Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook

Tomato-Aphid

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

Includes

Green peach aphid (Myzus persicae)
Potato aphid (Macrosiphum euphorbiae)

Pest description, crop damage and life history

See:

Common Pests of Vegetable Crops

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

  • acetamiprid
  • azadirachtin (neem oil)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • bifenthrin (often as a mix with zeta-cypermethrin).
  • capsaicin-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • carbaryl
  • cyfluthrin
  • deltamethrin
  • esfenvalerate
  • gamma-cyhalothrin
  • horticultural oil-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • imidacloprid
  • insecticidal soap-May require several applications. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • lambda-cyhalothrin
  • malathion
  • permethrin
  • plant essential oils (rosemary, 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 0.038 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 or four treatments per season.
  • afidopyropen (Sefina Inscalis) at 0.01 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.09 lb ai/a per year.
  • alpha-cypermethrin (Fastac EC) at 0.02 to 0.025 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.075 lb ai/a per season.
  • azadirachtin (Neemix 4.5)-See label for rates. Acts slowly; apply early. PHI 0 days. REI 4 hr. Thorough coverage and repeat applications are necessary. Some formulations are 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 (Baythroid XL) at 0.013 to 0.022 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.132 lb ai/a per season.
  • beta-cyfluthrin/imidacloprid (Leverage 360) at 0.089 to 0.096 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.12 lb ai/a beta-cyfluthrin or 0.24 lb ai/a imidacloprid per season.
  • bifenthrin (Brigade WSB) at 0.033 to 0.08 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 10 days. Limit 4 treatments. Do not exceed 0.32 lb ai/a per season.
  • bifenthrin/avermectin (Athena) at 0.05 to 0.12 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 10 days. Do not exceed 0.056 lb ai/a avermectin or 0.2 lb ai/a bifenthrin per season.
  • bifenthrin/imidacloprid (Brigadier) at 0.08 to 0.15 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.4 lb ai/a imidacloprid and 0.24 lb ai/a bifenthrin. Retreatment interval 10 days. Do not graze livestock in treated areas or cut for feed.
  • borate complex (Prev-Am Ultra) apply at 0.8% solution. Spray to complete coverage. REI 12 hr. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • Chenopodium ambrosioides extract (Requiem 25EC) at 4 to 6 pints formulated product per acre. REI 4 hr. Use high rate when conditions are favorable for heavy pressure. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • chlorantraniliprole/thiamethoxam (Voliam Flexi) at 0.1 to 0.172 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai of thiamethoxam or 0.2 lb ai of chlorantraniliprole per acre per growing season.
  • clothianidin (Belay) at 0.05 to 0.067 lb ai/a foliar, 0.15 to 0.2 lb ai/a soil. PHI 7days foliar, 21 days soil.REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 10 days. Do not exceed 0.2 lb ai/a per season.
  • Chromobacterium subtsugae (Grandevo) at 0.6 to 0.9 lb ai/a per 100 gal. 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. Limit 6 treatments per year. Do not exceed 0.4 lb ai/a per year.
  • cyfluthrin (Tombstone) at 0.025 to 0.044 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.263 lb ai/a per season.
  • cyfluthrin/imidacloprid (Leverage 2.7) at 0.08 to 0.11 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.17 lb ai/a cyfluthrin or 0.24 lb ai/a imidacloprid per year.
  • dimethoate (Dimethoate 400) at 0.25 to 0.5 lb ai/a. PHI 7 days. REI 48 hr. Retreatment interval 6 days. Do not exceed 1 lb ai/a per year.
  • dinotefuran (Scorpion 35SL) at 0.05 to 0.18 lb ai/a foliar and 0.23 to 0.27 lb ai/a for soil. PHI 1 day foliar and 21 days for soil. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed per season 0.266 lb ai/a foliar or 0.532 lb ai/a for soil.
