This is a new presentation on trap cropping developed by Dr. Rammohan Balusu of Auburn University, Alabama. Please contact a Regional Extension Agent for more information.

1. TRAP CROPPING FOR VEGETABLE
INSECT PEST MANAGEMENT
Rao Balusu1
Ayanava Majumdar2
Henry Fadamiro1
1Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
Auburn University, Tel: (334) 844-1457, balusrr@auburn.edu
2GulfCoast Research & Ext. Center
8300 State Hwy 104, Fairhope AL 36532
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2. Overview
Introduction
What is trap cropping?
Importance of trap cropping
Major trap cropping principles
Trap cropping techniques/layouts
Case studies
Advantages/disadvantages
Conclusions
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3. Introduction
 AL produces about 34 different vegetable crops
Area = 6000 acres
Crop value = $20 mil
Mostly for fresh market
Major crops:
Tomatoes
Sweet corn
Sweet potatoes
Potatoes
Watermelon
Crucifers (turnip, collards, mustard greens etc.)
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4. Sucking pests
Brown stink bug Southern green stink bug
(Euschistus servus) (Nezara viridula)
Leaffooted Bug
(Leptoglossus phyllopus)
Damage Images from Bugguide.net

5. Sucking pests
Squash bug Potato aphid
(Anasa tristis) (Macrosiphum euphorbiae)
Green peach aphid Melon aphid
(Myzus persicae) (Aphis gossypii)
Aphid images from UFL-IFAS

6. Importance of Trap Cropping
Heavy use of insecticides (28 chemistries)
Use of insecticides resulted in
 Insecticide resistance
 Non-target effects (environment, natural enemies)
Need to look at alternative pest management tactics
Trap cropping is one of those valuable pest
management techniques

7. What is Trap Cropping?
Trap cropping is the planting of an attractive
host plant to lure insect pests away from main
crop.
Trap crop may or may not be harvestable.
http://joyfusions.com/

8. Major Principle of Trap Cropping
Insects have differential host preference
Insects may feed and reproduce on preferred host

9. Major Principle of Trap Cropping
Main crop and trap crop are same species
(used for squash production)
Main crop and trap crop are different
species (commonly used)

10. Key Factors to Consider
Different insects attracted to different trap crops:
If trap crop is not sufficiently attractive to the pest
then it will not work
Lay out of the trap crop:
For some insects it is sufficient to plant the trap
crop around the border of main crop- Perimeter Trap
Cropping
Others are harder to stop and may need to
interplant trap crop to draw them off the main crop

11. Key Factors to Consider
Timing:
Important to have well established trap crop at right
stage at the time of insect invasion
Scouting:
Control the pests immediately in the trap crop
Be ready to sacrifice your trap crop
Keep farm records
Keep learning and use what you learn in next season
Don’t expect trap crop to provide perfect control with
extreme pest populations

12. Trap cropping layout
Perimeter Trap Cropping (PTC)
Trap crop (squash) • Trap crop = early planted
squash, apply insecticide on
borders
• Squash lured 66% cucumber
Main crop
beetles and 90% squash bugs
(watermelon, canta
loupe, cucumber) • Crop losses reduced by 18%
Boucher & Durgy (2004)

13. Trap cropping layout
Strip interplant trap cropping
Lygus bug management
Strawberry Strawberry
(34 rows) (34 rows)
Alfalfa

14. University of CA Research
Successes:
• >50% reduction of lygus bugs (vacuum + wasp
parasite)
• 75% saving on tractor time with trap crop
Sean Swezey et al., 2007 (CA Agriculture)

15. Managing Yellow margined leaf beetle
(YMLB) Population with Trap crop
 YMLB is a serious pest of cruciferous crops
• Cabbage
• Turnips
• Mustard
• Radish etc.
 Migrates into vegetable field in early October
 Damage: October – May

16. What you need to know about YMLB

17. Damage
 Both adults and larvae feed on foliage by first making
small holes; later serious defoliation
Defoliation of larvae on turnip Mass attack of adults on napa cabbage

