Kaolin: a new alternative to manage the striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum, in cucumber

Josée Boisclair¹, Geneviève Legault² and Katrine Stewart²

Abstract
The striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum) is the main pest of cucurbits in Eastern Canada. Beetles cause damage by direct feeding on the young plants and by transmitting Erwinia tracheiphila, the causal agent of bacterial wilt. The control of striped cucumber beetle mainly relies on chemical insecticides.

Our study looked at the potential of kaolin clay as an alternative method to control the beetles in cucurbit crops. Kaolin acts as a repellent by covering the foliage with a white coating. Field experiments with cucumber were conducted at the Horticulture Services of Macdonald Campus of McGill University in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. Multiple kaolin applications were made to ensure good coverage at the critical young stages of the cucumber plants.

Our work shows that kaolin treated cucumber plants had a reduction in beetle density, foliage damage and bacterial wilt during the earliest stages of their growth compared with untreated plants. Spring applications of kaolin delayed migration of beetles into the treated cucumber plots. Kaolin clay shows potential as part of an integrated pest management program for cucurbit crops and could be a useful tool in organic cucurbit production.


Source
2007 Guelph Organic Conference, Natural Sciences Symposium


Author Locations and Affiliations
(1) Institut de recherche et de développement en agroenvironnement (IRDA), 3300, rue Sicotte, C.P., 480, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, J2S 7B8.
(2) Université McGill, 21,111 Lakeshore, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9


en français


Posted February 2007