Organic management of cucumber beetles in muskmelon

This research was published as:

Objective

Examine the use of companion plants, aluminum-coated plastic, pyrethrin, and row covers as organic methods for managing cucumber beetles in muskmelon production.

Materials and Methods

• In 2003 and 2004 muskmelons were transplanted into a plastic-mulch system with trickle irrigation, managed according to organic standards, in plots of four 28-foot rows, spaced seven feet apart. Half of each row was covered with a polypropylene row cover for three weeks after transplanting.
• Plots were randomly assigned to one of four pest management treatments:

(A) Control (no pest management)	(B) Pyrethrin insecticide.
(C) Aluminum-coated plastic mulch	(D) Companion plant rows between melons

• In 2004 the pyrethrin treatment was replaced with a combination of aluminum plastic mulch and companion plants.
• Plots were separated by at least 60-feet. Each treatment was replicated three times in a randomized complete block design.
• Four sticky traps per plot were used to monitor cucumber beetle populations. Traps were changed weekly.
• Melon yields were based on plot areas cropped with melons, excluding areas dedicated to companion plants.

Results

• In 2003 all treatments reduced cucumber beetle catches, relative to untreated control plots. This effect was not significant in 2004.
• Aluminum coated plastic and companion plants both increased muskmelon yields, relative to untreated control plots, in 2003 and 2004. A combination of aluminum coated plastic and companion plants offered the highest yield in 2004.
• Row covers increased yield in all plots.

Discussion

• All treatments were effective. Combining treatments strategies offered synergistic yield benefits, suggesting that individual treatments had different modes of action.

Updated July 6, 2009