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Subject: Market Farming
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- From: "Bill Shoemaker" <wshoemak AT inil.com>
- To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
- Subject: Re: Squash bugs!
- Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2002 07:52:10 -0500
This conversation on squash bug is interesting. The bug is a
big problem in Illinois for anyone who grows pumpkins or squash (winter or
summer). The adults overwinter and will propagate juveniles quickly, which will
feed on the plant by sucking juices. They cause damage by sheer numbers,
debilitating the plants over time. Non-organic growers use insecticides, which
have limited value but a couple of which will kill the juveniles. But the
suggestion of a vacuum was a good one. It reminded my of "Bug-Vac", a piece of
equipment developed in California a number of years ago which used a huge,
tractor mounted vacuum system and canvassed the tops of rows of strawberries. It
was generic, sucking up anything that couldn't hold on. But it was very good on
Lygus species, of which Squash Bug is one. I'm not sure how well it would work
on pumpkins or squash but there may be a kernel of an opportunity here,
especially when you realize that it's only with large populations that the
insect does much damage. Perhaps there's an opportunity for someone to develop a
system for squash bugs, particularly for summer squash.
Bill Shoemaker
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops Univ of Illinois - St Charles Hort Research Center
|
-
Squash bugs!,
Alliums, 07/30/2002
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
- Re: Squash bugs!, wiediger, 07/30/2002
- Re: Squash bugs!, Robert Farr, 07/31/2002
- Re: Squash bugs!, kim black, 07/31/2002
- Re: Squash bugs!, wiediger, 07/31/2002
- Re: Squash bugs!, Debbie Ferrell, 07/31/2002
- Re: Squash bugs!, Bill Shoemaker, 07/31/2002
- Re: Squash bugs!, Allan Balliett, 07/31/2002
- Squash bugs!, Lucy Goodman, 07/31/2002
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