Kontos and Safari

[davidwood]

Hi David,

Kontos will not work as a spray because it mechanism of action is via ingestion not external absorption.  Only actively feeding mites will die from Kontos and spraying will not work for this reason.  If you are interested in a spray I have had very good results managing mites using horticultural oil. 

Good luck!     

Chris can you take a look at this link. http://www.ohp.com/Newsletter/Spring11/kontos_back.php

Does the bit where it says ---  Growers can spray Kontos and know that it is phloem- active so the active ingredient moves both up-and-down in the plant ---- sort of argue what you say about it not being so good.
I am not disputing your knowledge as I truly do not understand, in fact I haven’t got a clue but I think its miss-leading when they say ‘in’ the plant.

[helixturnhelix]

Hmmm it looks like if you spray it, it is still being absorbed by the plant, and the insects then ingest it when they feed.  So the mechanism is the same, but the plant can absorb it both ways.  So konrad sprayed on an insect won't kill it, but if sprayed on a plant where it is absorbed, then the insect ingests it when it feeds, the insect will die.

That's what it reads to me anyways.

[davidwood]

Thing is Chris even if it does work I have another problem here in Nha Trang, I was reading yesterday that Foliar feeding and spraying is not much use if the temperature is above 25C, apparently the actual bits of the leaf [I cant remember the actual words what they are called] need to open to absorb the moisture and at above 25c they wont, well at 4am this morning [coldest time] it was 27C.