IMPACT OF RAINFALLS ON THE ACARICIDE PROPARGITE WITH AND WITHOUT ADDITION OF ADJUVANTS FOR THE CONTROL OF THE MITE Brevipalpus yothersi

Abstract

Rainfalls may affect the efficiency of pesticides due to a decreased deposit of active ingredient on plants. This should be considered in spraying with acaricides, the main strategy used for the management of citrus leprosis, the main viral disease of the Brazilian citrus culture. Citrus leprosis disease is transmitted by Brevipalpus mites, mainly B. yothersi. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of artificial rains on the efficiency of the acaricide propargite in combination or not with adjuvants for the control of the mite B. yothersi. The experiment was conducted using orange plants grown in pots kept under greenhouse conditions. The acaricide propargite was evaluated isolated and with addition of the adjuvants polydimethylsiloxane (20mL cp/100 L of water) and a mixture of phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) and propionic acid (500 mL cp/100 L of water). After the application of the acaricide with and without the adjuvants, the plants were subjected to a 10-mm artificial rainfall at different time intervals: 5 minutes, and 1 and 12 hours after application. Thereafter, B. yothersi mites were transferred to plants for survival evaluation. The artificial rainfall affected negatively the efficiency of propargite isolated and in mixture. The addition of the adjuvant phosphatidylcholine and propionic acid impaired the efficiency of propargite due to an increased runoff of the broth and a decrease in the deposit of active ingredients on plants. We conclude that the acaricide propargite should not be used in combination with the adjuvants polydimethylsiloxane and mixture of phosphatidylcholine and propionic acid in rainy conditions.