Exploring the Impact of Pesticide Use on Cucumber Seedlings under Herbivore Stress

Abstract

Cotton aphids, Aphis gossypii, are a major threat to agricultural and horticultural crops due to their broad host range, high reproductive rate and disease transmission to plants. Thus, crop protection is essential in both agricultural and horticultural settings due to aphid stress and damage. Synthetic and organic pesticides are often used to manage aphids in these settings. The increase of pesticide usage raises the concerns of pesticide resistance and environmental contamination. While both organic and synthetic pesticides are effective in reducing the negative effects of insect pests, there is the potential for adverse pesticide impact on the environment and non-target organisms. We explored the difference between synthetic and organic pesticides at different dilution levels. By diluting the pesticides, the concentration of the active ingredient is minimized. We examined the impact of pesticide levels on cucumber plants, Cucumis sativis under cotton aphid herbivory conditions. Plant stress and aphid population were assessed by quantifying the aphid population and analyzing below ground root data.