A Strawberry Multi-dimensional IPM Systems Comparison Demonstration 1997
Author: Joe Kovach, Dept. Entomology, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, OH 44691-4096
In summary, the results of the alternative control tactics studied in this experiment are mixed. Planting a rye cover crop did provide good weed control in the year of planting but this control did not carry over into the first fruiting year. The ribbon row planting system that was used in this experiment resulted in lower yields compared to the matted row planting system with herbicides. It is currently unclear whether this yield reduction was due to the rye cover crop, the increased weed pressure, or just the rows being too narrow in this planting system. Future assessments will help us determine if this early yield reduction can be overcome in the future. Botrytis pressure during 1997 was too low to observe any differences between treatments. Most arthropod pest densities were also low, except for TPB populations. Spraying Mycotrol (B. bassiana) 3 times and vacuuming strawberries (3 times) for TPB control did reduced the number of TPB damaged berries compared to the untreated check but these TPB levels were still higher than the grower standard of one malathion spray. There were fewer TPB nymphs on `Honeoye' strawberries than the other cultivars in this experiment and this resulted in fewer damaged berries at harvest. Planting `Honeoye' strawberries is one effective non chemical method that can be used to reduce TPB populations. Data will continue to be collected from these plots in future years. | 
