------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date sent: Sat, 18 Feb 1995 14:03:08 -0600 (CST)
>From: "Whitney Cranshaw" <wcransha@ceres.agsci.colostate.edu>
Send reply to: wcransha@ceres.agsci.colostate.edu
To: aclark@crop.uoguelph.ca
Subject: Mexican bean beetle control
> Have you tried the bean beetle parasite, Pediobious foveolatus? It is
> available from some suppliers and I could give you some sources if you
> wished. Some researchers have had success with annual releases of this
> species during early stages of a field infestation.
>
> I can't help with a trap crop and doubt that this would work since most
> beans are roughly equal in attractiveness. I presume that infestations
> are first concentrated along the field edge and if you could plant and
> flail or otherwise destroy this sacrificial patch it might help.
>
> (Unfortunately the Mexican bean beetle does not show the sharp preference
> for early plantings, as does the bean leaf beetle. With the latter
> species you could concentrate the great majority of the infestation on
> the earliest planted beans, making a very effective trap crop.)
>
> Neem and rotenone are two insecticides that are generally acceptable for
> bean beetle control in Certified Organic production. However until
> federal standards are in place determination of what is or is not
> acceptable is up to individual states. You would have to check with the
> New Mexico Department of Agriculture regarding what is acceptable for
> organic certification.
>
> I hope this is some help.
>
>
> Whitney Cranshaw
> Department of Entomology
> Colorado State University
>
> wcransha@ceres.agsci.colostate.edu
>
ACLARK@crop.uoguelph.ca
Dr. E. Ann Clark
Associate Professor
Crop Science
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 2508
FAX: 519 763-8933