Impact of melon varieties, planting dates and use of sticky traps on suppressing aphid populations on melon plants

Abstract

Field studies were conducted to determine susceptibility of three melon varieties ;Musk melon, Sharlyne and Ogen melon, to infestation with aphid and effect of planting dates (1 st March, 15 th March and 1 st April) and use of sticky trap at two position and two heights on the suppressing population of melon aphids. The results reveled that the three tested varieties harbored a different levels of aphid infestation during two seasons 2012 and 2013, where Musk melon variety harbored the highest infestation level with aphid for the two tested seasons, followed by Ogen melon, while Sharlyne variety harbored the lowest number of aphid populations. Planting dates appeared highly significant effect on the aphid populations, where earlier planting date (1 st March) showed the lowest population of aphids (32.6 and 22.8 individual/ 20 leaves) for two seasons respectively, while the highest population of aphids were recorded on the latest planting date 1 st April (88.6 and 76.2 individual / 20 leaves).Yellow sticky traps were tested in vertical and horizontal position and two heights. Trap in position vertical caught more aphids than traps in horizontal position. Significant differences were detected between 30 cm and 40 cm height of the trap above the ground, where the total means number was (67.7 and 41.35 individual/ trap at 30 highest; 40.75 and 26.35 at 40 highest respectively).