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Horticulturae
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Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems
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Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 April 2024 | Viewed by 21438

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Srinivasan Ramasamy

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
World Vegetable Center, Flagship Program on Safe and Sustainable Value Chains, Tainan 74151, Taiwan
Interests: insect–plant interactions; chemical ecology; biological control; vegetable integrated pest management; monitoring and management of invasive pest species
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Vegetables are an important component to diversify cropping systems as well as diets. The profits from unit area are several fold higher in vegetable production than in cereal production, while profits per labor-day are also higher. Vegetables also provide more employment per unit area than cereals. In addition, they are an important source of micronutrients, especially vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. Thus, they have the potential to alleviate poverty and malnutrition. However, the productivity of vegetable crops is severely limited by abiotic as well as biotic stresses. Among the biotic stresses, the pests and diseases play a predominant role and they can lead to complete crop failure, unless timely control measures are initiated. In an attempt to produce blemish-free vegetables, farmers quite often heavily rely on the use of chemical pesticides, which not only escalates the production costs but also leads to adverse impacts on human and environmental health. Hence, it has become imperative to develop and promote integrated pest management (IPM) strategies as an alternative to the harmful chemical pesticides in vegetable production. Hence, this Special Issue will focus on recent advances in vegetable IPM, including successful IPM programs in different parts of the world.

Dr. Srinivasan Ramasamy
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vegetable IPM
  • host plant resistance
  • insect pheromones
  • biological control
  • bio-pesticides
  • insecticide resistance management

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 954 KiB  
Article
Farmers’ Knowledge, Perceptions, and Management Practices of False Codling Moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta) in Smallholder Capsicum sp. Cropping Systems in Kenya
by Emmanuel M. Onamu, Daniel M. Mutyambai, Isaac M. Nyangau, John H. Nderitu, Muo Kasina, Dorah C. Kilalo and Allan N. Mweke
Horticulturae 2024, 10(4), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10040331 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 504
Abstract
False codling moth (FCM) Thaumatotibia leucotreta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is currently the main pest of phytosanitary concern in international trade, causing rejection and decline of horticultural produce from Kenya exported to the European Union (EU). Overreliance on synthetic insecticides to control this pest [...] Read more.
False codling moth (FCM) Thaumatotibia leucotreta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is currently the main pest of phytosanitary concern in international trade, causing rejection and decline of horticultural produce from Kenya exported to the European Union (EU). Overreliance on synthetic insecticides to control this pest is ineffective and unsustainable in the long run, whereas continuous use of pesticides results in high levels of residues in the produce. To gather farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices used by smallholder farmers to manage this pest, a field survey was carried out in 10 Capsicum sp. (Solanales: Solanaceae)-producing counties in Kenya. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires administered through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions involving 108 individual farmers, 20 key informants, and 10 focus group discussions. The majority of the respondents (83.33%) were aware of the FCM infesting Capsicum sp. About three quarters of the farmers (76.85%) reported yield losses and unmarketable quality of FCM-infested Capsicum sp. Most farmers interviewed (99.07%) used insecticides as a management tool. In contrast, only 39.81% of the farmers applied integrated pest management strategies including use of biological control agents and intercropping with repellent plants to control this pest. The results show that FCM is perceived as a significant threat to the horticultural industry of Kenya. Training needs for smallholder farmers and key informants to avoid overreliance on synthetic chemical pesticides and to maintain export goals to the EU where identified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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16 pages, 2769 KiB  
Article
If Only You Could Catch Me—Catch Me If You Can: Monitoring Aphids in Protected Cucumber Cultivations by Means of Sticky Traps
by Christine Dieckhoff and Rainer Meyhöfer
Horticulturae 2023, 9(5), 571; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9050571 - 11 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1176
Abstract
Aphids are important pests in many greenhouse and field crops. For plant protection, early detection of relevant species and reliable assessment of population development throughout the season is mandatory to address countermeasures in time. In practice, coloured sticky cards or pan traps are [...] Read more.
Aphids are important pests in many greenhouse and field crops. For plant protection, early detection of relevant species and reliable assessment of population development throughout the season is mandatory to address countermeasures in time. In practice, coloured sticky cards or pan traps are frequently used as monitoring tools, but as well as the flight activity of focal insects, many other factors influence reliable interpretation of trapping data. Since monitoring data have been more and more integrated into automated decision support systems, soundness of insect count data and interpretation of results needs to be reviewed in more detail. Therefore, we investigated the applicability of yellow sticky traps for monitoring of the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii in greenhouse cucumber crop. In separate greenhouse chambers, we infested cucumber plants with Aphis gossypii and installed several yellow sticky traps. Insects were counted on the plants and sticky traps on a weekly basis and number of insects were correlated. Our results indicate mismatches between trap catches and aphid population density especially early in the season, which most likely is related to immigration of winged aphids into the greenhouse. The following population build-up of the cotton aphid Aphis gossypii on the cucumber plants correlated quite well with counts of alate cotton aphids on the sticky traps. In conclusion, trapping of winged aphids provides valuable information for integrated pest control in the greenhouse. Nevertheless, to avoid wrong interpretation the taxonomic identity of trapped aphids has to be confirmed at all times. Results are further discussed in the context of factors influencing aphid wing development and attraction to yellow sticky traps. Potential strategies to optimize aphid monitoring with coloured sticky traps are proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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18 pages, 3725 KiB  
Article
Performance of Wild Tomato Accessions and Elucidation of Resistance against Invasive Pest Phthorimaea absoluta Damage under Tropical Conditions
by Pritha Ghosh, K. S. Jagadish, M. G. Purushothama, Peter Hanson, Mohamed Rakha, Paola Sotelo-Cardona, Sridhar Vaddi and Ramasamy Srinivasan
Horticulturae 2023, 9(2), 143; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9020143 - 20 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1449
Abstract
Invasive tomato leaf miner, Phthorimaea absoluta causes serious damage and yield loss in tomato production in open-field and protected cultivation. Use of chemical pesticides is uneconomical and adversely affects humans and the environment. Host-plant resistance is an effective, economical and eco-friendly alternative to [...] Read more.
Invasive tomato leaf miner, Phthorimaea absoluta causes serious damage and yield loss in tomato production in open-field and protected cultivation. Use of chemical pesticides is uneconomical and adversely affects humans and the environment. Host-plant resistance is an effective, economical and eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. In this study, four wild tomato accessions from the World Vegetable Center along with one susceptible check were evaluated for their antixenosis and antibiosis effects on P. absoluta. The accessions VI037241 (Solanum galapagense) and VI037240 (S. cheesmaniae) were highly resistant, leading to 85% larval mortality under no-choice conditions. Choice assay also showed less oviposition preference and reduced pupal weight. Both VI037241 and VI037240 showed the highest resistance under field conditions. The accessions of S. habrochaites (LA1777) and S. habrochaites var. glabratum (VI030462) demonstrated moderate resistance against P. absoluta. Wild accessions recorded significantly less eggs and leaf damage in field trials compared to the susceptible genotype, S. lycopersicum (CL5915). Trichome density, type and higher production of acylsugar contributed to the insect resistance. Acylsugar production in wild accessions was less during the rainy season but significantly higher than in susceptible genotype. These findings can be useful to develop P. absoluta-resistant tomato varieties in tropics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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14 pages, 478 KiB  
Article
Intraspecific and Interstage Similarities in Host-Plant Preference in the Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)
by Francisco Rubén Badenes-Pérez and David G. Heckel
Horticulturae 2023, 9(1), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9010039 - 31 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1758
Abstract
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is an important insect pest of cruciferous crops. Understanding its preference patterns can lead to more efficient management methods, such as trap crops. Several strains of P. xylostella were used to test whether there were [...] Read more.
