What to Do When Cucumber Seedlings Have Pests? Master the Control Methods
Cucumber is one of the main summer vegetables in all parts of China. Its taste is crisp and refreshing, with a delicate fragrance and sweet flavor, making it very popular among people. In recent years, the planting area of cucumber in our country has also been continuously expanding, especially when vegetable varieties are relatively scarce in winter, cucumber cultivation has become even more popular among growers. So during the cultivation process, what should be done when cucumbers have pests?
I. Main Pests of Cucumber and Their Control
The main pests of cucumber include red spider mites, aphids, whiteflies, tea yellow mites, leafminers, and so on. When pest damage occurs, it is necessary to confirm the pest species and apply targeted pesticides for treatment.
Red spider mites mostly live on the underside of leaves, sucking sap. In severe cases, many fine white spots appear on the leaf surface, the leaves turn yellow, growth is inhibited, and normal fruit setting is affected. For control, 40% dicofol emulsifiable concentrate at 1?000-1?500 times dilution, 20% clofentezine wettable powder at 2?000 times dilution, or 15% pyridaben emulsifiable concentrate at 2000 times dilution can all achieve ideal results.
Aphids generally congregate on the underside of leaves, on stems, or at stem tips, sucking sap, causing leaves to curl, cucumber growth to be inhibited, and even leaves to wither and die. When drought occurs, they are mostly the main vector for the transmission of viral diseases, and the damage is relatively serious. For control, 2.5% deltamethrin emulsifiable concentrate at 3?000 times dilution can be sprayed; 40% fenvalerate-malathion emulsifiable concentrate at 3?000 times dilution can be sprayed; spray once every 7-10?days.
Whiteflies, like aphids, congregate on the underside of leaves, sucking sap and secreting honeydew that falls on the leaf surface, contaminating the leaves and affecting cucumber photosynthesis.?The control method is to spray 2.5% bifenthrin emulsifiable concentrate (Talstar) at 1500-2?000 times dilution. Using imidacloprid at 2000-3000 times dilution or 2.5% deltamethrin at 1000-1500 times dilution is also acceptable. When encountering continuous cloudy days and rainy seasons, if the whitefly population base is large, fumigants can be selected for control.
Tea yellow mites mainly involve young mites sucking sap from tender parts such as unopened leaves, buds, and flower buds. After being damaged, the leaves become stiff and thickened, with a yellowish-brown oily appearance on the underside, and the leaf margins curl backward. Young stems become distorted or have bald tips, and flower buds become deformed. For control, use 3000 times dilution of abamectin, 2% abamectin EC, or Xuanji at 3000-4000 times dilution, spraying once every 7--10 days, focusing on the underside of leaves, tender stems, flower buds, and young fruits.
Leafminers also have larvae that, after hatching, mine and feed on leaf mesophyll, showing winding and tortuous feeding traces. During the seedling stage from 2-7 leaves, plants are often damaged, and in severe cases the mining traces are densely distributed, causing leaves to turn yellow, scorch, or fall off. For chemical control, 5% fipronil suspension concentrate can be used at 50-100 milliliters per mu, or 40% Qixingbao emulsifiable concentrate at 600-800 times dilution. The control timing should be grasped at the peak occurrence period, once every 5-7 days, with continuous control 2-3 times.
The above are the main pests of cucumber. After cucumbers have pests, the pest type should be determined as soon as possible based on symptoms, and then the appropriate treatment should be applied. Do not delay too long, which may lead to low cucumber yield.