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Hubbard squash trap crop as an ‘attract-and-kill’ integrated pest management strategy to reduce cucumber beetles and squash bugs

Horticulture & Turfgrass

Ayanava Majumdar
Extension Professor, State Leader for Program Evaluation
ALABAMA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SYSTEM
AUBURN

Abstract

Alabama has a rapidly growing specialty crop industry valued at $165 million in direct sale and $103 million in value-added agriculture. Insect pests in the south are a major limiting factor to productivity and profitability for small producers. Trap cropping is a unique integrated pest management (IPM) strategy that utilizes insect behavior and host preference to deter feeding from the main crop. Trap crops are generally planted on minimal acres and are useful as an ‘attract-and-kill’ system reducing the overall pesticide usage on main crop. In Alabama, small plot trap cropping using Baby Blue and New England Hubbard started in 2013 at three locations (Brewton, Clanton, and Cullman). Aggregate data from demonstration plots with replicated treatments have shown 16 times more aggregation of cucumber beetles (Acalymma vittatum F.) on the mixed stands of Baby Blue and New England Hubbard. Cucumber beetles are the first pest to become active on Hubbard seedling and the feeding damage is noticeable. Main squash (yellow squash) planted two weeks after the trap crop remain untouched by the cucumber beetles. Squash bug (Anasa tristis DeGeer) adults are extremely attracted to Hubbard squash that leads to 94% reduction in egg load on the main crop. Timely treatment of Hubbard squash trap crops with pyrethrin and spinosad-based sprays can reduce squash bugs numbers to a limited extent. As an incentive for farmers, the large Hubbard squash fruits are marketable and can lead to cost-recovery. We have revised the ‘Organic Vegetable IPM Slide Charts’ for farmers with new information from trap crop studies; these new IPM slide charts will be available to participants free of cost at the conference. All research and IPM publications are supported by grants from USDA-NIFA BFRD, SARE Research & Education/PDP, CPPM/EIP, and ADAI Specialty Crops Block Grant Programs.          

Authors: Ayanava Majumdar, Matthew Price, David Lawrence
  1. Ayanava Majumdar Extension Professor, State Leader for Program Evaluation, Alabama Extension at Auburn University, Alabama, 36849
  2. Matthew Price Director, Chilton Research and Extension Center, CREC, Auburn University, Alabama, 35045
  3. David Lawrence Regional Extension Agent, Alabama Extension at Auburn University, Alabama, 35045