Control Effectiveness of Kaolin Clay and Neem on Agonoscena pistaciae in Pistachio Orchards

Abstract

The pistachio psyllid (Agonoscena pistaciae) is a major pest threatening pistachio production in Siirt province, Türkiye. This study evaluated the efficacy of a clay mineral, kaolin, and a botanical insecticide, neem extract, in managing this pest, aiming to reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides. Field experiments were conducted to compare the performance of these treatments with that of the synthetic insecticide spirotetramat SC 100 at various application rates. The results demonstrated that kaolin significantly reduced oviposition rates, achieving up to 100% deterrence, while neem extract exhibited substantial nymph mortality rates of up to 84.75%. These findings highlight the potential of mineral- and plant-based alternatives as effective components of integrated pest management strategies for pistachio psyllid control, offering sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions for minimizing economic losses and pesticide residues in pistachio production.