Grants and Contracts Details
Description
Kentucky has the fifth largest number of farms in the U.S., the vast majority of which are
small family farms. There is no question that more than two centuries of tobacco culture has in
large part preserved a disproportionate number of these farms relative to other states. Small
farmers in Kentucky are increasingly diversifying and looking at alternatives to tobacco.
Commercial vegetable crops are one of a very few alternative enterprises offering tobacco
growers comparable or higher returns on small acreages. Commercial vegetables have already
become the 'front line' crops that tobacco growers have turned to in recent years. Bell peppers
have been the most popular and consistently most profitable crop among a wide range of choices
for small farmers in Kentucky
Bell and specialty pepper production present serious management challenge for the small
farmer accustomed to tobacco culture. The primary management constraints to pepper production
in Kentucky and several southeastern states are adequate and timely control of two serious pest
problems: bacterial spot disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria and damage
caused by the European corp borer, Ostrinia nubilalis.
Severe bacterial spot epidemics occurred in Kentucky in 1973, 1985, 1991, and 1996,
causing crop failures for some growers and substantial losses for many others. Other production
regions share the bacterial spot problem and most states bordering Kentucky report it as their
most serious infectious disease of pepper (W. Nesmith, unpublished). Recent Kentucky trials
conducted under both disease-free and epidemic conditions have demonstrated important
differences in resistance and marketable yields among bell pepper cUltivars claiming spot
resistance. Only a few cultivars were highly resistant with excellent fruit quality. Most of the hot
and specialty cultivars tested were very susceptible to bacterial spot. We propose to conduct new
on-station trials in order to identify elite groups of the best new resistant bell and specialty
cultivars. We propose also to test these elite cultivars in participatory on-farm trials with
conventional growers using IPM and with certified organic growers in conjunction with
evaluating biological control of the European Corn Borer
The European corn borer (ECB) is the key direct pest of pepper fruit in Kentucky and
neighboring states. It is difficult to control because of the short time interval between egg hatch
and tunneling into the fruit by the newly-hatched larvae. After larvae enter the fruit they become
impossible to control and severe losses of marketable fruit are assured. Although pheromone trap
monitoring of ECB adults allows conventional growers to time sprays to achieve maximum
control with insecticides, these traps are little known and seldom used in the state. We propose to conduct participatory on-farm trials using pheromone traps and appropriately timed insecticide
sprays for conventional growers using new bacterial spot-resistant cultivars within a pepper IPM
program.
There are currently no ECB control options for growers wanting to produce peppers
organically. We propose to determine if seasonal releases of an egg parasite (Trichogramma
ostriniae) will be effective in controlling ECB in bell and speciality peppers within organic
production systems. T ostriniae has been tested and found useful in management of ECB in
sweet corn production in the Northeast but has not been tested for ECB control in peppers. Tests
to determine percent parasitism and control efficacy of T ostriniae will first be conducted onstation;
if station trial results look promising, the parasites will be evaluated in participatory trials
on 3-4 organically certified farms. Novel and organically-approved treatments such as neembased
azadirachtin and others will also be tested in on-station and on-farm trials.
This project is designed to integrate on-station and participatory research trials, extension
programming, and educational efforts. Every on-farm trial will be used as an extension education
demonstration and will be the location of one or more public field days during the project period.
On-going and final results will be incorporated into extension and other educational programs
including in-service ttaining programs for extension agents, special educational programs for
organic growers, annual vegetable growers conferences, grower field day training sessions,
national meetings (American Society for Horticultural Science, Entomological Society of
America, National Pepper Conference), and case studies for entomology courses. In addition,
special extension materials will be prepared such as digital pest management aids (digital pest
and disease photo databases, etc.) to be posted on a pepper pest management website. Digital
imaging equipment will be used for rapid presentation of results and for upgrading of extension
presentations for various audiences. The quick development and customization of a pepper IPM
course for either conventional or organic grower audiences is just one example of how this
technology will be employed. New print media publications (pepper IPM manuals for
conventional and organic growers) will be developed during the final year of the project.
Recommendations will also be incorporated into existing publications for vegetable growers.
Status | Finished |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 1/1/02 → 8/15/05 |
Funding
- University of Tennessee: $170,000.00
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