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is an important insect pest of cruciferous crops. Understanding its preference patterns can lead to more efficient management methods, such as trap crops. Several strains of P. xylostella were used to test whether there were differences in oviposition preference in a four-choice setting, on abaxial versus adaxial leaf surfaces in 28 different plant species, and on substrates with different concentrations of sinigrin (allylglucosinolate). Additionally, the larval preference of P. xylostella was studied with 17 plant species of known glucosinolate content that were compared to Arabidopsis thaliana L. in two-choice tests. Our research shows that the diet on which P. xylostella has fed hardly affects multiple-choice host-plant preference, abaxial and adaxial oviposition preference, or oviposition response to pure glucosinolates. Our study also shows that glucosinolate content affects larval preference, which together with the known correlation between glucosinolate content and P. xylostella oviposition, indicates that crops with high glucosinolate content could be more susceptible to damage by P. xylostella than crops with low glucosinolate content. These findings are discussed in regards to their significance in the management of P. xylostella. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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13 pages, 1156 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Different Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Entries and Varieties for Performance and Adaptation in Mali, West Africa
by Wubetu Bihon, Kukom Edoh Ognakossan, Jean-Baptiste Tignegre, Peter Hanson, Kabirou Ndiaye and Ramasamy Srinivasan
Horticulturae 2022, 8(7), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8070579 - 27 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3334
Abstract
Tomato is an important vegetable crop and plays a major role in the food and nutrition security of the people of Mali. Production has increased in the recent decades but improvement in the fruit yield and quality remains suboptimal. Limited access to the [...] Read more.
Tomato is an important vegetable crop and plays a major role in the food and nutrition security of the people of Mali. Production has increased in the recent decades but improvement in the fruit yield and quality remains suboptimal. Limited access to the best-adapted tomato varieties to the local conditions, pests and diseases are the major limiting factors for improving productivity. This study evaluated the performance of different tomato entries and varieties for their productivity, resistance to pests and diseases and postharvest fruit quality in Mali. Twenty-two entries and varieties of tomato in the rainy season and twenty-four in the dry season were evaluated. Varieties that were well adapted, better yielded, disease resistant and with good fruit quality were identified. Major plant diseases observed included tomato yellow leaf curve disease (TYLCD), bacterial wilt, bacterial leaf spot, early blight and southern blight. However, TYLCD was the major problem during the dry season. The variety of Icrixina was the most affected by TYLCD in both the rainy and dry seasons, although its total yield was not affected and remained one of the highest. Konica was one of the most susceptible varieties to bacterial wilt and bacterial leaf spot diseases. Tomato accession AVTO1710 provided the highest fruit yield (40.9 t/ha), while AVTO1704 provided the lowest (6.50 t/ha) in the rainy season. In contrast the highest yield during the dry growing season was 20 t/ha from VIO43614. Tomato entries and varieties varied in their postharvest fruit quality attributes (firmness, total soluble solid, pH and dry matter). Production season clearly influenced yield, disease occurrence and severity, as well as postharvest fruit qualities. The study identified better disease-resistant and yielding tomato entries suitable for rainy and dry growing seasons, which can be considered and scaled up for production so that farmers in Mali can produce tomato all year round. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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9 pages, 2361 KiB  
Article
Survey of Viruses Infecting Tomato, Cucumber and Mung Bean in Tajikistan
by Yuan-Li Chan, Nurali Saidov, Li-Mei Lee, Fu-Hsun Kuo, Su-Ling Shih and Lawrence Kenyon
Horticulturae 2022, 8(6), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8060505 - 06 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2038
Abstract
Viral diseases are major constraints to tomato, cucumber and mung bean production in most areas where these crops are grown. To identify the viruses on the crops in Tajikistan, a field survey was conducted in 2019. Samples of cucumber, mung bean and tomato [...] Read more.
Viral diseases are major constraints to tomato, cucumber and mung bean production in most areas where these crops are grown. To identify the viruses on the crops in Tajikistan, a field survey was conducted in 2019. Samples of cucumber, mung bean and tomato with virus-like symptoms were collected and the viruses present were diagnosed by RT-PCR and PCR. Across all the samples, a very high proportion of the samples were infected with viruses from the genera Cucumovirus and Potyvirus. Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV; Cucumovirus) was very common in the collected samples of the three crops. As for Potyvirus, Potato virus Y (PVY) was detected in the collected tomato samples, Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) was identified in the collected cucumber samples, and Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) was detected in 53% of the mung bean samples. Over 68% of the collected samples were infected with two or more viruses, suggesting that mixed infections are common for the three crops. Due to the results that the most identified viruses for the three crops are transmitted by aphids, the management of aphids is extremely important for the production of tomato, cucumber and mung bean in Tajikistan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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13 pages, 3541 KiB  
Article
Identification of Two Diamondback Moth Parasitoids, Diadegma fenestrale and Diadegma semiclausum, Using LAMP for Application in Biological Control
by Hwayeun Nam, Min Kwon, Srinivasan Ramasamy and Juil Kim
Horticulturae 2022, 8(5), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8050366 - 22 Apr 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2231
Abstract
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L., is a lepidopteran pest that damages various vegetable plants belonging to the genus Brassica worldwide. Various biological controls, such as parasitoid wasps, have been used to control this pest. Among these, Diadegma semiclausum and Diadegmafenestrale are [...] Read more.
The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L., is a lepidopteran pest that damages various vegetable plants belonging to the genus Brassica worldwide. Various biological controls, such as parasitoid wasps, have been used to control this pest. Among these, Diadegma semiclausum and Diadegmafenestrale are widely used globally. In field-based biological control research, the investigation of the population dynamics of parasitoids and the rate of parasitism within the pest population is very important. However, achieving profundity in research is difficult when morphologically similar species coexist in the field. The morphological characteristics of D. semiclausum and D. fenestrale are very similar, and they both parasitize P. xylostella larvae. Therefore, to accurately identify these species, in this study, we developed a molecular diagnostic method by using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The mitochondrial genome of D. fenestrale and partial nucleotide sequences, including the ITS region of D. semiclausum, were analyzed for use as species diagnosis markers. The results showed that the homology of D. fenestrale to D. semiclausum was 94%, due to the excessively low homology of the D loop, but the actual homology was higher than 94%, particularly in the coding region. D. fenestrale species-specific primers for LAMP were designed based on the region encoding COX3, and the optimal diagnostic reaction condition for the four primers (F3, B3, FIP, and BIP) was 63 °C for 35 min. A species-specific primer capable of classifying D. semiclausum was developed based on the ITS2 region, and the optimal reaction condition for diagnosis was 63 °C for 40 min. Under optimal conditions for both species, upon addition of the loop primer LB, the reaction efficiency increased, and the reaction time was shortened by more than 5 min. The diagnostic limit concentration was up to 10 pg under both optimal conditions; therefore, it was possible to detect even very low concentrations. For both species, diagnosis was possible by using LAMP assay with a DNA-releasing technique, without a DNA extraction process, and by incubating a tissue sample or the homogenized whole body at 95 °C for 5 min. In the case of D. fenestrale, it was possible to diagnose the parasitoid in P. xylostella larvae. Therefore, the developed LAMP diagnostic method can be used in a variety of ways to determine whether P. xylostella has been parasitized in the process of field research and mass breeding, and to accurately distinguish the species that are parasitic to P. xylostella larvae. This LAMP-based diagnostic method can be applied to identify various parasitoids that are used for the biological control of P. xylostella. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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19 pages, 2538 KiB  
Article
Combining Cultural Tactics and Insecticides for the Management of the Sweetpotato Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1, and Viruses in Yellow Squash
by Angela Gabrielle LaTora, Clarence Bagayao Codod, Saioa Legarrea, Bhabesh Dutta, Robert C. Kemerait, Jr., Scott Adkins, William Turechek, Timothy Coolong, Andre Luiz Biscaia Ribeiro da Silva and Rajagopalbabu Srinivasan
Horticulturae 2022, 8(4), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8040341 - 17 Apr 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3004
Abstract
The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and the complex of viruses it transmits are major limiting factors to squash production in the southeastern United States. At this time, insecticides are extensively relied upon for the management of whiteflies and, indirectly, [...] Read more.
The sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and the complex of viruses it transmits are major limiting factors to squash production in the southeastern United States. At this time, insecticides are extensively relied upon for the management of whiteflies and, indirectly, whitefly-transmitted viruses. The development of a multi-faceted, integrated pest management (IPM) program is needed to increase the sustainability and profitability of squash production. Experiments in 2018 and 2019 evaluated the effects of insect exclusion netting (IEN) in combination with selected pesticides on whitefly population dynamics and virus incidence in greenhouse-grown squash seedlings. Field experiments from 2018 to 2021 evaluated the effects of mulch type (UV-reflective mulch, live mulch, and white plastic mulch), row covers, and insecticides on whitefly population dynamics, silver leaf disorder (SSL) intensity, virus symptom severity, and marketable yield. IEN significantly reduced whiteflies and virus incidence on squash seedlings in the greenhouse study. In the field mulch study, lower whitefly abundance and SSL intensity, as well as reduced virus symptom severity, were observed in plots with reflective mulch compared with white plastic or live mulch. In the insecticide/row cover study, whitefly abundance, SSL intensity, and virus symptom severity were lowest in the row cover and cyantraniliprole- and flupyradifurone-treated plots. Field plots with row covers and those with UV-reflective mulch consistently produced the greatest marketable yields. These findings demonstrate that growers can reduce whitefly and virus pressure and preserve yields in squash production in the southeastern United States by combining cultural and chemical tactics, including row covers, UV-reflective mulch, and select insecticides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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15 pages, 1458 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Bio-Pesticides against the South American Tomato Leaf Miner, Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in India
by Priyakshi Buragohain, Dilip Kumar Saikia, Paola Sotelo-Cardona and Ramasamy Srinivasan
Horticulturae 2021, 7(9), 325; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7090325 - 18 Sep 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4287
Abstract
Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most economically important pests of tomato worldwide. Despite its global importance, the management of this oligophagous pest has still been a challenging task, due to its high capability to develop resistance against synthetic insecticides. [...] Read more.
Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most economically important pests of tomato worldwide. Despite its global importance, the management of this oligophagous pest has still been a challenging task, due to its high capability to develop resistance against synthetic insecticides. Given the limited studies on the effectiveness of different bio-pesticides in India, the objective of this research was to determine the pathogenicity of different commercial formulations of Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis, and neem (Azadirachtin), against T. absoluta, under laboratory and field conditions. For the Bacillus thuringiensis formulations, Green Larvicide® and Delfin® recorded an LC50 of 4.10 × 10⁹ CFU/mL and 8.06 × 106 spores/mg, respectively, while for the B. bassiana formulations, Green Beauveria® and BB Power® were 4.473 × 107 spores/mL and 1.367 × 107 CFU/g, respectively. Furthermore, the results showed high susceptibility to both the commercial neem formulations with Ecotin®, recording an LC50 of 91.866 ppm, and Econeem Plus® recording 212.676 ppm. The results from the field conditions at different locations of Andhra Pradesh, India, showed significant differences (p < 0.001) for leaf and fruit infestation among the interaction effect of treatments and locations. Bio-pesticides, especially neem and B. thuringiensis formulations, reduced T. absoluta infestation similarly to the chemical treatment, without affecting the yield. Therefore, bio-pesticides can be considered as safe alternatives to synthetic pesticides, for the management of T. absoluta. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Implementation of IPM Measures in Vegetable Cropping Systems)
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