Trials of miticides against twospotted mite and broad mite on fuchsias with comments on phytotoxicity

Abstract

The potency of acaricides against broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus /atus (Banks)) and twospotted mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) was assessed on potted fuchsias (Fuchsiaxhybrida Hort. ex Vilm.) in southern Queensland. Single applications of bromopropylate (0.75 g/L), dicofol (0.5 g/L) and oxythioquinox (0.13 g/L) reduced the motile stages of both species by more than 80%. Against T. urticae cyhexatin (0.2 g/L}, fluvalinate (0.09 g/L), propargite (0.6 g/L) and methidathion (0.5 g/L) caused more than 80% mortality. Clofentezine (0.3 g/L) and dienochlor (0.3 g/L} were less effective and dimethoate (0.3 g/L) was ineffective. Dicofol (0.5 g/L) plus tetradifon (0.2 g/L) in two trials caused reductions of 65.5% and 93.5% in T. urticae. Endosulfan (0.7 g/L) was used only against P. latus and caused 100% mortality while dienochlor (0.3 g/L), fluvalinate (0.09 g/L) and propargite (0.6 g/L) reduced numbers by 71.8%, 68.3% and 55.6% respectively.