Alternative Pest Control for the Colorado Potato Beetle

Dr. Phil Warman, Tara L. Moreau, and Dr. Jeff Hoyle

Potato production is a large agricultural sector in the Maritime Provinces, particularly in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Recently, however, concerns over environmental contamination, food safety, and human exposure have increased public awareness of pesticide use in conventional agriculture. Organic potato production removes the environmental and food safety concerns associated with pesticide use, but the restrictions on pesticide use make efficient, reliable pest management one of the greatest challenges in producing potatoes organically. The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata), for example, poses a serious risk to the potato crop, and there is a need for appropriate pest control options if organic potato production is to proceed on a larger scale.

Many alternative pest control strategies, such as the companion planting of insect repellent plants within the potato crop, have received little attention from the scientific community. Therefore, the main objective of this project is to test several organic pest control tactics for the Colorado potato beetle, in hopes of providing growers with sound, scientifically substantiated methods.

Two main control strategies are being assessed:

• Intercropping/companion planting of insect repellent plants: tansy, flax, marigold, horseradish, and bush beans.
• Commercial plant extract sprays: Hot Pepper Wax™, Garlic Barrier AG^®, and Neemix 4.5^®.

Initial results from the first field season suggest a slight variation in potato yields following treatment. The greatest yields seem to have come from the plots treated with Neemix 4.5^®. The expected completion date is March 2004, and complete results will be posted as they become available.

Researchers:

Tara L. Moreau (M.Sc. student), Dr. Phil Warman, and Dr. Jeff Hoyle
Department of Environmental Sciences
Nova Scotia Agricultural College
P.O. Box 550
Truro, N.S. B2N 5E3
Web site: www.nsac.ca
Contact: Phil Warman E-mail pwarman@nsac.ca
Tel: 902-893-6625

Funding Partners:
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada

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