Needs for Insect Control in Watermelon

Education

Improved management practices for bees

          -safe use of pesticides

Improved understanding of migratory/invasive pest species: whiteflies

Research

Seed treatments: seed corn maggot, cucumber beetles

Trickle irrigation for insect control

Honey bees and natives (conserve populations): management of pesticides for efficient pollination

Evaluate reduced risk pesticides, specifically biorationals

Miticides needed- for improved control: different modes of action and resistance management

Look at attractant baits (bait & kill) for cucumber beetle adult

Cooperation with plant pathologists on insects as vectors of plant diseases

IPM approach using improved thresholds

Cultivate soil prior to planting -- is it good or bad? Seed corn maggot

Lannate for aphids - inconsistant -- determine why

Regulatory

Belief (flonicimid) registration for aphids -- currently pipeline

Watermelon returned to actara label: product can be used early season without harm to bees

Miticides: Fujimite (fenpyroximate), Zeal (etoxazole: currently submitted to EPA)

Make sure reduced risk pesticides are registered