Trap cropping to manage green vegetable bug Nezara viridula (L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in sweet corn in New Zealand |
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Authors: | James H Rea Stephen D Wratten Richard Sedcole† Peter J Cameron‡ Stuart I Davis§ R Bruce Chapman |
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Institution: | Ecology and Entomology Group, Soil, Plant and Ecological Sciences Division;, Applied Computing, Mathematics and Statistics Group, Applied Management and Computing Division, PO Box 84, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand;, Crop and Food Research Ltd, Private Bag 92169, Auckland, New Zealand;, Heinz Wattie's Australasia, PO Box 439, Hastings, New Zealand |
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Abstract: | Abstract - 1 The use of trap crops to reduce green vegetable bug (GVB) Nezara viridula (L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) damage to process sweet corn Zea mays (L.) was investigated in three field experiments.
- 2 In the first season, small plots (2.7 m by 10 m) of white mustard Sinapis alba (L.) with pea Pisum sativum (L.) were sown along a crop border and compared with sweet corn alone.
- 3 In the second season, black mustard Brassica nigra (L.) was sown at two sowing dates (14 days apart) and compared with a sweet corn control, to examine how the maturity of the trap crop affected numbers of GVB trapped.
- 4 A field scale experiment was also conducted to determine the effectiveness of black mustard as a trap crop to protect larger areas of sweet corn from GVB.
- 5 In all three experiments, GVB populations were much higher on the trap crops compared with the sweet corn.
- 6 In both small plot experiments, GVB were contained largely within the trap crop for 2 weeks until the sweet corn was harvested.
- 7 The field scale experiment demonstrated the efficacy of the trap cropping technique to protect larger areas of crop from GVB.
- 8 Percentages of damaged sweet corn cobs in the outside row of fields protected by a trap crop were 0% and 1%, respectively, compared with 11% and 22% in control fields.
- 9 Trap cropping is recommended as an effective strategy to manage this insect. Options for cultivating or spraying the trap crops to reduce bug survival are discussed.
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Keywords: | Green vegetable bug IPM mustard New Zealand Nezara viridula southern green stink bug sweet corn trap crop pea |
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