Efficacy of combinations of anionic surfactant and some insecticides in control of pistachio twig borer [Kermania pistaciella (Lepidoptera: Tineidae)]

Pistachio twig borer [Kermania pistacella (Lepidoptera: Tineidae)] is a pest that causes economically significant losses in pistachios if left untreated and is frequently encountered in pistachio production areas in the Southeastern Anatolia Region. Since the pest feeds and moves in the shoots and branches, the application time in chemical control must be followed very carefully. This study was carried out in İnnaplı and Altınova villages of Birecik district, Şanlıurfa during 2022-2023 to investigate the alternative control period (pupa period) and chemicals with active ingredients, anionic surfactants and their mixtures in the control of K. pistacella. For this purpose, two separate 30-year-old pistachio orchards were selected as trial areas. In the study, Esfanvalerate (20ml/100 L water), Lambda Cyhalothrin (20 ml/100 L water), anionic surfactant [Chitin Sheredder (25ml/100 L water)] and their mixtures at different ratios were tested against K. pistacella pupae. A negative control plot in which no application was made was also included in the experiment. The results revealed that K. pistacella emerged from branches and shoots and pupated in the pistachio fields of Birecik district, Şanlıurfa during the second week of April. It was determined that the biological activity percentages of the anionic surfactant used varied between 6.54% and 13.25%, respectively, and the lowest biological activity rate was 3.40% was noted for esfanvalerate. The highest biological efficiency was recorded for lambda cyhalothrin and anionic surfactant mixture (90.12%), while this was obtained in the esfanvalerate + anionic surfactant mixture with a biological efficiency rate of 86.23%.