1. Insect
  2. Vegetable Crops
  3. Vegetable Crops
  4. Hosts and Pests of Vegetable Crops

Potato, sweet-Aphid

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Green peach aphid
Myzus persicae Sulzer
Adult on host
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Potato, sweet-Aphid
Green peach aphid
Myzus persicae Sulzer
Showing damage on leaves
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection
Image related to Potato, sweet-Aphid
Green peach aphid
Myzus persicae Sulzer
Female adult immature
© Ken Gray Insect Image Collection

Includes

Green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)
Melon aphid (Aphis gossypii)
Potato aphid (Macrosyphum euphorbiae)

Pest description and crop damage The green peach aphid is slender, dark green to yellow, and has no waxy bloom. Infestations may result in wilting. The melon aphid is variable in color but is often light green mottled with dark green. Unlike other aphids, it is able to tolerate hot weather. The potato aphid has both a pink and green form. It is a larger aphid. High potato aphid populations can distort leaves and stems, stunt plants, and cause necrotic spots on leaves. These aphids also secrete a large amount of honeydew that promotes development of sooty mold on foliage and fruit.

Aphids damage plants by sucking plant sap, which causes heavily infested leaves to curl and stunts plants; excreting honeydew, which causes sticky, shiny leaves to turn black because of a sooty-mold fungus growth; and spreading plant diseases such as alfalfa mosaic, tomato yellow top, and zucchini yellow mosaic (a large number of viruses are spread by aphids). Infestations frequently are localized; heavily infested leaves curl down.

Management-cultural control

Aphid populations tend to be higher in plants that are fertilized liberally with nitrogen.

Home gardeners can use row covers or wash aphids from plants with a strong stream of water.

Management-chemical control: HOME USE

Apply to both tops and undersides of leaves.

  • acetamiprid
  • azadirachtin (neem extract)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • bifenthrin (as a mix with zeta-cypermethrin).
  • capsaicin-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • carbaryl
  • cyfluthrin
  • deltamethrin
  • horticultural oil-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • insecticidal soap-May require several applications. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • kaolin-When applied as a spray to foliage and stems, it acts as a repellent to some insect pests. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • malathion
  • plant-derived essential oils (rosemary, peppermint, thyme etc.)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • pyrethrins-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • zeta-cypermethrin

Management-chemical control: COMMERCIAL USE

  • acetamiprid (Assail 30SG) at 0.047 to 0.075 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Limit 4 treatments per year. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/a per season.
  • alpha-cypermethrin (Fastac EC) at 0.02 to 0.025 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 4 days. Do not exceed 0.075 lb ai/a per season.
  • azadirachtin (Neemix 4.5) at 0.18 to 0.25 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • Beauveria bassiana (Mycotrol ESO) at 0.25 to 1 quart/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • beta-cyfluthrin/imidacloprid (Leverage 360) at 0.056 to 0.066 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.132 lb ai/a beta-cyfluthrin or 0.263 lb ai/a imidacloprid per season.
  • bifenthrin/imidacloprid (Brigadier) at 0.06 to 0.12 lb ai/a. PHI 21 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.13 lb ai/a imidacloprid and 0.5 lb ai/a bifenthrin per season. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not graze treated areas or cut for feed.
  • bifenthrin/zeta-cypermethrin (Hero EW) at 0.04 to 0.1 lb ai/a. PHI 21 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 21 days. Do not exceed 0.45 lb ai/a per season. Limit 2 treatments.
  • clothianidin (Belay) at 0.033 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 14 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a per year.
  • Chromobacterium subtsugae (Grandevo) at 0.6 to 0.9 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • cyantraniliprole (Exirel) at 0.088 to 0.133 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.4 lb ai/a per year.
  • cyfluthrin (Tombstone) at 0.044 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.263 lb ai/a per year.
  • deltamethrin (Delta Gold) at 0.012 to 0.028 lb ai/a. PHI 3 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 3 days. Do not exceed 0.14 lb ai/a per year.
  • dinotefuran (Scorpion 35SG) at 0.045 to 0.068 lb ai/a foliar; 0.293 to 0.338 lb ai/a soil. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Do not exceed 0.338 lb ai/a per year.
  • flonicamid (Beleaf 50SG) at 0.062 to 0.089 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.267 lb ai/a or three applications per season. Retreatment interval 7 days.
  • flupyradifurone (Sivanto 200SL) at 0.09 to 0.14 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 4 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.365 lb ai/a per season.
  • gamma-cyhalothrin (Declare) at 0.01 to 0.015 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 24 hr. Do not exceed 0.06 lb ai/a per season. Retreatment interval 7 days.
  • imidacloprid (Admire Pro) at 0.16 to 0.38 lb ai/a at planting and 0.043 lb ai/a foliar. PHI 7 days foliar; for soil application 3 days (leaves) and 125 days (corms). REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.38 lb soil ai/a foliar or 0.13 foliar per season. Retreatment interval 5 days.
  • imidacloprid (Prey) at 0.044 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.13 lb ai/a per season.
  • lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior II) at 0.02 to 0.03 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 24 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.12 lb ai/a per year.
  • lambda-cyhalothrin/thiamethoxam (Endigo ZC) at 0.064 to 0.72 lb ai/a. PHI 14 days. REI 24 hr. Minimum interval between applications 7 days. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai/a of thiamethoxam or 0.36 lb ai/a of lambda-cyhalothrin per season.
  • pymetrozine (Fulfill) at 0.086 to 0.172 lb ai/a. PHI 14 days. REI 12 hr. Two applications may be needed for persistent populations. Aphids stop feeding soon after treatment but may remain on plants 4 to 10 days, until they die. Do not exceed 0.344 lb ai/a per season.
  • pyrifluquinazon (PQZ Insecticide) at 0.035 to 0.047 lb ai/a. PHI 14 days. REI 12 hr. Limit 2 treatments. Retreatment interval 14 days. Do not exceed 0.094 lb ai/a per year. Apply by ground equipment.
  • spirotetramat (Movento) at 0.06 to 0.08 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 24 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.16 lb ai/a per crop season.
  • sulfoxaflor (Transform WG) at 0.023 to 0.047 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 24 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Limit 4 treatments. Do not exceed 0.266 lb ai/a per year.
  • thiamethoxam (Actara) at 0.047 lb ai/a. PHI 14 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.094 lb ai/a per season.
  • thiamethoxam (Platinum) at 0.078 to 0.125 lb ai/a soil applied. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.125 lb ai/a per season. See label for recommended in-row application instructions.
  • tolfenpyrad (Torac) at 0.17 to 0.21 lb ai/a. PHI 14 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Limit 2 treatments per year. Do not exceed 0.42 lb ai/a per year.