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Pest Management
Identifying a Potential Trap Crop for a Novel Insect Pest,
Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), in
Organic Farms
Anne L. Nielsen,
1,2
Galen Dively,
3
John M. Pote,
1
Gladis Zinati,
4
and
Clarissa Mathews
5
1
Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 121 Northville Rd., Bridgeton, NJ 08302 (nielsen@aesop.rutgers.edu;
jmp497@scarletmail.rutgers.edu),
2
Corresponding author, e-mail: nielsen@aesop.rutgers.edu,
3
Department of Entomology,
University of Maryland, College Park, MD (galen@umd.edu),
4
The Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA (Gladis.zinati@rodaleinstitute.org),
and
5
Redbud Farm, LLC, Inwood, WV and Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV (CMathews@shepherd.edu)
Received 2 September 2015; Accepted 15 January 2016
Abstract
The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, poses significant risk to organic farming systems
because they rely on biological control, nonsynthetic inputs, and cultural tactics for pest management. This study
evaluated the potential of five crop plants (sorghum, admiral pea, millet, okra, and sunflower) to be used as trap
crops under organic production in four mid-Atlantic states. Stink bug (H. halys and endemic species) densities
and host plant phenologies were recorded weekly (mid-June through September). Sorghum attracted signifi-
cantly more H. halys than the other crops evaluated, followed by sunflower and okra. Seasonal average H. halys
density was 1.5–4higher on sorghum than the other crops (P<0.05), depending on site. Endemic stink bugs
were equally attracted to all crops except admiral pea. A significant effect of time was detected (P<0.0001), with
H. halys densities initially higher on sunflower; as the sunflower senesced, sorghum supported significantly
higher average H. halys densities. While sunflower and sorghum phenologies differed, these crops together pro-
vided a 5-wk attraction period coinciding with peak H. halys activity. The efficacies of pheromone-baited traps,
flaming, applying OMRI-approved insecticides (Azera and Venerate), and vacuuming to removing stink bugs were
evaluated as a management tactic. Flaming was the most effective treatment against H. halys and endemic stink
bugs. Our results suggest that a trap crop composed of sorghum and sunflower may be an effective management
tool for the mid-Atlantic stink bug complex, including H. halys. Future research should address the appropriate
size and placement of trap crop within the farm.
Key words: stink bug, organic, management, habitat manipulation, host choice
Pest management in organic farming systems relies on primarily
nonsynthetic inputs, biological control, and habitat manipulation.
While organic systems commonly are resilient to many pest species
(Zehnder et al. 2007), invasive species provide novel challenges.
One invasive species, Halyomorpha halys (Sta˚l) (Hemiptera:
Pentatomidae), the brown marmorated stink bug, has become a sig-
nificant pest in the mid-Atlantic region (Leskey et al. 2012) and
dominates the stink bug pest complex, which is increasing in eco-
nomic importance (Nielsen and Hamilton 2009). Halyomorpha
halys’ pest status is increasing in other parts of the country such as
the southeastern and western regions, although populations are vari-
able from year to year.
Halyomorpha halys, like other stink bugs, feeds primarily on the
reproductive structures of plants, causing corking or deformed fruit
or seed formation (McPherson and McPherson 2000). Throughout
the growing season, populations increase dramatically with high
densities occurring in late July to mid-August (Nielsen and
Hamilton 2009), a time that coincides with the development and
ripening of many agriculturally important food crops in the United
States. Management for H. halys in organic systems is difficult due
to the lack of effective organic insecticides and because of its long
life cycle, high capacity to disperse, and polyphagous nature. Such
characteristics have created a landscape-level agroecosystem threat
posed by H. halys. One tactic for management that is amenable to
organic production would be habitat manipulation, such as trap
cropping, which would capitalize on the strong perimeter-driven
behavior exhibited by H. halys and endemic stink bugs such as
Euschistus spp. in multiple cropping systems (Tillman et al. 2009,
Blaauw et al. 2014,Venugopal et al. 2014).
