Taking advantage of pest thrips ecology to increase sustainability of vegetable crop production

Taking advantage of pest thrips ecology to increase sustainability of vegetable crop production

Summary

Despite delays in the availability of grant funds, the first field season of this three-year project is underway on schedule. During 2011, research station trials were established at the two locations, the University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center (Quincy, FL) and the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Research Center (Tifton, GA). Lupin was planted in the appropriate treatment plots in the fall and allowed to grow over winter. According to the research plans, plots will be prepared for the three cash crops, tomato, pepper and cucumber, to be grown in the spring of 2012 when thrips and tomato spotted wilt are most prevalent. Research will then continue in the oversummer phase with the planting of oversummering cover crops in the appropriate treatment plots or other appropriate conventional management practices for the summer phase.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Objective 1 – Design, implement and demonstrate four different cover crop systems, 1) conventional black plastic mulch; 2) conservation tillage cover crop, with spring cash crops transplanted into overwinter leguminous cover crops; 3) transitional cover crop, with the cash crops planted on black plastic overlaid in a cover system; 4) beneficial insect cover crop system, designed for spatial/temporal enhancement of beneficial insects and the biotic resistance against pest thrips and the spread of TSWV in vegetable crop systems.

Despite delays in the availability of grant funds, the first field season of the project is underway on schedule. Research station trials have been successfully established at the two locations, the University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center (Quincy, FL) and the University of Georgia, Coastal Plain Research Center (Tifton, GA). Lupin was planted in the appropriate treatment plots in the fall and allowed to grow over winter. According to the research plans, plots will be prepared for the three cash crops, tomato, pepper and cucumber, to be grown in the spring when thrips and tomato spotted wilt are most prevalent.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Milestones Met: Establishment of overwinter cover crop systems (Fall 2011)

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Research is ongoing.

Collaborators: