Kuesel, R.; Scott Hicks, D.; Archer, K.; Sciligo, A.; Bessin, R.; Gonthier, D. Effects of Fine-Mesh Exclusion Netting on Pests of Blackberry. Insects2019, 10, 249.
Kuesel, R.; Scott Hicks, D.; Archer, K.; Sciligo, A.; Bessin, R.; Gonthier, D. Effects of Fine-Mesh Exclusion Netting on Pests of Blackberry. Insects 2019, 10, 249.
Kuesel, R.; Scott Hicks, D.; Archer, K.; Sciligo, A.; Bessin, R.; Gonthier, D. Effects of Fine-Mesh Exclusion Netting on Pests of Blackberry. Insects2019, 10, 249.
Kuesel, R.; Scott Hicks, D.; Archer, K.; Sciligo, A.; Bessin, R.; Gonthier, D. Effects of Fine-Mesh Exclusion Netting on Pests of Blackberry. Insects 2019, 10, 249.
Abstract
Fine-mesh exclusion netting is a potential alternative to organic and conventional insecticide application to control numerous pests of fruit crops. We tested whether fine-mesh exclusion netting would reduce pest abundance and increase marketable yield compared to organic spinosad insecticide sprays in an organically managed blackberry field. At the completion of flowering, we covered blackberry rows (N = 3) with fine-mesh exclusion netting (ProtekNet) and treated alternating rows (N = 3) with an organic spinosad insecticide (Entrust™). Fine-mesh exclusion reduced green June beetle (Cotinus nitida Linnaeus) and bird presence and marginally reduced Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman) presence on blackberry canes compared to organic spinosad insecticide treatment. Exclusion netting reduced the capture of spotted-wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii Matsumara; SWD) in baited traps in the fourth week of exclusion, and reduced the overall number of SWD adults emerging from harvested blackberry fruits. Marketable yield in the fine-mesh exclusion treatments was two times higher than the organic spinosad insecticide treatment. These results suggest that fine-mesh exclusion netting is a functional pest control alternative to organic insecticide treatment.
Keywords
Organic management, spotted-winged Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, green June beetle, Cotinis nitida, Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, row covers, fine-mesh exclusion netting
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Agricultural Science and Agronomy
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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