Many farmers lose a lot harvest due to pest invasion. Tomatoes – garden crops, which are most often attacked by all kinds of pests. Often a vegetable is grown in greenhouse conditions for sale. Of particular danger is whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse. If tough measures to destroy it are not taken in time, the insect can cause irreparable damage to the crop.What are the methods for dealing with “unexpected” guests?
- How to identify symptoms of a pest?
- Biological methods eliminate moths
- Other methods
- How and by what they fumigate the greenhouse
- Chemicals
- Folk recipes against the moth
- For the prevention
How to identify symptoms of a pest?
White-winged whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse are a common occurrence. The insect multiplies rapidly in warm, humid conditions, and the greenhouse is an ideal place for this. If measures are not taken in time, it can appear on cucumbers, herbs and other crops growing nearby. Fighting whiteflies on tomatoes in a greenhouse is particularly difficult due to the high adaptability of adults to various types of treatments. The danger to the normal development and fertility of the plant is not only adults, but also the larvae and their waste products.Manifestations of pest lesions:
- white spotting in the form of dots;
- atrophy of some parts of the stem, leaf part, twisting of leaves;
- larvae at the bottom of leaves;
- mosaic yellow pattern on the edges of the leaves;
- atrophy of the fruit.
All these signs indicate that you need to immediately intervene, otherwise it may die the entire crop planted in the greenhouse. The vital products of whitefly larvae are fertile soil for the propagation of various infections and many strains of the fungus. Any disease, together with the invasion of pests, will be impossible to cure, then you will have to destroy the entire crop.
Biological methods of eliminating moths
The whitefly in the greenhouse on tomatoes feels at ease. Warm, moist conditions contribute to its rapid reproduction. To prevent the complete destruction of the tomato crop, you need to perform these steps before proceeding with its cultivation:
- plants must be separated from each other so that they are at a distance of 5-10 cm;
- equip the greenhouse with good ventilation;
- add all kinds of reinforcing agents to the water for plant irrigation;
- do not destroy such insects as ladybugs and lacewings – these are avid enemies of whiteflies;
- observe the humidity regime.
The whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse is effectively eliminated by the biologist by the physical method.This method involves the cultivation of microorganisms and insects that are enemies of whiteflies. Initially, the soil should be populated with parasites that do not affect human health and the quality of the fruit, and can effectively combat the pest. In addition to lacewings and ladybugs, these include bedbugs, macrolofus, ecrasia, and riders. To reduce the number of pests, you should not use manure as a fertilizer, because decay processes increase the temperature in the soil.
Insects, such as lacewing, lay their eggs directly in the pupae of the harmful moth. When the first hatch, they begin to feed on whitefly larvae. As a result of this, the whitefly offspring dies and it remains only to get rid of the adult offspring, which will be very simple to do after the death of the pupae.
To prevent the emergence or get rid of pests that have already appeared, seedlings can be treated with special preparations. It is recommended to put a small amount of chicken droppings in the wells before sowing, this will help strengthen the immunity of the tomato. So that the soil promotes the growth of plants, and not the propagation of whiteflies, it must be constantly weeded, rid of weeds and dried.
Other methods
Whiteflies can be removed by trapping with special traps based on glue. Devices for catching whiteflies can be performed independently from small wooden boards. They should be treated with rosin with honey or liquid paraffin. The main thing is to paint the devices yellow because insects are attracted by this color. In the upper part of the bush you need to pull the twine with a makeshift trap. After that, you need to shake the plants, when some of the pests are on the bait, you need to destroy it and build a new one.
If the whitefly on tomatoes in the greenhouse has appeared recently and its number is relatively small, you can collect the moths manually, and then process them leaflets and stems with soapy water to rinse their waste products and prevent infection by infectious diseases. Subsequently, it is recommended to regularly spray with garlic infusion. In autumn, it is recommended to remove all remaining vegetation, and disinfect the soil, which will be used for planting next year.
