A field study was conducted at the college of Agriculture, Baghdad University-Jadiriyah to investigate the effect of adding potassium fertilizer and organic nutrient (Reef Amirich) on the population density of two sucking pests of cucumber, cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci and onion thrips, Thrips tabaci during the spring season/2016. Results indicated that potassium sulphate (50, 100 and 150 kg/ha) and organic nutrient (0.8 and 1.6ml/l) reduced both the population density of B. tabaci and T. tabaci nymphs depending on the fertilizer level of the user, the treatment 150 kg/ha for the potassium fertilizer and 1.6 ml/L for organic nutrient was the highest among others when minimized density of nymphs by 1.62 nymphs of B. tabaci/disk leaf and 0.38 nymph of T. tabaci / disk leaf. suggesting a possible increase in cucumber resistance to this pest as a result of the treatments, and the result showed the infestation with B. tabaci was higher in the second half of May, the average number of nymph were 5.35 nymph/ disk leaf, while the highest number of T. tabaci was observed in the first half of May, the average number reached to 2.73 nymph/ disk leaf. The result showed the interaction treatment K150A1.6 was significant superior of percentage of K and increased of content in leaves of Fe, Cu and Zn.
University of Baghdad
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