Efficacy of selected biological products on broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks) in sweet pepper

Abstract

Four studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of potential alternatives to miticides against the broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus Banks) population on sweet peppers grown under protected and open field cultivation at Visayas State University, Baybay, Leyte and one field study was conducted at USTP, Claveria. Three of these four comparative studies reported that fruit yield was higher under the protected cropping structures than from the open field cultivation; the other study found no significant yield difference. The miticides: abamectin, dinotefuran and sulfur treatments, consistently resulted in the least damage to the plants in both open field and protected cropping plots and higher marketable yields. The botanicals: 7-Herb Plus, curry plant, onion, and garlic + chilli pepper extracts, and both brewed and unbrewed vermitea showed less mite damage in peppers than the water control treatments but were not as effective as the miticide treatment in both protected and open cultivation. Neem leaf and garlic extracts had less mite damage than the water control in the protected cropping experiment but not the field experiment. Kakawate extract and the insect fungal pathogen, Metarhizium anisopliae SPW isolate were ineffective against mites.