Insect Abundance and Richness in Squash Agroecosystems of Georgia, United States: The Role of Cultivar Selection and Weather Conditions
This study investigated the abundance and richness of insect pests and beneficial insects on 20 squash cultivars across three seasons in middle Georgia, U.S. Insects were sampled using yellow sticky cards, pan traps and sweep nets. <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> Gennadius (sweet potato whitefly)...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1411 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | This study investigated the abundance and richness of insect pests and beneficial insects on 20 squash cultivars across three seasons in middle Georgia, U.S. Insects were sampled using yellow sticky cards, pan traps and sweep nets. <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> Gennadius (sweet potato whitefly) was prevalent in all seasons, while other key pests showed distinct seasonal peaks. <i>Diaphania hyalinata</i> Linnaeus (melonworm) peaked mid-July in summer 2021 (21 June–1 August), while Thysanoptera species, <i>Acalymma vittatum</i> Fabricius (striped cucumber beetle), and <i>Diabrotica balteata</i> LeConte (banded cucumber beetle) peaked late July-early August. In fall 2021 (4 October–14 November), <i>Epilachna borealis</i> (squash beetle), <i>D. hyalinata</i>, and <i>D. nitidalis</i> Stoll (pickleworm) were more active in early to mid-October, whereas <i>D. undecimpunctata howardi</i> Barber (spotted cucumber beetle) peaked in late November. In fall 2022 (17 October–20 November), <i>D. balteata</i> and <i>D. undecimpunctata howardi</i> peaked mid October to early November, while <i>Anasa tristis</i> DeGeer (squash bug) peaked in mid–late November. <i>Orius insidiosus</i> Say (minute pirate bug) peaked in late summer 2021 and remained stable in fall 2021. Pollinators were most active in mid-fall. Cultivars influenced insect abundance. ‘Saffron’ and ‘Amberpic 8455’ harbored the most <i>O. insidiosus</i> and fewer <i>D. balteata</i> and Thysanoptera species. ‘Golden Goose Hybrid’ had the highest moth numbers. These patterns suggest that cultivar traits influenced pest susceptibility and beneficial arthropods’ activity. Temperature and relative humidity were positively correlated with <i>A. vittatum</i> and <i>E. borealis</i> numbers, but rainfall negatively affected bees. These findings underscore the importance of cultivar selection and weather condition considerations in integrated pest management. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2073-4395 |