Developing mass trapping strategies to control the striped cucumber beetle in organic cucurbit farming

Description

The striped cucumber beetle (SCB) is the main insect pest in cucurbits. Besides inflicting damage on seedlings, it can also transmit bacterial wilt. This project aims to develop mass trapping strategies to keep damage caused by SCB populations below the economic threshold, while minimizing the capture of pollinators and natural enemies. The first step will be to confirm the best trap (attractiveness and type of opening) in order to maximize catches. The second stage will involve mass trapping in and out of season (before planting, then from harvest time to mid-November). Depending on the results obtained, off-season trapping could be included as part of a mass trapping strategy. At the end of the project, a new SCB control method will be made available to all cucurbit growers, and especially organic growers who have few tools available to control the SCB.

Objective(s)

• Developing mass trapping strategies to control the striped cucumber beetle in organic cucurbit farming