Whether peppers are grown for fresh market or processing, the market demands that peppers be free of insect damage or infestation. In New England, European corn borer is the most widespread and most damaging insect pest of pepper. The second flight of European corn borer moths, which generally begins the last week of July, is well-timed to coincide with the period for field-grown peppers from late July through September.
Identification and behavior. European corn borer moths are significant pests of corn and peppers, and feed on over 200 different plant species including many weeds. Adult females are a light yellowish-tan, about inch long, with wavy lines across the wings. Females lay flat, translucent white egg masses, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch across, on the underside of leaves. Egg deposition begins within a week after adult moths emerge. Eggs hatch in 4-14 days, depending on temperature. First-instar larvae move from foliage onto fruit. European corn borer caterpillars (larvae) always have a black or dark brown head, with a body that is white or gray with a dull pattern. This dark head cap distinguishes them from pepper maggots, which are completely white. A full-grown larva is 3/4 to 1 inch long. Larvae usually enter the fruit by tunneling under the cap. They leave a pile of light brown frass on the surface. Often this is the only indication that a pepper is infested until two or three weeks after the borer enters, when bacterial soft rot causes the fruit to decay. It is both difficult and expensive to cull out infested or damaged fruit at the time of harvest
Monitoring. Flight is detected by placing two white nylon meshes Heliothis Scentry TM traps, with the base at weed height, in weedy areas near pepper fields. Traps should be placed 50-100 feet apart. One is baited with a lure for the Iowa strain (Z I) and the other with a lure for the New York strain (E II) of ECB. Both of these strains exist throughout New England. To detect the second flight, check traps weekly or twice a week from the third weed of July through September.
Threshold. Insecticide applications should begin one week after trap counts (sum of both traps) reach 7 per week (or one per night). The week delay takes into account the time needed for egg laying and egg hatch before there is a real risk of borers entering fruit. During the time that ECB moths are active (the second flight usually lasts throughout August and into September), a regular schedule of insecticide applications should be maintained. An exact threshold for the end of the risk period has not been established, but in Massachusetts and Connecticut we have found that stopping insecticides after captures drop below 20 per week has worked well on cooperating IPM farms.
Management. The intervals recommended for insecticide applications depend on the material used. Acephate used ( e.g OtheneTM, 7 dh) can be used at 10-14 day intervals; synthetic pyrethroids (e.g., AsanaTM, 7 dh or AmbushTM or PounceTM, 3 dh) at7-day intervals; and Bt products (e.g., Mattch TM, CutlassTM, JavelinTM, 0 dh) twice weekly.
Days to harvest restrictions often dictate choice of material. This is the greatest concern in fresh market peppers that need to be picked and shipped frequently. Some growers have found that they can spray each section of peppers immediately after it is picked, and then have ample time for the preharvest interval to pass (whether it is 3 days or 7 days) before they need to pick that particular section again. Others have found that they can use Bt applications between other materials in order to provide protection when a short preharvest interval is needed.
Resistance and Biocontrol. Some pepper varieties, especially hot varieties, appear to have some resistance to ECB. In 1996, trials at UMass Research Farm found 52% and 56% damage from ECB in sweet bell peppers on August 23 and September 10 harvest dates, while hot cherry peppers were 0% and 12.5 % infested on the same dates Research is currently underway at UMass to ]earn more about the importance of fruit shape, cuticle thickness and capsaicin content (degree of "heat") for ECB damage. We are also evaluating a biointensive IPM system that uses Bt applications and releases of Trichogramma ostriniae wasps, which parasitize ECB egg masses.
Ruth V. Hazzard, Vegetable IPM Specialist,Entomology Dept., West, Agricultural Engineering Bldg., University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003
Reprinted from: Proceedings. 1997. New England Vegetable and Berry Conference and Trade Show. Dec. 16-18, 1997.p.70-71.
See other articles on the UConn Vegetable IPM site:
More on ECB in Peppers
This information was developed for conditions in the Northeast. Use in other geographical areas may be inappropriate.
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