Trap Crops for Insect Pest Management
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Transcript of Trap Crops for Insect Pest Management
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: [email protected]
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
Facebook: ‘Alabama Vegetable IPM’
Search for ‘Alabama Vegetable IPM’ & subscribe for periodic updates on insect & disease issues
YouTube Channel: IPMNews
Recorded Live in Field!
Search for ‘IPMNews’ channel & subscribe for periodic updates on insect & disease issues
The IPM Communicator(A FREE electronic newsletter)
Six financial gains reports: $3,550 in pesticide savingSign up today at the Exhibit for 2011 series starting soon!
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
Abov
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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.
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 14
27
48
20
2 2 0
10
2825
45
14
40
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.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
24
0
5
24
10
31 0 0 1 2
17
9
4
0 0
4
02
0 0
2009-A2010-A2010-B
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
+
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!