the aphid It is one of most common and polyphagous insects in most horticultural plants and fruit trees. It usually appears with the arrival of spring, coinciding with the formation of new shoots, juicy and easy for these insects to suck.
In the tomato, a plant that continually produces new stems, its cellular juice is very attractiveit is therefore common to detect aphids on tomatoes.
If we carry out regular observation and act at the early stages of development, it is relatively easy to eliminate the tomato aphid pest.
For this, we offer you both ecological and waste-free treatments as phytosanitary applications authorized for tomato cultivation.
let’s see how get rid of aphids on tomatoalthough it will also apply to other horticultural crops and ornamental plants.
Contents
Aphid damage
direct damage
- Weakening of the plant by absorption of sap, with reduced growth and general chlorosis of the tomato plant.
- Distortion of shoots and reduction in the number of stems and branches produced.
Consequential damages
- Possible entry of diseases such as oily or sooty mold.
- Virus transmission in tomato (CMV and PVY).
How to Get Rid of Aphid Infestation on Tomato
Aphids on tomato generally appear in the early stages of plant development, coinciding with the full budding and the continuous emergence of new shoots and branches.
These little aphids are visible to the eye as they usually measure between 3 and 5 mm, although they can be confused by the green color of their body.
To eliminate aphids on tomatoes, the most practical, quick and direct way is to foliar spraydirectly on the pest.
Generally, in this culture, several phases of the aphid interact, including eggs, nymphs and adults, so it will be necessary perform multiple applications (from 2 to 3) to completely control the pest.
To eliminate the tomato aphid we can use home remedies, valid for domestic agriculture, as well as the use of authorized insecticides, especially indicated for large volumes of plants.
Eye. Not all home remedies are suitable for organic farming, and not all those considered phytosanitary leave residues or are allowed in organic farming.
Home remedies to eliminate aphids in tomato plants
Home treatments to eliminate tomato aphids are those whose components can be found in the kitchen of our home. They are used to solve an aphid problem in certain plants if we do not have other active ingredients at hand.
In general, the yield is not very high and they require several applications (3 to 5 on average) to solve the problem. They are applied every 3-5 days until the plant is completely clean.
applying soap
You can use any source of dish soap, the most common being the Fairy brand, mixing 2 ml of soap for every liter of water.
Vinegar
Acetic acid, in high concentration, has a preventive and even curative action against aphids. The dose of use is 10% (100 ml per liter of water).
Alcohol
Alcohol is also used to kill aphids because it has a great drying action. It is used at the dose of 1 part of alcohol in 7 volumes of water. We will apply by spraying all the leaves.
Oxygenated water
Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent oxidizing agent, so when applied by spraying it serves to reduce different pests and diseases.
You can mix 2 to 3 ml of hydrogen peroxide for each liter of water, but apply within 10 minutes after mixing so as not to lose the properties of this product.
nettle extract
This basic substance of the plant urticaria spp. It is very effective against aphids and various mites (red spider). A high dose is used, 15 liters per 100 liters of water, 1-6 applications at intervals of 7-15 days.
We currently have several active ingredients (some suitable for organic farming) in the list of authorized products. You can consult the updated list via this button
- COLZA OIL: available in different concentrations and effective against aphids, spider mites and whiteflies.
- ACETAMIPRID: dose of 250 g/ha against aphids and whiteflies.
- AZADIRACTIN: Authorized against Tuta Absoluta and aphids both outdoors and in greenhouses.
- BEAUVERIA BASSIANA (MUSHROOM): effective against a large number of pests (whiteflies, spider mites, aphids and thrips) at doses of 62.5-125 g/hl every 5-7 days and a maximum of 4 applications per campaign.
- CYPERMETHRIN: effective against caterpillars, heliotis and aphids at a dose of 0.03% in the formulation at 10% concentration.
- DELTAMETHRIN: It acts against caterpillars, aphids, heliotis and the green bug, among others.
- esphenvalerate: Authorized against aphids at doses of 0.4-0.6 L/ha.
- FLONICAMID: very effective against aphids at a dose of 10-12 g/hl in foliar application and a maximum of 3 applications per season.
- FLUPIRADIFURONE: dose of 0.05-0.075% and 1-2 applications per campaign every 10 days.
- LAMBDA CYHALOTHRIN: effective against whiteflies, tomato aphids, green bugs and caterpillars.
- MALTODEXTRIN: rate of 5 – 75 L/ha
- OXAMIL: dose of 10 L/ha for greenhouse tomatoes, known for their action against nematodes.
- PYRETHRINS: of vegetable origin and many of them authorized in organic farming.
- PYRIMICARB: 0.1% dose against aphids
- POTASSIUM SALTS: doses of 7.5-19 L/ha against a large number of tomato pests.
- SPIROTETRAMAT: dose of 0.04-0.05%.
- SULFOXAFLOR: dose of 0.2-0.4 L/ha and also effective against whiteflies.