Efficiency of Lime Sulfur in the Control of Two-spotted Mite in Papaya in Conventional and Organic (Bokashi-EM) System

R.R. Chagas¹, H. Tokeshi² and M.C. Alves²

Scholarship of MOA, P.O.Box 033, Ipeuna SP, Br. 13537-000 Brazil¹ and
University of Sao Paulo - ESALQ, Pirachcaba Br. 13416-9000 Brazil²

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Abstract

Lime sulfur was tested to control two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae) evaluating the injury and number of alive or dead mites in leaves 4 and 25 days after spraying in the organic and conventional systems. Lime sulfur did not cause injury in plants. On the 4^th day in organic system the average number of mites were 35.4 percent alive and 64.6 percent dead in Formosa cultivar and 20.5 percent alive and 79.5 percent dead in Hawaii. In conventional system the average was 18.2 percent alive and 81.8 percent dead in Formosa and 17.3 percent alive and 82.7 percent dead in Hawaii. The evaluation of mite number 25 days after application in Formosa showed 1.28 alive in organic and 7.46 in conventional. In Hawaii cultivar the average was 3.48 for organic and 10.74 for conventional. During these 25 days, plants of organic system,. Received one spray of EM and the conventional five sprays of mitecide, two of fungicide and one leaf fertilizer. The number of mites alive 25 days after spraying showed lime sulfur residual and physiological effect in plants. In both cultivars the organic (Bokashi-EM) system demonstrated superiority over conventional. The organic mite control was more profitable and ecologically superior to the conventional eliminating the use of pesticides.