  • esfenvalerate (Asana XL) at 0.03 to 0.05 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.5 lb ai/a per season.
  • flonicamid (Beleaf 50SG) at 0.089 to 0.133 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.267 lb ai/a per season. Retreatment interval 7 days. Limit 3 treatments for field and 2 treatments for greenhouse per year.
  • flupyradifurone (Sivanto 200SL) at 0.09 to 0.16 lb ai/a foliar, 0.27 to 0.37lb ai/a. PHI 1 day foliar, 45 days soil. REI 4 hr. Foliar retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.365 lb ai/a per season.
  • imidacloprid (Provado, Prey) at 0.048 to 0.078 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.24 lb ai/a per season.
  • imidacloprid (Admire Pro) at 0.25 to 0.38 lb ai/a soil or 0.047 to 0.079 lb ai/a foliar. PHI 0 day foliar; 21 days soil. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days foliar. Do not exceed 0.38 lb ai/a soil per application or 0.24 lb ai/a foliar per season.
  • imidacloprid (Admire Pro) at 0.021 lb ai/1,000 plants soil treatment in greenhouse or 0.016 lb ai/10,000 plants foliar treatment in planthouse. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Limit one treatment per crop season.
  • insecticidal soap (M-Pede) at 1 to 2% solution. Potassium salts of fatty acids. See label for gal/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • lambda-cyhalothrin/thiamethoxam (Endigo ZC) at 0.064 to 0.072 lb ai/a. PHI 5 days. REI 24 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.36 lb ai/a of lambda-cyhalothrin or 0.172 lb ai/a of thiamethoxam per season.
  • malathion (Malathion 8) at 1.5 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Limit 4 treatments.
  • methomyl (Lannate SP) at 0.45 to 0.9 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 48 hr. Do not exceed 6.3 lb ai/a per season.
  • pymetrozine (Fulfill) at 0.086 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai/a per season.
  • pyrifluquinazon (PQZ Insecticide) at 0.035 to 0.047 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Limit 4 treatments. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.14 lb ai/a per year. Apply by ground equipment.
  • spirotetramat (Movento) at 0.06 to 0.08 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 24 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.16 lb ai/a per crop season
  • sulfoxaflor (Closer SC) at 0.023 to 0.031 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Limit 4 treatments. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.266 lb ai/a.
  • thiamethoxam (Actara) at 0.031 to 0.047 lb ai/a. PHI 0 days. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 5 days. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai/a per season.
  • thiamethoxam (Platinum) at 0.078 to 0.172 lb ai/a soil applied. PHI 30 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai/a per season.
  • thiamethoxam/chlorantraniliprole (Durivo) at 0.195 to 0.257 lb ai/a applied to the soil. PHI 30 days. REI 12 hr. Do not exceed 0.172 lb ai of thiamethoxam or 0.2 lb ai of chlorantraniliprole per acre per growing season.
  • tolfenpyrad (Torac) at 0.17 to 0.21 lb ai/a. PHI 1 day. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 14 days. Limit 4 treatments per year. Do not exceed 0.42 lb ai/a per year.
  • zeta-cypermethrin (Mustang) at 0.04 to 0.05 lb ai/a. REI 12 hr. Retreatment interval 7 days. Do not exceed 0.3 lb ai/a per season.

Kaur, N. (Ed.). 2024 Pacific Northwest Insect Management Handbook.
© Oregon State University.

Use pesticides safely!

  • Wear protective clothing and safety devices as recommended on the label. Bathe or shower after each use.
  • Read the pesticide label—even if you’ve used the pesticide before. Follow closely the instructions on the label (and any other directions you have).
  • Be cautious when you apply pesticides. Know your legal responsibility as a pesticide applicator. You may be liable for injury or damage resulting from pesticide use.

Trade-name products and services are mentioned as illustrations only. This does not mean that the participating Extension Services endorse these products and services or that they intend to discriminate against products and services not mentioned.