Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is a global pest of crucifers that has been shown to preferentially oviposit on certain species and cultivars due to varying levels of wax and chemical constituents. The collard variety ‘Green Glaze’ has a glossy leaf trait that is highly attractive to diamondback moth, but larvae survive poorly on this variety, making this variety a promising candidate as a trap crop. Field research was conducted in 2002 and 2003 to evaluate this glossy collard variety as a trap crop within cabbage fields. Diamondback moth larval densities on cabbage plants in fields with a trap crop were less than half the larval densities on cabbage plants in fields without a trap crop. Due to low larval survival on the collards, overall diamondback moth larval populations were also lower in the trap crop fields than in the cabbage fields without a trap crop, making this management system effective even when multiple generations of diamondback moth occur during the production season. Different spatial arrangements of the trap crop were tested to increase our understanding of diamondback moth movement and oviposition site selection, so that the effectiveness of glossy collards as a trap crop in cabbage for diamondback moth can be optimized.
Species 1: Lepidoptera Plutellidae Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth)
Keywords: trap crop
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