Common pests and control methods of cucumbers grown on the balcony

Common cucumber pests: root-knot nematodes

Symptoms: Mainly damages the roots. After the roots are infected, they are poorly developed, with many lateral roots, and spherical or conical tumors of varying sizes are formed at the root ends, sometimes in clusters. They are white and soft at first, then turn brown to dark brown, and the surface is sometimes cracked.

The above-ground parts of the affected plants are poorly developed, the leaves are yellow, and they wilt and die in the early morning, and can easily be mistaken for wilt-diseased plants.

Prevention and control methods: soil disinfection. Before planting, disinfect the soil with 1-1.5 ml of 1.8% insect mite emulsion per square meter mixed with 6 liters of water; during the growing period, irrigate the roots with 1,000-1,500 times dilution of 1.8% insect mite emulsion 1-2 times, with an interval of 10-15 days.

Common cucumber pests: whiteflies

Whiteflies have a wide variety of diets and can harm a variety of vegetables. The main pests are nymphs, which concentrate on sucking juice from the back of cucumber leaves, causing the leaves to fade, turn yellow, and wilt. In severe cases, the plants may die.

When causing harm, it also secretes dew, which contaminates the leaves, causes fungal infection, affects the photosynthesis of the plant, and seriously affects the yield and quality.

Prevention and control methods: Try to avoid mixed planting, especially cucumbers, tomatoes and beans.

Old nymphs are mostly found on the lower leaves. Remove the old leaves and burn them.

You can use 25% thiamethoxam (buprofezin) wettable powder or 2.5% cypermethrin or 20% cypermethrin (sulfuron) emulsifiable concentrate at a concentration of 2000 times for spraying once every 6 to 7 days for three consecutive times.

You can also use smoke spray for fumigation 2-3 times in a row.