What to Do When Pests Attack Stem Lettuce? Effective Control Methods to Teach You

Stem lettuce is a common green vegetable and has effects such as clearing dryness and moistening the lungs and lowering cholesterol, making it the first choice for many farmers to grow. So what should be done if stem lettuce gets pests?

1. Aphids

An effective control method is to promptly clear weeds in the field and surrounding areas and protect the natural enemies of aphids, such as ladybugs, hoverflies, spiders, green lacewings, and so on. The aphids' phototactic characteristic can also be used for trapping and killing. Using natural enemies and phototactic trapping as two methods is both effective and environmentally friendly, in line with the development concept of green agriculture. When the pest infestation first occurs, spray for control with 50% pirimicarb wettable powder at 1000 times dilution, or 10% chongmanling at 3000 times dilution, or 10% duolaibao emulsion at 1000 times dilution, and so on, spraying once every 7-8 days for 2-3 consecutive applications. It is recommended to alternate several pesticide solutions to avoid pests developing resistance and affecting the insecticidal effect.

2. Thrips

Thrips mainly damage the leaves and tender parts of stem lettuce. They have no obvious dormant period and can cause damage throughout the year. After a plant is damaged by thrips, yellow-white spots first appear on the leaves, which form because they suck the leaf sap. When the damage is severe, the entire leaf begins to curl and twist, affecting quality and reducing returns. Chemical control can be used: add control agents when watering as part of routine prevention, and when damage occurs, increase the pesticide concentration for spraying treatment.

3. Downy Mildew

To control downy mildew, the principle of giving priority to agricultural control and supplementing it with chemical control should be followed. Try to choose plots that are relatively high or flat, with loose soil, fewer diseases, and a lower incidence rate, and improve irrigation and drainage capacity. Select disease-resistant varieties, reasonably control the planting density, thin and fill in seedlings at the appropriate time, cultivate and weed in time, and improve air circulation between plants to facilitate light and air penetration. In seasons with consecutive rainy days or abundant rain, drain and relieve waterlogging in time to reduce field humidity. Water lightly, and strictly prohibit heavy flooding and heavy irrigation. Apply more organic base fertilizer and fertilize in a balanced way, avoiding one-sided, insufficient, or excessive fertilization. After the disease occurs, spray for control with 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 500 times dilution, or 69% dimethomorph-mancozeb wettable powder at 800 times dilution, and so on, spraying once every 7-8 days for 2-3 consecutive sprays, which can achieve a relatively good control effect.

Growing stem lettuce is still relatively simple. When growing stem lettuce, it is best to choose varieties with relatively strong disease resistance.