A field trial was carried out at Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, State of Paraná, Brazil, in 1999, to evaluate the efficiency of insecticides in controlling Myzus persicae (Sulz) on lettuce cv. Veronica. The experimental design was of completely randomized blocks with six treatments and four replications. The treatments consisted of thiamethoxam (50; 75 and 100 g i.a/ha) imidacloprid (140 g i.a/ha); pymetrozine (150 g i.a/ha) and control. The treatments were applied to seedlings grown in polyestyrene trays one day before the transplanting. The fitotoxicity, the number of aphids/plant, the percentage of plants with aphids and the efficiency of the insecticides were evaluated. Thiamethoxan at doses of 50; 75 and 100 g i.a/ha was efficient to control M. persicae from transplanting till 43 days after showing equal or higher efficiency than 98.6%, similar to imidacloprid. The pymetrozine was efficient to control M. persicae until 21 days after transplanting. Effects of fitotoxicity on lettuce plants were not observed. Higher fresh weight was observed in treated plants in comparison to the one of the control.
Lactuca sativa L.; aphids; chemical control
