Timing of Brassica planting to reduce flea beetle damage.

View the project final report

Commodities

• Vegetables: broccoli, cabbages, greens (leafy), rutabagas, brussel sprouts

Practices

• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
• Pest Management: cultural control, weather monitoring

Flea beetles are damaging to Brassica crops such as broccoli, arugula, turnips, kale, and cabbages. This project will study the cycle of the flea beetle and measure its presence in the garden over the course of a summer by using sticky traps and by evaluating crop damage. Variables such as degree days, planting dates, and flea beetle populations will yield more information on infestation dates and the proper time to plant. To the extent that infestation is a function of accumulated degree days, it may be possible to transfer this information to other farms.