1. Best Management Practices to Control Swede Midge Christy Hoepting Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program Cornell Cooperative Extension

2. Best Management Practices Crop Rotation Rotate out of crucifers for at least 2 years –The longer the better! –Swede midge persist in soil for more than 1 year How far? –The farther the better! –300 m to 1 km –A female swede midge only has a lifespan of 1-5 days to find a suitable host to lay her eggs

3. Best Management Practices Post-Harvest Management Crop destruct ASAP after harvest Do not deep plow in the spring

4. Case Study: Niagara, NY (2005) 200+ SM per week 100% field infestation May 16 - Nov 11 No. SM per day Broccoli in 2004 Fallow in 2005 Downwind of broccoli in 2004 Broccoli in 2005 Trap catch data not available

5. Case Study: Niagara, NY (2006) First Year rotated out of crucifers No. of SM per week Broccoli in 2005 Fallow in 2006 2007: Fallow again – 23 SM per season!

6. Case Study: Monroe Co., NY (2006) Disked Mixed crucifer (mostly collards) seedbed left unmanaged

7. Best Management Practices Start with Clean Transplants Using plug or bare root transplants that are grown in an area where swede midge does not occur provides the best opportunity for starting with clean transplants that are free of swede midge infestation.

8. Best Management Practices Permanently closed side walls with ceiling ventilation at least 9 feet high 8 foot fridge strip should be placed in front of sealed loading doors prior to shipment Start with Clean Transplants: plugs Exclusion: keep swede midge out of greenhouse

9. Best Management Practices Start with Clean Transplants: plugs For plug transplants grown in an infested area where exclusion is not possible: –Systemic Insecticide treatment (Assail, Admire Pro – not labeled in the greenhouse) –Assail*: foliar application: remove from greenhouse to spray, and then return to greenhouse or transplant –Admire Pro**: soil application, apply as a post- seeding drench to trays (remove from greenhouse for treatment and then return) or after transplanting in the field –Follow labels carefully! *National label**2ee label in New York only

10. Cornell Greenhouse Study (M. Chen & T. Shelton 2006) Timing of Assail (acetamiprid)% SM control Before exposure with SM99.5 At exposure with SM100 4 days after exposure with SM99.8 8 days after exposure with SM69.6 Cauliflower transplant seedlings Foliar sprays on transplants at the early stage of infestation before shipping is recommended. In Canada, Intercept (imidacloprid) is sprayed 10 days before transplant seedlings go to the field, provides 5-6 weeks of protection in the field

11. Best Management Practices Start with Clean Transplants: bare roots Do not plant a crucifer seedbed following a fall cruciferous crop, especially broccoli (to avoid exposing crop to high spring emergence of swede midge) Avoid sheltered fields/areas for cabbage seedbeds When finished harvesting a seedbed, crop destruct ASAP Insecticides may be necessary

12. Best Management Practices Chemical Control: InsecticideActive ingredient Label Availability Application Neonicotinoids (systemic): Assail 70WP/30SGacetamipridNationalfoliar Admire ProImidaclopridNY 2eesoil Provado 1.6imidaclopridNY 2eefoliar Pyrethroids: Warrior with Zeon Technology Lambda- cyhalothrin NY 2eefoliar Organophosphates (OPs): Lorsban 75WPchlorpyrifosNY 2eefoliar 2ee: added unlabled pest to when pesticide is already labeled on crop

13. Best Management Practices Chemical Control: Should not be relied upon as a rescue strategy, because under very high pressure (i.e. 100 SM/trap/day) chemical control fails Can be very effective when SM populations are moderate Admire Pro applied to the soil as a drench has provided the most consistent control of swede midge No OMRI listed insecticides controlled swede midge Rotate chemical classes for resistance management Read labels carefully!

14. Best Management Practices Chemical Control

15. Best Management Practices Monitor for Swede Midge Using Pheromone Traps: Phero Net (http://www.phero.net)

16. Swede Midge Monitoring Place traps 1 foot above ground Replace lures every 3 weeks Replace sticky liners 1-3x per week

17. Adult swede midge on sticky cards

18. Best Management Practices Field Sanitation Keep cruciferous fields and fields rotated out of crucifers free of cruciferous weeds: –Shepard’s purse –Field pepperweed –Wild mustardweeds from which Cornell –Field pennycresshas recovered swede midge –Wormseed mustard –Marsh yellowcress Weeds may sustain a SM population from season to season, but they are not their preferred host

19. Best Management Practices Choose Tolerant Crops: –Most tolerant: Green and red cabbage –Most susceptible: Collards, Chinese broccoli (gai lan), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and Chinese cabbage (choy sum) Choose Tolerant Varieties –Broccoli cv. Everest and Triathalon are less susceptible compared to the highly susceptible Paragon, (U of Guelph) –More research required… Field Selection –Up from prevailing winds –Avoid sheltered areas

20. Best Management Practices Knowledge is Your Best Defense! Early detection and management is key to keeping SM below economical levels Be proactive in minimizing introduction and development of swede midge –Use clean transplant seedlings –Timely post harvest crop destruct –Crop rotation –Make sure you know how to identify SM damage!