March 2020 - 10

Insect species poised to take aim at vegetable crops
By Dean Peterson
VGN Correspondent
Spotted wing drosophila, spotted
lanternfly and brown marmorated stink
bug are invasive insect pests of fruit, but
should they join the list of pepper weevil,
swede midge and allium leafminer as
invasive pests of vegetables?
That was the topic discussed by
Michael Reinke, Michigan State
University (MSU) Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) Extension educator,
who spoke at the recent Great Lakes
Fruit, Vegetable & Farm Market EXPO in
Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) is
unique in that it can penetrate sound fruit
and looks for fruit that's starting to ripen.
" Growers have expressed a concern
about tomatoes, " Reinke said. So far,
researchers are only finding casual visits
to tomatoes with the SWD only feeding
on ripe fruit on the ground.
" The tomato skin is just thick enough
to deter SWD, " Reinke said. " It may
become a concern if we develop thinskinned
tomatoes. "
Spotted lanternfly was first identified in
Pennsylvania in 2014 and has been found
in several Northeastern states.
Spotted lanternfly feeds on phloem and
can only be found on tree trunks and not
on the leaves or fruit. " Most vegetables
are smaller plants and are not preferred
hosts, " Reinke said. If the pest is found on
vegetables, it's typically near field borders
where the spotted lanternfly is present in
large numbers in adjacent woodlots.
Brown marmorated stink bug is a
general feeder and will feed on many
plants. " We know it's a concern for
vegetable growers, " Reinke said. " They'll
feed on pretty
much any
bean. " Brown
marmorated stink
bugs will also
feed on sweet
corn, tomatoes,
peppers,
asparagus and
most fruit. " A lot
of ornamentals
can harbor
populations as well, " he said.
Proper identification is important.
" It's mainly found near processors or
packers, " Reinke said. " If you're close
to a packing facility, I'd look for pepper
weevil. Once they're here, you've got to
deal with them the rest of the season. "
Pepper weevils can feed on any
solanaceous plant but only lay eggs on
peppers, eggplant and eastern black
nightshade. " It can burrow into the fruit
and is really trying to go for the seeds, "
Reinke said. " It causes fruit drop so
there's less pack out. "
Swede midge has been identified in
several states and Canadian provinces
around the Great Lakes and can
MICHAEL REINKE
overwinter in the soil for up to two years.
" A good rotation is paramount with this
pest, " Reinke said.
Swede midge feeds on most brassicas
and likes the tender tissue in the middle
of young plants.
Trapping is possible but swede midge
" Make sure it's brown marmorated stink
bug, " Reinke said. " There are native stink
bugs and some of them are beneficials. "
Pheromone traps are useful and broadspectrum
insecticides are an effective
control. Border treatments may initially
control brown marmorated stink bugs if
they're moving in from adjacent areas.
Pepper weevil is a serious problem for
growers in the southern U.S. The pest
doesn't survive cold weather, but it does
show up in northern states - transported
in on produce brought up from the South.
is difficult to identify because it's very
small and looks like many other insects.
" Most growers find it easier to check for
damaged plants, " Reinke said.
Heading type plants like cauliflower
are most susceptible to swede midge with
blind growth, crinkled leaves and swollen
stems the most common damage. Look
for small, yellow larvae on the leaf bases
of poor performing plants. Target low
areas for scouting since swede midge
doesn't like the higher, windier parts of
the field.
Besides crop rotation, weed control
to remove alternate hosts such as wild
mustard, shepherd's purse and yellow
rocket is an important management
tool. Maintaining a proper field distance
from infested areas is important since
swede midge can move up to 1,000 feet
in the field. Some crop varieties are also
more tolerant to the pest.
Swede midge can totally stop fruit
development in brassicas and a tight
spray schedule of treating about every
nine days is required. " Swede midge
is definitely a concern if you grow
brassicas, " Reinke said.
Allium leafminer was first confirmed
in this country in Pennsylvania in
2014 but hasn't yet spread out of the
Northeastern states.
Leeks are the crop most damaged
by allium leafminer. " It really likes
leeks, " Reinke said, " probably because
of the timing of its life cycle. " Allium
leafminer is also found on onions,
garlic, chives, shallots and green
onions.
The leafminer overwinters as pupae
in the soil. The first generation adults
lay eggs at the bases of the plants in the
early spring and the larvae pupate near
the plant bulbs. A second generation of
adults lay eggs in the plants.
Protecting crops from the first
generation of adults is the key to
managing this pest. VGN
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March 2020

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