied on six dates between 27 Feb and 2 Apr. Treatments were replicated 4 times in a randomized complete block design.