How to treat spider mites in cucumbers? - briefly
Apply a miticide such as neem oil or insecticidal soap, repeat every 5‑7 days, and maintain high humidity to discourage mite reproduction. Remove heavily infested foliage and release predatory mites for biological control.
How to treat spider mites in cucumbers? - in detail
Spider mites rapidly colonize cucumber foliage, causing stippling, yellowing, and reduced fruit set. Early detection and a layered management plan are essential for effective control.
Identify the pest by examining the undersides of leaves. Adult mites are 0.4 mm long, reddish‑brown, and move in clusters. Their webs appear as fine silk strands connecting leaf edges. Scrape a leaf surface onto a white paper; numerous tiny moving dots confirm infestation.
Cultural practices reduce population pressure.
- Maintain high humidity (≥60 %) by mulching, drip irrigation, and avoiding overhead sprays that dry foliage.
- Space plants 30–45 cm apart to improve air circulation.
- Remove heavily infested leaves promptly; dispose of them away from the garden.
- Rotate crops annually with non‑cucurbit hosts to break the mite life cycle.
Biological agents provide targeted suppression.
- Predatory mites (e.g., Phytoseiulus persimilis, Neoseiulus californicus) are released at a rate of 20–30 predators per cucumber plant. Apply when mite numbers reach 5–10 per leaf.
- Entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria bassiana are sprayed at 1 × 10⁹ cfu L⁻¹; reapply every 7–10 days under humid conditions.
- Neem oil (5 % azadirachtin) works as an antifeedant; apply a thin coating to both leaf surfaces, repeating every 5 days until counts drop below threshold.
Chemical options serve as a last resort due to resistance risk. Use miticides with distinct modes of action, rotating products to avoid selection pressure. Recommended classes include:
- Abamectin (soil drench, 0.5 ml L⁻¹) for systemic action.
- Spiromesifen (foliar spray, 0.2 ml L⁻¹) for contact toxicity.
- Bifenthrin (synthetic pyrethroid, 0.1 ml L⁻¹) for rapid knock‑down.
Follow label rates, observe pre‑harvest intervals, and wear protective equipment. Integrate with biological controls to minimize residues.
Monitoring continues throughout the growing season. Inspect leaves weekly, record mite counts per leaf, and adjust control measures when populations exceed the economic threshold of 10–15 mites per leaf. Combining cultural, biological, and, when necessary, chemical tactics maintains cucumber health and maximizes yield.