Seedling protection and field practices for management of insect vectors and viral diseases of hot pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.) in Uganda

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • J. Karungi
  • T. Obua
  • S. Kyamanywa
  • Carmen Nieves Mortensen
  • M. Erbaugh
The focus of this study was on nursery and field management of seed and insect vectors of viruses on hot pepper. Seedlings raised from hypochlorite-treated seeds under a net tunnel nursery were compared with seedlings raised from untreated seeds in an open nursery. The two groups of seedlings were used to evaluate field practices in a split plot randomized controlled block design: (i) weekly foliar applications with dimethoate; (ii) close plant spacing of 60 cm × 50 cm); (iii) 1.5-m high net perimeter screen; (iv) transparent plastic mulch; (v) untreated control. Whiteflies were the vectors most affected by the treatments, showing 28%, 38%, 43% and 36% reductions in occurrence by seedling protection, net screens, transparent plastic mulch and close plant spacing, respectively. Aphids were only responsive to close plant spacing and chemical treatments, with a reduction in incidence of up 43% by the former. The lowest virus disease incidence (12%) was on plants raised unprotected in the nursery but grown under the close plant spacing in the field. Plants from protected seedlings had a marginally higher fruit yield (2.1 kg/plant) compared with plants from unprotected seedlings (1.7 kg/plant)
Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Journal of Pest Management
Volume59
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)103-110
Number of pages8
ISSN0967-0874
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

ID: 45453137