Reflective mulches repel aphids and protect cucurbitaceous crops from virus diseases.
Reflective mulches repel aphids and protect cucurbitaceous crops from virus diseases. Aphid feeding causes some direct damage to the plant, but the loss due to disease is far greater. Numerous studies have shown that reflective mulches covering the soil can repel aphids and delay or reduce the incidence of non-persistent virus diseases in susceptible vegetable crops. The lack of suitable materials for mulching impeded adoption of this practice in California up until a few years ago. A number of silver polyethylene mulches are now commercially available and have been used with some success.