PROTECTION FROM PHYTOPHAGOUS INSECTS AND VIRUS VECTORS IN HONEYDEW MELONS USING ROW COVERS

Protection of Honeydew melons, Cucumis melo, from infestation by the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, (Gennadius) and the vegetable leafminer, Liriomyza sativae Blanchard, varied relative to the row cover product used. Melon plants were also protected in varying degrees from squash leafcurl virus and lettuce infectious yellows virus. Exclusion of sweetpotato whitefly was best achieved by Kimberly Farms row cover followed by Reemay, LF0125, Tufbel 900N, Tufbel 4000N, and Agronet. All row cover treatments had fewer insect pests and were lower in disease incidence than the untreated control. Vegetable leafminer was completely excluded by all row cover products. The number of honeydew melons harvested from Kimberly Farms treated plots was greatest followed by Tufbel 900N, Agronet, LF0125, Reemay, Tufbel 4000N and the untreated control.