Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 May 2012
Insect developmental inhibitors applied to colonies of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), on peach trees in early May reduced the production of winged migrants as much as 75% and delayed migration for as long as 15 days. However, these compounds affected mainly the alatoid nymphs and not the reproductive adults; therefore, apterous aphids would be available as prey to the natural enemies that are present on peach trees in the spring. A reduction in the number of aphid migrants and a delay in their migration from peach trees would result in a subsequent reduction in the number of aphids produced on diseased secondary hosts and a delay in the migration of these aphids to host crops. In most cases, this would result in an increase in yield and an economic gain to the growers.