Greenhouse Plant Production Journal
Quarterly

How Greenhouse Construction Type Modulates the Chemical Control Efficacy Against Two-Spotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus urticae)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Mehran Rezaei

Department of Plant Protection and Production, Institute of Agriculture, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.66224/gppj.3.3.17
Abstract
Greenhouse cultivation in Iran has expanded significantly, yet the influence of greenhouse structural characteristics on the efficacy of pest management remains poorly understood. This study evaluated the efficacy of four commonly used acaricides, abamectin, bifenazate, hexythiazox, and spirodiclofen, against the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) in two distinct greenhouse structural types: gothic multispan (height: 600 cm, fan-and-pad ventilation) and wood-framed (height: 223-245 cm, hand-operated ventilation). The experiments were conducted in four cucumber greenhouses in Isfahan Province, Iran, during July 2022. Acaricides were applied at recommended concentrations, and mite mortality was assessed at 3, 7, and 14 days after treatment (DAT) using the Henderson-Tilton formula. Results revealed significantly higher acaricide efficacy in gothic multispan greenhouses compared with wood-framed structures across all sampling intervals. At 14 DAT, the highest efficacy recorded in gothic greenhouses (bifenazate: 85.22%) was nearly double that observed in wood-framed structures (43.27%). Bifenazate and hexythiazox demonstrated superior residual activity (85.22% and 79.10% at 14 DAT in gothic greenhouses, respectively), while abamectin and spirodiclofen exhibited the lowest persistence, particularly in wood-framed structures (33.95% and 30.98% at 14 DAT, respectively). The reduced efficacy observed in wood-framed greenhouses may be associated with suboptimal environmental conditions, including inadequate ventilation, poor air circulation, and limited spray coverage due to lower height. The findings suggest that investing in modern greenhouse infrastructure can substantially improve acaricide performance, potentially reducing spray frequency and delaying resistance development. However, as this study focused exclusively on chemical control, future research should investigate the compatibility of these findings with biological control agents within integrated pest management programs.

Keywords

Acaricide efficacy
Cucumber
Greenhouse structure
Integrated pest management
Protected cultivation
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Greenhouse Plant Production Journal

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 01 August 2026

  • Receive Date 14 April 2026
  • Revise Date 29 May 2026
  • Accept Date 20 July 2026
  • First Publish Date 01 August 2026
  • Publish Date 01 August 2026

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