Drip chemigation of imidacloprid under plastic mulch increased yield and decreased leaching caused by rainfall

摘要

Muskmelons were grown on raised beds and imidacloprid was applied to control cumber beetles. The imidacloprid was applied as a band on bare soil, a single chemigation under plastic mulch, and as split chemigation under plastic mulch at three levels: label rate, reduced rate, and zero rate (control). Muskmelon yield increased tenfold when imidacloprid was drip chemigated under black plastic mulch as compared to no chemigation and no plastic mulch. A four-fold yield increase resulted from plastic mulch alone while a 2.5 times yield increase resulted from imidacloprid alone. The reduced rate of imidacloprid produced the same weight of marketable melons as the label rate when a single dose of the pesticide was applied after transplanting. During a heavy rainfall period, drip chemigation of imidacloprid under plastic mulch prevented pesticide leaching through the root zone and pesticide transport via soil erosion off the beds.