Transcript Testing Traditional Pest Control Methods

Testing Traditional Pest Control Methods
Testing Traditional Pest Control Methods
Identify Target Pests
Identify Traditional Methods
Put Methods into Field Trials
Develop Workable Methods for our Farms

Identify Traditional Methods
• Interview Practitioners of Traditional Agriculture
• Estevan Arrellano – Poet and Scholar
• Clayton Brascoupe – Traditional Native American
Farmer's Association
• Bob Pederson – Thanksgiving Farms
• Scott Pittman – The Permaculture Institute
• Roy Rivera – Traditional New Mexico Farmer
• Bernadette Torres - Curandera
Identify Target Pests
• Which pests did our farmers have the
most problems with?
• Conducted informal survey
 Aphids
 Flea Beetles
 Squash Bugs
Squash Bugs


Typically we plant squash in the spring
and harvest as much as possible before
the plants are destroyed by squash bugs
midsummer. Then we plant another crop
for Fall harvest
Seems to be the most intractable pest
problem for us to control organically and
without using agents that also kill
beneficial insects
July 2012
Squash Bug Damage
Benefits of Squash Bug Control




Could we devise a method to keep the
plants productive all summer?
Reduce costs of replanting
Reduce time lost waiting for second crop
to become productive
Prevent infestation of other crops
Methods we Tested



Ashes for squash bugs
Boards for squash bugs
Garlic and Chili Oil for Flea Beetles
Preliminary Results



We hadn't achieved our goal of keeping
our plants going all Summer
Had to look for other answers
Asked ourselves, where are they
vulnerable?
Vulnerability
How to Control Squash Bugs




Eggs hatch in 7-10 days
If we remove the eggs then we can control
the exponential growth of population
Need a method that is simple to apply and
cost effective
Obviously we can't remove them
individually
This Works and is Cost Effective
Requirements to make it work




Be gentle or can rip leaves
Remove eggs every six days to beat cycle
Can't miss, if we miss a week they'll get
out of control
Use good tape, Gorilla Tape seems to
work best
Economics

$2311.00 extra revenue per 100 ft row per
season after labor costs
The Future


Put in another test plot and test removing
eggs throughout season
Track economics to verify that it's cost
effective