Potato aphids - biological and chemical methods of pest control

Aphids are a family of sucking insects that feed on plant juices. About 4 thousand species of these insects are known. They live in all parts of the world. One of the most common species is potato aphid. Despite the name, the insect eats not only on potatoes, it also damages other vegetable crops - tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins.

The appearance of the pest

Potato aphids (Aulacorthum solani) belong to the order Semi-winged. Representatives of this group are distinguished by incomplete transformation during reproduction. Small insects with a length of 3-3.5 mm live in large colonies that can cause significant harm to plants. Among them there are winged and wingless individuals. Winged aphids appear in the summer, such individuals are necessary for the settlement of a new territory. They have varying degrees of pigmentation. There are individuals with a brown coloration of the head and tips of the antennae; in other insects, the dark front part of the body is dark. Various forms of the pest are present on the potato at the same time.

Information. Together with potatoes, the pest was brought to different countries and regions. In Russia, it is found everywhere up to the Arctic Circle.

Wingless females have an elongated torso, the color is green with a glossy sheen. They provide reproduction of the species. The birth of offspring occurs through parthenogenesis. This method is much more productive than sexual reproduction. Each female is able to give up to 15 generations. Under favorable greenhouse conditions, the reproductive cycle continues throughout the year.

Information. Parthenogenesis is a form of reproduction in which fertilization of the female is not required. The eggs develop independently to the embryo.

Potato Aphid Signs

The oral aphid apparatus is adapted for piercing tissues and sucking out plant sap. As a result, the damaged leaves dry, the culture lags behind in growth, and productivity decreases. The onset of the pest invasion goes unnoticed. They hide under the leaves, but as the colony grows, they move to the top of the shoots. Potato aphids not only cause deformation of leaves and flowers, but are carriers of viral diseases.

Attention. The main signs of pests: spotting and twisting of leaves, the appearance of ants near plants.

After absorption of nutrient juices, the insect leaves sugary secretions. They are called pad or honey dew. This sweet life remains on plants, attracting other insects, and creating a favorable environment for the development of fungi. Ants are constant companions of aphids; their symbiosis contributes to the spread of diseases. Insects that protect the aphids and feed on the paddy are also carriers of infections and viruses.

Interesting fact. At low temperatures up to +10⁰ the life of a virgin female is 60 days. An increase in temperature helps to accelerate insect growth, but shortens the life cycle.

Potato aphids are especially dangerous in greenhouses. Winged individuals can quickly create several lesions. Various crops — eggplant, tomatoes, and cucumbers — are at stake. The leaves of the plants turn yellow and become covered with a pad. The fruits are deformed, may fall away.They lose their presentation, are covered with insect scales and soot fungus that appears on the sweet pad.

Aphid control methods

The full range of pest control measures can be divided into several into several ways:

Biological methods

Aphids on potato tops have natural enemies. They cannot completely destroy the pest population, but control its number. The most famous aphid fighter is a ladybug. The beetle actively destroys them from spring to late autumn. Another ally in the fight against aphids is the lacewing. The larvae of this insect eat up to 100 individuals per day. Grub larvae also kill pests.

Tip. To attract ladybugs on the site, it is necessary to plant umbrella plants, such as dill.

Chemicals

With a significant spread of potato aphids can not do without the use of chemicals.

There is a wide range of insecticides with which you can spray potato tops to kill small pests.

Actara is a systemic drug that kills insects, but is safe for humans. In a closed ground, the poisoning effect lasts up to two months. Actara's active substance causes paralysis and death of a large number of pests. The drug is localized in leaves and shoots - aphid feeding sites. The death of insects occurs in a day.

Actellik is an organophosphorus insecticide. It acts upon the ingestion of sucking pests. The product has fumigant properties and a lasting effect. The period of protective action is 1-2 weeks. The death of insects is observed after a few hours.

Confidor is a proven effective drug for aphids and other pests. The product quickly dissolves in water, it is resistant to rainfall and watering. After spraying, it remains effective for a month.

Folk recipes

Safe pest control products offer folk recipes. Their ingredients are eco-friendly products. There are several effective tips:

1. To process potato bushes with a soap solution (100 g per 10 liters of water). Alkaline environment is harmful to aphids.
2. Infusion of onion peel - 200 g of product pour 2 liters of boiling water and leave for 2-3 days. Husk can be replaced with garlic cloves.
3. Tobacco infusion - the smell of a plant repels many pests. The concentrate is prepared from 500 g of tobacco per 1 liter of water. The composition is boiled for an hour. Before processing, dilute in 10 l of water.

Preventative measures

Wingless virgins hide for the winter in greenhouse weeds. To get rid of the pest, it is recommended to observe a set of rules:

• isolate potato planting areas from places where aphids winter;
• timely destruction of weeds and utilization of potato tops in the fall;
• planting seeds in a greenhouse should be postponed to an earlier date;
• it is necessary to destroy not only the aphids, but also the ants that contribute to its spread.