Two different experiments were developed to evaluate the mineral oil (experiment 1) and neutral detergent (experiment 2) effect in the control efficiency of the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci RACE B - Hemiptera-Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) by betacyfluthrin, dimethoate and methomyl in melon plants (Cucurbitaceae, Cucumis melo L. - yellow variety, using the hybrid AF 646). The experimental design applied to each experiment, was of randomized blocks with seven treatments and four replications Each experimental plot had 60 m². It was concluded that the mineral oil and neutral detergent associated to betacyfluthrin and dimethoate insecticides reduced the whiteflys nymphs population, increasing the efficiency of these insecticides, although this efficiency could be considered low (less than 70%). Methomyl presented the lowest efficiency in controlling the insect, specially in experiment 2, even when applied with mineral oil or the neutral detergent. Mineral oil and neutral detergent at the concentration of 0.5% did not cause toxic reaction in the melon plants. In experiment 1 the treatment combining mineral oil and betacyfluthrin was the most efficient in controlling the insects (control efficiency of 68.57%). In experiment 2, using neutral detergent, the most efficient treatment was dimethoate insecticide associated with the neutral detergent, (control efficiency of 64.09%).
Cucumis melo L.; Bemisia tabaci RACE B; fitossanitary control
