Efficacy of standard and low drift nozzles for insecticide applications against Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) in citrus

Abstract

The use of low-drift nozzles (LDN) is the cheapest and easiest method to reduce drift. However, use of LDN may affect the efficacy of plant protection products for controlling targeted pests. Studies characterizing LDN efficacy in apples have been described (Heinkel et al., 2000; Frießleben, 2004; Lešnik, 2005; McArtney & Obermiller, 2008), but none have been published in citrus. This is significant because in contrast to apples, citrus trees have a globular shape and a very dense canopy. For these reasons, the aim of this work was to investigate the efficacy of insecticide applied using LDN or standard cone nozzles for the control of California red scale (CRS) (Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)) in citrus.