Dt. Lowery et al., LABORATORY AND FIELD-EVALUATION OF NEEM FOR THE CONTROL OF APHIDS (HOMOPTERA, APHIDIDAE), Journal of economic entomology, 86(3), 1993, pp. 864-870
Laboratory and field trials with formulated neem seed oil (NSO) and ne
em seed extract (NSE) demonstrated that these materials are effective
aphicides. NSO sprays to intact plants in the laboratory resulted in s
ignificant reductions in numbers of green peach aphids, Myzus persicae
(Sulzer), on peppers and rutabagas; currant-lettuce aphids, Nasonovia
ribisnigri (Mosley), on lettuce; and strawberry aphids, Chaetosiphon
fragaefolii (Cockerell), on strawberry. NSO reduced aphid numbers in a
dose-dependent manner, with estimated concentrations for a 50% reduct
ion in aphid populations (EC50) ranging from 0.2 to 1.4%. Under field
conditions, NSO and NSE treatments were as effective as the botanical
insecticide pyrethrum for control of aphids on pepper and strawberry,
but ineffective for the control of aphids on lettuce. The effectivenes
s of neem appears to be influenced by the host plant, the aphid specie
s, and weather conditions.