Whitefly larva settles in the upper soil layer. After harvesting the tops, you need to set fire to smoke bombs, and then collect the entire top ball of the earth. If all the above methods of control have not yielded results, you will have to resort to the use of fungicides.Chemicals will help to get rid of whiteflies for a long time, only they have a lot of minuses. The first and main of them is the chemical composition.
How and by what they fumigate the greenhouse
The use of smoke bombs should be discussed in more detail. After each harvest, the greenhouse should be treated. Ideally, fumigation should be done twice a year. There are such fumigation products:
- smoke bomb;
- candle made of sulfur;
- tobacco bomb.
Any varieties of checkers are considered harmless to plants. It is best to fumigate in spring and early fall. Before the procedure, seedlings should be taken out to a separate room or to the street. If there is no desire to do this, you can use fumigation products with the addition of a special drug. As a result of such procedures, it is possible to get rid not only of adults, but also of larvae with pupae.
The sulfur candle releases sulfur into the atmosphere, the vapor of which can have a negative effect on plants and humans. Before using it, you need to carefully study the instructions for the drug. After fumigation, after 48 hours, it is necessary to properly ventilate the greenhouse.
Chemicals
To completely destroy and forget about the whitefly on tomatoes and cucumbers for a long time, universal insecticides are used. Many farmers do not want to use them because of the chemical composition, but when nothing else helps, and you need to preserve the crop, people are ready to go to extreme measures. With the correct use of insecticides and observing all safety rules described in the instructions, you can not be afraid for your health.
Mankind has been working on the earth for many years and trying to fight various pests. Progress does not stand still and today on the shelves of shops you can choose any fungicide for treating plants. The most popular whitefly killers are listed below.
- Verticillin J.
- Confidor.
- Actellic.
- Pegasus.
- Rovikurt.
- Fufanon.
In addition to chemistry for processing during infection, there are many systemic drugs that are used when planting seeds. In order to prevent the appearance of whiteflies on tomatoes and other cultures in a greenhouse, use the drug Biotlin. Spraying is recommended at the stage of active vegetation.Another drug with a similar effect, which is also used during the growing season, Warrant.
Aktara is administered under the root system, with drip irrigation. Spark M is a broad-spectrum drug that helps to quickly get rid of many pests that can settle in a greenhouse. Processing should also be carried out during the growing season.
Folk recipes against the moth
Most gardeners prefer to fight whiteflies with tomatoes using proven grandfather recipes. Such methods are completely safe and contribute to improving plant health. Effectively get rid of whiteflies on tomatoes helps garlic tincture. 1 liter water put a couple of peeled heads of garlic and insist about 10 days. Then spraying is carried out.
Very often a solution of potassium permanganate is used for watering and treating plants. A very long time ago, people began to use methods for treating plants from pests with soapy water. With a small number of insects, this is a sure way to defeat the whitefly. Decoctions from dandelion roots or aloe leaves are often used. Processing should be carried out at least 1 time per month.
The frequency of spraying and watering will be determined by the number of insects, as well as the condition of the plants themselves. It is not recommended to use means to get rid of other insects to combat whitefly.The fight against this type of parasite is complicated by their immunity to most chemicals.
For prevention
It’s easier to prevent the appearance of a whitefly than to fight it, and especially when you’re already once encountered this problem. Immediately after harvesting, you need to clean all the remaining weeds and tops. The remains of plants must be burned, do not bury them somewhere on the site. It is advisable to remove the topsoil and dig the ground. The introduction of mineral fertilizers into the soil will not be amiss, this will help to further strengthen the immunity of plants.
If this year the fight against whiteflies was successful, and you decided to leave the seedlings to winter indoors, it’s better introduce into the ground parasites that scare the moth and destroy its offspring. Most likely, the moth will not be able to winter in the room, because in winter there are no favorable conditions for its reproduction. It is necessary not to be lazy, but often carry out diagnostic measures, and examine the leaflets for the presence of larvae. The main thing is always to be guided by the rule that says that a problem is easier to prevent than to deal with it.
