Control of the mushroom phorid fly, Megaselia halterata (Wood), with plant extracts.
- 1Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Akdeniz University, 07070 Antalya, Turkey. erler@akdeniz
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The
most serious insect pest problems affecting the cultivation of mushroom
[Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach] in Turkey are mushroom flies
(sciarids, cecids and phorids). Mushroom phorid fly, Megaselia halterata
(Wood), is the most common insect pest species during April-October.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential for eight botanical
materials (two commercial neem-based products and six hot-water plant
extracts) to control M. halterata populations in three successive
growing periods.
RESULTS:
Treatment
efficacy was evaluated by assessing adult emergence and sporophore
damage rates compared with that of a standard insecticide,
chlorpyrifos-ethyl (positive control). All plant extracts caused
significant reductions in the mean number of emerging adults and
sporophore damage rates compared with the water-treated control
(negative control). Reduction in adult emergence in both neem
treatments, Neemazal and Greeneem oil, was greater than that in the
positive control. While Neemazal and Origanum onites L. extract had
significantly lower sporophore damage rates than the positive control,
there were no significant differences between the chlorpyrifos-ethyl,
Greeneem oil and Pimpinella anisum L. extract treatments.
CONCLUSION:
