Integrated Pest Management for Backyard Vegetables

Dr. Ayanava MajumdarExtension Entomologist (Peanuts, Vegetables)

State SARE Coordinator (Auburn U)&

Willie DatcherReg. Ext. Agent, ACES

Alabama insect monitoring project 2009-10

2009 (15 sites)

2010 (30 sites)Outputs:

25,000+ insect trapped400+ lbs of soil analyzed

+

Peanut farm

Vegetable farm

Insect Trap Catches in Vegetables2010 2009

InsectTrap

catchesNo. of sites

Trap catches

No. of sites Peak moth activity

Beet armyworm 962 15 606 7 July, AugustFall armyworm 728 15 674 7 July, AugustSouthern armyworm 46 13 167 4 AugustTomato fruitworm 144 15 290 7 JulyTobacco budworm 125 15 71 7 AugustLesser cornstalk borer 2307 15 715 1 July, AugustCabbage looper 274 15 83 3 AugustSoybean looper 181 15 100 1 AugustCorn rootworm 65 5 200 6 June, JulySquash vine borer 573 15 - - May, June, JulyTomato pinworm 54 15 4 6 AugustTOTAL 5479 2910

EBPM Training Events

Regional Extension Agent training in improved scouting practices IPM training to farmers at farms in

Alabama

Master Gardeners IPM Project (2010): Efficacy of Imidacloprid

April 2010

Establishing a Vegetable Research Garden

Phyllis & George Holman (MG Volunteers)

May 2010

Soil preparation:FertilizerInsecticide gran.

Final vegetable garden (TP date: May 7, 2010)

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

Colorado potato beetleLeptinotarsa decemlineata

Brown stink bug, Euschistus servus

Grasshopper

Tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpa zea

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

Spider mites (Tetranychus sp.)

Beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua

Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperdaYellowstriped armyworm, Spodoptera ornithogalli

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

Squash vine borer, Mellitia cucurbitae Sugarcane borer,

Euetheola rugiceps

Tomato hornworm, Manduca quinquemaculata

Emerging Pest on Vegetables: Leaffooted Bugs

Leptoglossus phyllopus

Leptoglossus zonatus

Leptoglossus gonagra

Heavy fruit drop in eggplants and tomatoes (LFBs)

Emerging Crop Pests: Invasive Insects

Brown marmorated stink bug, Hyalomorpha halys

Detected in 3 Counties

Bean plataspid, Megacopta cribrariaDetected in AL in 2010Seeks shelter in homesInfests kudzu, soybean, kidney beans, lima beans, etc. UGA Photos

Trap Cropping for Insect Pest Reduction

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

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

• Reduced insecticide usage

Perimeter Trap Cropping

Main crop (watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber)

Trap crop (squash)

Net house vegetable production, 2011

Untreated check (insect injury 15 days after planting)

Untreated bell peppers inside net house (slight insect injury)

Research sites: Fairhope, Thomaston

Organic collard production (Brewton, 2010)

• BotaniGard ES, Molt-X, Suffoil-X• BotaniGard is a living insecticide• Molt-X is an insect growth regulator

(3% azadirachtin)• Suffoil-X is a pre-emulsified paraffinic

oil• Results (Oct. 2010):

– Aphid pop. high, no caterpillars– Sign. results: BG + MX rotated with SX

to below 0 aphid/plant for 3 wks; Untreated check = 3-5 aphids per plant

– No yield response (22-24 lb/plot)

BioWorks, Inc. sponsored organic vegetable research

APHID NUMBERS

Treatment Treatment datesMean Yield (lb/plant)

Obs. 1 (Nov. 10)

Obs. 2 (Nov 22)

Obs. 3 (Nov 29)

Obs. 4 (Dec 6)

#1 Untreated Check None 0.15 ± 0.01 031.5 ± 18.8

a108.00 ± 194.81

40.00 ± 73.48

#2 Mustang Max (Chemical std.) November 15, 22, 29 0.13 ± 0.01 2.5 ± 5.0 0.25 ± 0.50 b 0.75 ± 1.50 0

#3 BotaniGard & Molt-X rotation every 5-7 days

BG = Nov. 15; MX = Nov. 22; BG = Nov. 29 0.15 ± 0.02 0 4.75 ± 9.50

b 3.75 ± 7.50 0

#4 BotaniGard mixed with Molt-X, rotated with Molt-X every 5-7 days

BG+MX = Nov. 15; MX = Nov. 22; BG+MX = Nov. 29 0.13± 0.01

0.5 ± 1.0 5.75 ± 10.21 b 0 0

#5 BotaniGard rotated with a tankmix of Molt-X+Suffoil-X every 5-7 days

BG = Nov. 15; MX+SX = Nov. 22; BG = Nov. 29 0.14 ± 0.01

1.0 ± 2.0 0 b0 0

#6 BotaniGard mixed with Molt-X, rotated with Suffoil-X every 5-7 days

BG+MX = Nov. 15; SX = Nov. 22; BG+MX = Nov. 29 0.13 ± 0.01 0 0 b 0 0

ANOVA F = 1.979, df = 5, P = 0.131

F = 0.773, df = 5, P=0.581

F = 6.568, df = 5, P = 0.001

F = 1.208, df = 5, P = 0.345

F = 1.185, df = 5, P = 0.355

RESULTNS NS *** NS

R squared 0.355 0.177 0.646 0.251 0.248

Organic collard production (Brewton, 2010)

What is IPM?• Major crop losses occur due to:

• Lack of early detection of insects• Insecticide resistance by over-use• Loss of natural control with insecticides

• “Integrated pest management (IPM) is a threshold based decision management system which leads to judicious use of multiple pest control tactics.”

Decision making in IPM…

• Insect detection & monitoring• Insect identification• Population pressure• Economic threshold• Make treatment decision• Choosing right insecticide• Applying insecticide timely & correctly

Toxicity of formulations

Source: Penn State Univ. IPM Program

Bayer’s systemic insecticide

• Systemic poison, introduced in 2010

• Apply at first sign of insects: aphid, thrips, WF, flea beetles

• Best as PoE drench

• CAUTION: Long waiting period (21 d) Bayer Advanced FCV

Master Gardeners IPM Project (2010): Insect Monitoring & Scouting

Volunteer: Carol Rhodes (detailed observations on insect pests and plant yields)

Master Gardeners IPM Project (2010): Efficacy of Imidacloprid

Volunteer: Carol Rhodes

Observations:

• Imidacloprid provides early season protection

• Promotes plant establishment & growth

• Earlier fruit harvest

Master Gardeners IPM Project (2010): Plant Yield from Integrated Treatments

Details Bell pepper yield, lb per plant ± SD

Okra yield, lb per plant ± SD

Tomato yield, lb per plant ± SD

IPM Regime 1 Imida + Carb FR + Mala FR

3.6 ± 0.3 1.1 ± 0.6 1.9 ± 0.5

IPM Regime 2 Imida + Carb HR + Mala HR

2.1 ± 0.1 1.7 ± 0.5 3.2 ± 1.0

IPM Regime 3 Untreated check 1.8 ± 0.8 1.3 ± 0.7 2.2 ± 1.5 F 10.829 0.624 1.107 P 0.010** 0.567 0.390

Findings:

• Yield response significant for bell peppers but not for okra, tomato

• Spray of carbaryl & malathion did not provide large returns

• Repeating study in 2011

Treat underside of leaves to increase product persistence

Extend life of biological insecticides (Bt, BotaniGard)

Use an angled sprayer boom

Treat the young top leaves

Alabama Vegetable Entomology Website

www.aces.edu/go/87

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IPM Recommendations…• Choose the right cultivar• Use pheromone traps (first detection is important)• No substitute for scouting!• Insecticides for rescue treatments only• Treat the underside of leaves (increase i-cide persistence)• Careful with insecticide generics (phytotoxicity)• Integrate using newer insecticides (IPM):

• Use the Home Garden Vegetable IPM Guide (ANR-500)

• Call ACES for help with insect ID!