Innovative Pest Management Techniques Integrating Trap

Crops & Insecticides

Dr. Ayanava MajumdarExtension Entomologist (Peanuts, Vegetables)

State SARE Coordinator (Auburn U)Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Cell phone: 251-331-8416bugdoctor@auburn.edu

Extension Resources for Farmers & Gardeners

THE OVERALL THEME OF THIS TALK IS…

AGRICULTURE IN THE 21ST CENTURY MUST MOVE TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY OF FAMILY

FARMS

ALABAMA EXTENSION PROGRAMS ARE COMMITTED TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE!

IPM COmmunication REsource (IPM-CORE): Providing Thrust to IPM & Sustainable Agriculture in Alabama

This website gives access to blogs, presentations, newsletters & other publications, insecticide

recommendations & more!

www.aces.edu/go/87

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Vegetable Production in Alabama

• 34 major vegetables produced• 2006: 5700 acres >> 2008: 5,950 acres• 100% fresh market produce• Value: ~$17 million• Tomato: ~1300 acres = $12 million

Why practice IPM?• Based on economic & environmental sustainability principle

• Integrated pest management (IPM) is a threshold-based decision management system that uses multiple pest control tactics.

• Average gain from vegetable IPM is $19 for every dollar spent*

*L. Gianessi, 2009. Crop Protection Research Institute.

Insecticide usage in AL (all crops): 200,000 to 770,000 lb/year

Major Issues with IPM• Less emphasis on cultural insect control practices

• Poor crop selection = stressed plants = more pests

• Lack of early detection of insects = last minute decision = over dependence on insecticides

• Insecticide resistance

• Pest resurgence

• Environmental impact??

….IPM is unsustainable if it is ‘pesticide intensive’

We need to approach pest management from a holistic or ecological perspective.

Ecological Pest Management (EPM)From Altieri, Nicholls, and Fritz (2005): Manage Insects on Your Farm (SARE)

Ecological Pest Management System incorporates the broad knowledge of the agro-ecosystem to choose pest management tactics that are timely, environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Goal of EPM: Maintain Healthy Plants From Root to Foliage

‘Pillars’ of EPM: Crop Diversity Reduce Tillage Rotations Maintain Soil Cover Cover Crops Add Organic Matter Plant Breeding Nutrient Management

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Current Research & Extension Focus• Emphasis on Pest Detection using pheromone traps:

– Use insect traps for improved scouting, early detection of pests

– Trap Catch = Pest Density X Pest Activity (Taylor, 1963)– Insect Monitoring Project (2009-2010) finding:

sustainable agriculture can reduce pest pressures, see subsequent slides.

Corn rootworm trapSticky wing trap Stink bug trap

Beet Armyworm Moth Activity in Alabama: Conventional Farm (A) vs. Organic Farm (B)

Early May

Late May

Early June

Late June

Early July

Late July

Early Aug.

Late Aug.

Early Sept.

Late Sept.

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0 14

27

48

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2 2 0

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2825

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4 6 69

1 0

2009-A2010-A2010-B

Locations: Clay County (A) Dale County (B)

Numbers indicate moth catches in 12 days.

Early May

Late May

Early June

Late June

Early July

Late July

Early Aug.

Late Aug.

Early Sept.

Late Sept.

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Numbers indicate moth catches in 12 days.Locations: Clay County (A)

Dale County (B)

Tomato Fruitworm Moth Activity in Alabama: Conventional Farm (A) vs. Organic Farm (B)

Fabric mesh 30-50 as insect barrier.Mesh size depends on target insect & cost.Height provides air movement, fans can also be installed

Location: Baldwin County, AL Dimensions: 150 ft long, 48 ft wide, 17 ft high center, 12 ft high sidesEntrance: Double door

On-farm Research: First Net house in Alabama

Does net house block insect pests? Tomato

fruitwormTobacco

budwormLoopers Beet

armywormFall

armyworm Month Net

houseOpen field

Net house

Open field

Net house Open field Net house

Open field

Net house

Open field

May 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 8 0 13June 0 1 0 2 0 17 0 23 0 15July 0 2 1 23 0 27 0 40 2 11August 0 7 0 10 0 23 0 69 4 11September 0 8 0 5 0 37 0 75 5 14Seasonalaverage

0 3.8 0.2 8.4 0 20.8 0 43 2.2 12.8

% reduction in insect activity

100% 98% 100% 100% 82%

Yes, it does! Here are the pheromone trap catches for major pests.

• Only one insecticide spray was needed to control aphid outbreak.• Armyworms (<0.2 larvae/plant) & stink bugs were removed manually.• Vegetables outside net house were sprayed bi-weekly to control caterpillars.

Other Research/Extension Projects(Grant funded)

• Stink bug management with trap crops (2011-2012)• Pheromone-based monitoring of critical pests (2009 &

2010)• Inter-row cover crops for reducing disease

transmission in peppers & pumpkins (2011-2012)• Net house vegetable production (continued research)• Industry-supported research:

– Biological control of aphids/caterpillars: BotaniGard, Molt-X, Suffoil-X (tank mixes)

– Synthetic insecticides: Movento, Belt, Synapse, Radiant, Entrust

MAJOR VEGETABLE INSECT PESTS 2010

>Half of AL predicted under drought in 2011

Major Insect Pests – Sentinel Plots (2010 - A drought year)

Yellowstriped armyworm, Spodoptera ornithogalli (Guenee)

Tomato hornworm, Manduca quinquemaculata (Linnaeus)

Colorado potato beetleLeptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)

Brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say) Aphid outbreak

on bell pepper

Grasshopper

Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis

Major Insect Pests – Sentinel Plots (2010 - A drought year)

Spider mites (Tetranychus sp.)

Beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda

Tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpa zea

Major Insect Pests – Sentinel Plots (2010 - A drought year)

Squash vine borer, Mellitia cucurbitae Sugarcane beetle,

Euetheola rugiceps

Tomato hornworm, Manduca quinquemaculata

Emerging Pest on Vegetables: Leaffooted Bugs

Leptoglossus phyllopus

Leptoglossus zonatus

Leptoglossus gonagra

Heavy fruit drop can cause major losses in eggplants and tomatoes

Emerging Crop Pests: Invasive Insects

Brown marmorated stink bug, Hyalomorpha halys

Bean plataspid, Megacopta cribrariaDetected in AL in 2010Seeks shelter in homesInfests kudzu, soybean…what’s next? UGA Photos

TRAP CROPPING: CONCEPTS & APPLICATIONS

What is a trap cropping?

• Agronomic definition:– Trap cropping is the planting of an attractive trap crop

to protect the main crop (PAN Germany, 2009). Trap crop may or may not be harvestable.

• Entomological definition:• Presence of second crop in the vicinity of principal

crop diverts a pest, which would otherwise attack the principal crop” (Van der Meer 1981)

“Trap cropping is a special case of multiple cropping.”

How to visualize trap crops?Trap Crops

+

Mechanical Removal

Or

Selective insecticide

=

Ecological Pest Management

(EPM)

Trapcrop

Major Principle of Trap Cropping• Insects are attracted to plant volatiles• Insects have differential host preference • Insect may feed and reproduce in preferred host

How trap cropping works?Behavioral theories that may explain success of trap crops!

1. Visual camouflage (Smith 1969)

2. Masking of host plant odor (Tahvanainen & Root 1972)

3. Resource concentration hypothesis (Root 1973)

4. Appropriate/inappropriate landings (Finch & Collier 2000)

Major Techniques of Trap Cropping• Selection of a more preferred cultivar or species at

the same time as the main crop

• Planting of the same species and cultivar as the main crop timed to be at the most preferred stage of development before the main crop

Source: Wszelaki and Broughton, UT Extension W235-F

Trap cropping arrangements

• Trap crop = early planted squash, apply insecticide on borders

• Squash lured 66% cucumber beetles and 90% squash bugs

Perimeter Trap Cropping

Main crop (watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber)

Trap crop (squash)

Trap cropping arrangements

• Boucher et al. (2003): bell pepper (main crop) + hot cherry peppers (trap crop) for pepper maggots

• Trap crop surrounds the main crop from all sides

Perimeter Trap Cropping

Trap cropMAIN CROP

TRAP CROP

Trap cropping arrangementsPerimeter Trap Cropping (contd.)

• Cook et al. (2006): Rothamsted Research, UK

• Trap crop = turnip rape (Brassica rapa)

• Main crop = oilseed rape (B. napus)

• Target insect = pollen beetles

• Cook et al (2007) called this the ‘push-pull’ strategy

Trap cropping arrangements

Planting trap crop (alfalfa) in rows within the main crop (cotton)

Within-Row Trap Cropping

Alfalfa

Cotton Cotton

Sustainable American Cotton Project, NCAT

Southern green stink bug

Trap cropping arrangements

Planting trap crop (alfalfa) in rows within the main crop (strawberry) & a using vacuum!

Within-Row Trap Cropping (contd.)

Alfalfa

Strawberry(34 rows)

Strawberry(34 rows)

Strawberry production in California

Western tarnished plant bug damage

Trap cropping arrangementsStrip Trap Cropping

• Planting trap crops in a strip along one common border between two or more crops

• Tillman (2006): integrated trap crops + pheromone traps

High parasitism rates from tachinid fly in sorghum

PEANUTSSORGHUM (panicle stage)

COTTON

Target: Green stink bugs

Source: USDA-ARS

Maintain grassy corridors

• Integrate with trap crops

• Have a well managed strip of grassland

• Important for natural enemy conservation

• Monitor pests and beneficials in the corridor

Advantages of trap cropping• Sustainable technology – many success stories available

• Allows small startup without investing in large equipment

• May pay for itself if crop is harvestable (alfalfa, squash)

• Can be integrated with other technologies: pheromone traps, conservation systems`

• Reduces dependence on insecticides

• Conserves or attracts natural enemies to trap crop

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Benefits of Trap CroppingPossible Benefit of Using PTC Average Rating from 6 Growers*Reduced pesticide use 2.8Reduced use of harsh pesticides 2.7Reduced spray time/expense 2.8Easier picking/harvesting schedules 2.9Reduced exposure to hazardous pesticides 2.9Reduced potential for chemical residues 2.9Reduced risk from secondary pest outbreaks 2.7Improved crop quality 2.9Reduced impact on the environment/land/water 2.7Reduced liability exposure 2.5 Improved crop/farm profitability 2.5Improved public perception 2.3Improved pest monitoring 2.9

*Rating: N/A = not applicable, 0 = no benefit, 1 = low, 2 = medium, 3 = high

Source: Boucher & Durgy, 2004

• Growers need knowledge of insect behavior, migration, seasonal abundance etc.

• Need for additional planning and resources

• Insecticide may still be needed

• Results may be inconsistent (moderated by weather events)

• Timely management of insects in trap crop: otherwise you have a “pest nursery”

Disadvantages of trap cropping

If you use trap cropping then…• Choose trap crops that have rapid growth…

• Proportion of land in traps ~10-20%…

• Plant a dense row of trap crop, plant early…

• Choose a simple design – easy to manage…

• Use a well-managed grassy corridor so NEs can move

• Consult with Extension and share info with friends!