Pérez Soler, Jose F.

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    Effect of ten companion crops on the populations of 𝘋𝘪𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘩𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘢 (l.) (lepidoptera: crambidae), crop damage, larval parasitoids, and pollinators in the production of organic tropical pumpkin (𝘊𝘶𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘢 var. “Taina dorada”)
    (2023-05-10) Pérez Soler, Jose F.; Segarra Carmona, Alejandro E.; College of Agricultural Sciences; Rosario, Carlos; Armstrong, Aristides; Department of Crops and Agro-Environmental Sciences; Acosta Martínez, Jaime A.
    The melonworm, Diaphania hyalinata (L.), is one the most devastating pests in cucurbit crops. Studies have shown that damage in these crops can range between 70 to 100%, even when using the aggressive pest control tactics used in conventional agricultural practices. Little information is available regarding this pest damage severity by using current pest management strategies in organic agriculture. However, the damage caused by this pest might be similar or greater in the organic agriculture scenario. One pest management strategy oftentimes used in organic agriculture is the employment of companion crops. To ascertain the usefulness of this pest management strategy, two field experiments were conducted at the Isabela Experimental Station. The objectives of the field experiments were to evaluate the effect of ten different companion crops in the pest population of the melonworm damage in the Tropical Pumpkin, Cucurbita moschata var. “Taina Dorada”. The main crop yield, with a tall companion crop, were generally much less even though there was no significant difference with small fruits. Also, obtaining from tall companion crops samples was difficult, due to lack of leaves on the main crop. Further investigations are needed to assess the environmental interaction that this companion crops have over the melonworm and other beneficial insect populations.