18. Field Trials-Managing YMLB with Trap crop
Spring 2011
Trap crop: Turnip and Napa cabbage
Main crop: Cabbage
Location: E. V. Smith Research Center, Shorter, AL
Trap crop: planted 2
weeks in advance
5 ft

19. Field Trials-Managing YMLB with Trap crop
Spring 2011
Napa cabbage
Main crop
Trap crop
Turnip
35 ft

20. Field Trials-Managing YMLB with Trap crop
Spring 2011
6
Mean ( SE) beetles/ plant
Control
5
Cabbage (main crop)
4
Turnip (trap crop)
3
2
1
0
April 15, 2011 April 25, 2011

21. Field Trials-Managing YMLB with Trap crop
Spring 2011
Napa cabbage
Trap crop
Main crop

22. Trap Cropping - 2011 Demonstrations
Locations: Brewton
Main crop:Tomato
Trap crop: Sorghum
Sorghum Perimeter TC (NK300)

23. Trap Cropping - 2011 Demonstrations
Target insects: Stink bugs, Leaffooted bugs
Varieties:
•Sorghum (TC): NK300 @10 lb/ac, 8 plants/ 3 ft row
•Tomato (Tomato): Celebrity, Bella Rosa
Date of planting:
•Trap crop : May 23
•Main crop: June 6
Distance between sorghum and tomato row = 9 ft
Plant heights on July 18:
•Sorghum: 5 ft
•Tomato: 1.8 ft
MAJOR INSECT PEST: Leaffooted bugs (LFB), some stink bug
Sorghum: lambda-cyhalothrin (Warrior @ 3.8 fl oz) & zeta-
cypermethrin (Mustang Max @ 4fl oz)

24. Leaffooted bug numbers on ten sorghum panicles
versus ten tomato plants with green fruits
August 12 August 29
Sorghum trap Tomato main crop Sorghum trap crop Tomato main crop
crop
Crop 60% panicle Green fruit stage 95% panicle Green and red fruit
stage>> emergence emergence stage
1 0 0 1 0
2 0 0 0 0
3 0 0 2 0
4 1 1 0 0
5 1 0 3 0
6 1 0 2 0
7 0 1 2 0
8 0 0 0 0
9 0 0 0 1
10 1 0 0 0
Av. 0.4 0.2 1.0 0.1
LFBs migrate out of main crop to sorghum trap crop during
peak activity period = better harvest potential for tomatoes

25. Trap Cropping - 2011 Demonstrations
Video

26. Results:Aphid infestations on okra trap crop
vs. tomato main crop, Fairhope.
Observation date OKRA Trap Crop TOMATO Main Crop
Aphids per sample* Aphid incidence** Aphid incidence**
May 23 0 0 1%
May 31 0 0 1%
June 7 0.6 30% 0
June 14 0.9 20% 0
June 20 6.7 30% 0
June 27 0.4 7% 0
July 5 7.9 35% (neem) 0
July 11 3.1 21% (malathion) 0
July 18 5.4 7% 0
Average 0.9 16% <1%
*Average aphid numbers on 10 top leaves.
**Aphid incidence is the percentage of top 10 leaves with at least one aphid on it.
Major findings:
OKRA very attractive to aphids
Neem oil (Molt-X) and synthetic insecticides can be rotated

27. Advantages of trap cropping
Reduces pest incidence to manageable levels
 Reduces overuse of insecticides
Save $$
 Conserves or attracts natural enemies
Allows small startup without investing in large
equipment
 May pay for itself if trap crop is harvestable
 Can be integrated with insect monitoring
systems, insecticides

28. Disadvantages of trap cropping
Growers need knowledge of insect
behavior & migration
 Need for additional planning and
resources
Insecticide may still be needed
 Timely management of insects in trap
crop: otherwise you have a “pest nursery”
TC work best one or few related pest BUT
NOT ALL PESTS!!

29. If you use trap cropping then…
Choose trap crops that have rapid
growth…
Plant trap crop on good land…
Proportion of land in traps ~10-20%…
Plant many rows of trap
crop, staggered…