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Examples 

Corn borders attracting the tomato fruitworm ( Helicoverpa zea ) in Martinique

Corn is very attractive to the tomato fruitworm, which lays its eggs on this plant. The presence of a corn border with visible silks diverts the pest from the tomato plot. Maize is demanding in water (at least 450 to 600 mm of water during cultivation) and needs aerated and well-drained soil. It is greedy in fertilizing elements and in particular in nitrogen. In the case of a tomato-corn system, to obtain synchronous flowering, plan 3 sowings of corn at 15-day intervals, the first one a month before planting the tomatoes. Reserve up to 10% of the surface for corn. This must be planted in the direction of the wind, upstream of the tomato. The choice of the variety of trap plants is important because the levels of volatile substances emitted by the plant vary according to the varieties and it is these substances that attract insects (pests and auxiliaries). The use of sweet corn is recommended. The “Java” and “Sugar Jean” varieties have shown good results in Martinique.

 

Use of cayas ( Cleome spp.) as trap plants for the American cabbage butterfly in the West Indies and Guyana

The American cabbageworm (Ascia monuste) lays very preferentially on spontaneous cayas in crops, neglecting cabbage, host plants
by default in the absence of these weeds. The small species of cayas are easy to sow, do not require maintenance and do not compete with cabbage (on the row, in the inter-row or at the edges). As before, it is not necessary to treat the cayas, but the populations of caterpillars on the cayas should be monitored.

 

Last change : 07/07/22