What are the methods for controlling pests on cucumber vines?

Cucumber is one of the main summer vegetables in all parts of China. It is generally propagated by sowing. After soaking the seeds to promote germination, they are sown. In rural areas, they are generally sown directly in the soil, and they can sprout after a few days. So, what should be done when pests appear on cucumber vines?

1. What should be done when pests appear on cucumber vines?

The pests generally found on cucumber vines are whiteflies, which mainly cause damage as nymphs. They gather on the undersides of cucumber leaves to suck sap, causing the leaves to fade, turn yellow, and wilt, and in severe cases the plants die. The nymphs are mostly distributed on the lower leaves. The old leaves can be picked off and burned, or insecticides such as chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, cyhalothrin, acetamiprid, chlorpyrifos, abamectin, deltamethrin, and buprofezin can be sprayed to kill them.

2. Introduction to whiteflies

The whitefly is a worldwide pest and occurs in all parts of China. It is an important pest of crops grown in greenhouses. It has a wide host range. Among vegetables, cucumber, kidney bean, eggplant, tomato, pepper, winter melon, beans, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, celery, Welsh onion, and others can all be damaged by it. It can also harm flowers, fruit trees, medicinal herbs, forage grass, tobacco, and 653 species of plants in 112 families.

The most suitable developmental temperature for whiteflies is 25°C-30°C. In greenhouses, they generally produce 1 generation per month and can produce more than 10 generations per year. After mating, 1 female can lay more than 100 eggs, and at most 400-500 eggs. Adults are not good at flying and are attracted to yellow. They gather on the undersides of leaves and tend to prefer tender growth, so there are many adults on new leaves, and many nymphs and puparia on the middle and lower leaves.