Red Plastic Mulch as an Alternative to Insecticides in Production of Seedless Watermelons

Red Plastic Mulch as an Alternative to Insecticides in Production of Seedless Watermelons

Summary

The principal insect pests that reduce yields of commercial plastic-culture seedless watermelon crops in the Southern Region are cucumber beetles, squash bugs and aphids. A key factor in successful production of the new seedless watermelons is introducing pollinators to assure an adequate fruit set. The problem many seedless watermelon growers face is that honey bees used for pollination are often killed by insecticide spray applications.

It is not feasible to stop spraying for insect control during the period when watermelon vines are in bloom and the pollinators are active. Cucumber beetles feed on the flower stamens and pistils, greatly reducing fruit set; and aphid populations can build up in a short time and transmit mosaic virus disease to a crop. Furthermore, the vines bloom and set fruit over a six week period and that is too long to delay insect pest control.

The vast majority of farmers in the Southern Region who grow watermelons using plastic mulch and trickle irrigation use black plastic. This is unfortunate because the insect pest species actually seem to be attracted to the black covered rows. Several entomologists have reported that crop rows covered with red plastic have a repellent affect on certain insect pests.

In this project, field research will be conducted in the use of red plastic mulch as a repellent to insect pests and as an alternative to insecticide spray applications in commercial production of seedless watermelons. Comparative research plots will be monitored throughout the growing season and yields will be measured to determine if red plastic can be used economically to reduce or eliminate insecticide spray applications in watermelons fields.

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