Author
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Reitz, Stuart |
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Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2007 Publication Date: 12/11/2008 Citation: Reitz, S.R. 2008. Does bacteria disease control affect UV reflective mulch for thrips and tospovirus control in tomatoes?. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting. Interpretive Summary: Vegetable growers continue to be encouraged to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices as a means to make vegetable production more economical, sustainable and environmentally benign. Over the years, researchers have developed many highly effective programs to manage specific pests. However, as these new pest management techniques continue to be developed, we must ensure that they are compatible with other crop production measures so that growers will be able to implement them. Tomato production is a prime example because of the intense pressure from insects and pathogens. Growers have historically used copper based sprays to control bacterial spot and other foliar pathogens, and they have recently adopted highly reflective metalized mulches to deter thrips from entering fields. Scientists with the Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology are addressing how different materials for bacterial spot control affect the reflectivity of UV reflective mulches and what impact these materials have on thrips, tomato spotted wilt as well bacterial spot. Repeated field trials were conducted to compare the effects of copper sprays and sprays of a new biological control bacteriophage material on thrips control by UV reflective mulches. Results have shown that copper sprays significantly reduce the reflectivity of the metalized mulch compared to the control, whereas phage treatments do not adversely affect reflectivity. The phage treatment had significantly lower amounts of tomato spotted wilt. In turn, copper did not control bacterial spot better than the phage. Consequently yield was highest in the phage treatment. These results indicate the need to consider the overall costs and benefits of individual management tactics, and not to base decisions solely on the specific target pest. Technical Abstract: Vegetable growers continue to be encouraged to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices as a means to make vegetable production more economical, sustainable and environmentally benign. Over the years, researchers have developed many highly effective programs to manage specific pests. However, as these new pest management techniques continue to be developed, we must ensure that they are compatible with other crop production measures so that growers will be able to implement them. Tomato production is a prime example because of the intense pressure from insects and pathogens. Growers have historically used copper based sprays to control bacterial spot and other foliar pathogens, and they have recently adopted highly reflective metalized mulches to deter thrips from entering fields. This study addressed how copper based sprays and bateriophage sprays for bacterial spot control affect the reflectivity of UV reflective mulches and what impact these materials have on thrips, tomato spotted wilt as well bacterial spot. Results have shown that copper sprays significantly reduce the reflectivity of the metalized mulch compared to the control, whereas phage treatments do not adversely affect reflectivity. The phage treatment had significantly lower amounts of tomato spotted wilt. In turn, copper did not control bacterial spot better than the phage. Consequently yield was highest in the phage treatment. These results indicate the need to consider the overall costs and benefits of individual management tactics, and not to base decisions solely on the specific target pest. |
