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Pest Management – Vegetables

Aside from the resources mentioned on the pest management home page, the following are useful PNW resources to aid in the correct identification and offer non-chemical management options for vegetable production.

FS089E – How to Install a Floating Row Cover. Floating row covers are used to cover plants to provide a physical barrier from pest insects and to extend the growing season by conserving heat. Detailed step-by-step instructions, along with diagrams on how to install a floating row cover are provided. In addition, useful information about selecting the appropriate type of row cover is also discussed.

Pacific Northwest Vegetable Extension Group includes members from the University of Idaho, Oregon State University, Washington State University and USDA-ARS. Specialists contribute their expertise in plant pathology, horticulture, and entomology.

PNW 568 – Management of White Mold of Beans. Since the first report of white mold in beans in the United States, in 1915, it has become widespread and destructive throughout most bean production areas in the world.

FS010E – Cabbage Maggot in the Home Garden The cabbage maggot, Delia radicum, is a common insect pest in Washington. It attacks a variety of plants including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, and rutabagas.

PNW640 – Organic Management of Flea Beetles Flea beetle feeding on plants in the Brassicaceae and Solanaceae families can scar foliage and potato tubers, leading to reduced marketable yields and potential total crop loss. This publication introduces growers to current organic management options, including cultural control techniques such as trap crops, companion plants, and mulches; biological control; and approved organic pesticides.

Flea Beetle Control Treatment Evaluation and Demonstration in Western Washington State

FS018E Caterpillar Pests of the Cabbage Family. A number of caterpillar pests feed on members of the cabbage family—broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, collards, kohlrabi, and of course, cabbage. While a dozen or more caterpillar pests attack this plant group, a few major ones inflict the most damage.

PNW647 – Corn Smuts. This publication provides descriptions of symptoms, the disease cycle, and management strategies for each. Significant new information is also included, particularly related to common smut, regarding losses and control through variety selection.

PNW – 662. Western corn rootworm in eastern Oregon, Idaho, and eastern Washington. This publication provides detailed identification information and images, including the differences between WCR and similar insects as larvae and adults. A wide range of management options are discussed.

EM 8919- Armyworms in Grass Pastures and Corn in Western Oregon. Discusses identification, life cycle, monitoring, action thresholds, biological control, organic controls, and chemical controls. Includes color photos for identification.

EB1206E – European Earwig Prevention and Control. The European earwig, Forficula auricularia, is sometimes a serious pest in various parts of Washington. It is destructive to vegetables and flowers and is occasionally a pest of bush and tree fruits.

EM 9806 – Deciding When to Treat for 12-Spot Beetles in Snap Beans. This publication discusses ways to apply integrated pest management principles to management of 12-spot beetles (Western spotted cucumber beetle) in snap beans. Covers pest description, crop damage, biology and life history, scouting and thresholds, and sweep net sampling.

FS126E Onion Thrips. The onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, is the most destructive insect pest of onions in Washington State. This publication looks at how Thrips can damage onion plants, cause the production of smaller onion bulbs, and result in reduced crop yields. Cultural, biological, and chemical methods are available to control onion thrips.

FS066E – Bacterial Soft Rot and Lenticel Spot on Potato Tubers. Bacterial lenticel spot is one manifestation of bacterial soft rot on potato which is initiated at tuber lenticels. Soft rot is a wet, mushy rot of plant tissues that progresses rapidly, especially when temperatures are warm and moisture is present. Lenticels are the pores in the tuber surface that allow for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide during cellular respiration of the potato tuber. This publication discusses symptoms, disease cycle, and management approaches for lenticel spot and soft rot on potato.

PNW 555 – Managing Late Blight on Irrigated Potatoes in the Pacific Northwest. Discusses symptoms of late blight and biology of the late blight organism. Integrated pest management strategies cover between-season management, current-season management, and harvest and storage management considerations. Also covers how and when to use chemical controls and the susceptibility of various potato varieties to late blight.

EB1994E. Potato Leaf Roll. Causes, symptoms, and management for potato leaf roll, a viral disease which is particularly problematic in the production of late potatoes

EM056E – Field Flooding for Controlling Soilborne Potato Pathogens in Western Washington. This bulletin summarizes the effects of flooding on the survival of certain soilborne fungal pathogens of potato.

PNW594 – Biology and Management of the Potato Tuberworm in the Pacific Northwest. The potato tuberworm is an important pest worldwide, and has become a major concern for potato production in the Pacific Northwest in the last 5 years. Protecting potatoes with an integrated approach is essential to the production of a high-quality potato crop without potato tuberworm damage. This publication describes the distribution and biology of this pest, and control methods including cultural, chemical, and biological methods.

PNW607 – Wireworm Biology and Nonchemical Management in Potatoes in the Pacific Northwest. This publication reviews the wireworm literature and provides information on wireworm identification, biology, crop damage, monitoring, risk assessment, and nonchemical control options that can be integrated into a variety of production systems.

PNW616 – Physiological Leaf Roll of Tomato. Current knowledge of tomato physiological leaf roll indicates tomato yield and fruit quality are not affected by this physiological disorder. However, tomato growers become concerned by the symptoms and seek to manage their production system to minimize this disorder. This fact sheet provides information to help distinguish between tomato physiological leaf roll and infectious plant diseases that can cause yield and fruit quality losses.