Dual strategy eco-based pest management

Sweetpotato whitefly, thrips and aphids are major insect pests in vegetable crops in north Florida. The use of “push-pull” technology and companion planting are cultural and conservation biocontrol methods, respectively, which may mitigate damage by these major insect pests. In summer 2019, we evaluated the “push-pull technology” in controlling insect pests in organic vegetables in a screened structure. In this study, the “push” component of the “push-pull” strategy included potted repellent plants of citronella, garlic society and lemon grass. The “pull” component involved the use of green leaf volatiles to attract whiteflies away from the tomato crop. Companion flowering plants included marigold and basil. Commercial “preda-lure” volatiles were placed next to the basil plants. These companion plants and lures were used to complement the “push-pull” strategy by enhancing the beneficial insects that may reduce the numbers of insect pests. Preliminary results indicate that sweetpotato whiteflies, aphids and thrips were the common insect pests in the tomato crop. The population densities of sweetpotato whiteflies, thrips and aphids were relatively low. Due to the low numbers of whiteflies, the green leaf volatile was not tested. The yellow striped armyworm was observed to feed on the tomato fruit. The beneficial insects were mainly the minute pirate bug and whitefly parasites. The dual strategy using “push-pull” technology combined with the use of companion planting may be part of an eco-based pest management program to control major insect pests of organic vegetables in enclosed structures.