Pest Control

IPM brings higher watermelon yields

A field of watermelons can produce a more than a 25% higher yield under an integrated pest management (IPM) program than a program of a soil-drench insecticide at planting, followed by a sequence of foliar... more »

Watch for thrips and mites in vegetables

The hotter temperatures we have had have caused thrips and to a lesser extent two spotted spider mite, TSSM (Tetranychus urticae) populations to rapidly increase in some vegetable fields in Maryland. These pests feed by... more »

New, ‘broad’ type of resistance against insects found in plants

Researchers at Wageningen University & Research and KeyGene in the Netherlands and Umeå University in Sweden have discovered that a resistance gene in thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) that is active against the green peach aphid... more »

Hybrid conference is Oct. 17-19 for California Association of Pest Control Advisers

The 47th annual California Association of Pest Control Advisers will be a hybrid event in 2021. The CAPCA event is scheduled for Oct. 17-19 in Reno, Nevada. It will be an in-person, networking-focused event. Currently,... more »

Adult thrips in strawberry tackled with Orius-System

Over recent years, Biobest advisor Arno Hellemons has seen good results using a combination of cucumeris and Orius to control thrips in strawberry crops. "With this strategy strawberry growers are getting this challenging pest under... more »

Guidelines for managing western flower thrips in California lettuce

The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is one of the major pests of lettuce in California. It has a wide host range including several vegetable, ornamental, and other cultivated or wild plants.... more »

‘Big bats binge bad bugs’ that harm farm crops, UF study confirms

“Big bats binge bad bugs.” It’s a catchy, alliterative title, and it’s apropos for the latest research work by University of Florida scientist Holly Ober. All bats in the Southeast eat insects and feed at... more »

UF researchers identify crop-destroying nematodes with AI

Parasitic nematodes cause $125 billion in agricultural damage around the world each year, but University of Florida scientists hope to alleviate some of that destruction. To do so, UF researchers will use artificial intelligence (AI) to... more »