Habitat manipulation through the identification and planting of
a preferred plant species over another for pest management is the
basis of trap cropping (Hokkanen 1991). This form of integrated
V
CThe Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.
All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com 1
Environmental Entomology, 2016, 1–7
doi: 10.1093/ee/nvw006
Research article
Environmental Entomology Advance Access published February 25, 2016
at Don Thomson on March 14, 2016http://ee.oxfordjournals.org/Downloaded from
pest management has numerous attributes and modalities. The
“ideal” trap crop would protect a crop at a vulnerable stage from
insect damage, be easy to manage, provide secondary benefits, and
be affordable. Shelton and Benedez-Perez (2006) defined trap crop-
ping broadly as “plant stands that are ...deployed to attract, divert,
intercept, and/or retain targeted insects or the pathogens they vector
in order to reduce damage to the main crop.” Thus, a trap crop
exploits insect host finding and selection behaviors as a management
tool. Host plant finding itself is a multistage process that involves
visual and olfactory cues. A successful trap crop should satisfy both
processes and have had some success as a management tactic for
stink bug species. When used as a trap crop, sorghum reduced insec-
ticide applications in cotton and black mustard reduced kernel
injury by 22% in sweet corn for Nezara viridula L. (Rea et al. 2002,
Tillman et al. 2009). Recently, Soergel et al. (2015) evaluated sun-
flower as a trap crop for H. halys. While high populations of
H. halys colonized the sunflower, their results suggest that sun-
flower alone may not be an effective trap crop. Management of mul-
tiple insect pests through trap crops is not frequently the primary
goal; however, controlling a complex of species, such as stink bugs,
has been evaluated in soybean by planting early maturing varieties
(Hokkanen 1991), and triticale was identified as a potential trap
crop for the stink bug complex in Florida by Mizell (2008).
Our goal was to identify preferred host plants that could serve as
a trap crop for H. halys and endemic species of stink bugs (i.e.,
Euschistus servus (Say), E. tristigmus (Say), E. variolarius (Palisot),
and Chinavia hilare (Say)). Stink bugs are polyphagous (Panizzi
1997), and colonization of suitable host plants is largely dependent
on plant phenology, generally feeding during development of the fruit
or panicle. Differences in life history exist between endemic species
and H. halys in that Euschistus spp. generally prefer grasses, while
H. halys is generally considered to be an arboreal species, although it
will also feed on grass species and vegetable crops. Identification of
candidate plant species that are highly attractive to a highly mobile,
polyphagous species such as H. halys is a critical first step to imple-
menting trap crop experiments. However, management within a trap
crop was needed in 9 out of 10 identified “successful” trap cropping
systems reviewed by Shelton and Benedez-Perez (2006). If successful,
a trap crop, with or without management, would be deployed around
an attractive cash crop with the potential to provide a whole-farm
management strategy for H. halys.
Materials and Methods
Comparison
In 2013, research plots were established on USDA-certified or in-
transition land at Rutgers Agricultural Research and Extension
Center (“RAREC,” Bridgeton, NJ), University of Maryland
(“UMD,” Clarksville, MD), Redbud Farm (“Redbud,” Inwood,
WV), and the Rodale Institute (“Rodale,” Kutztown, PA). Trap crop
species evaluated were grain sorghum var. 65B3cnv (Sorghum bicolor
L. Moench), pearl millet var. Tifleaf 3 (Pennisetum glaucum (L.)
R.Br.), okra var. Clemson spineless (Abelmoschus esculentus
Moench), field pea var. Admiral (Pisum sativum subsp. arvense (L.)),
and an open-pollinated sunflower seed mix for shoots (Johnny’s Seed
#2160SG.36) (Helianthus annuus L.). Plant species were identified
through conversations with organic growers and observations by
researchers as part of an organic working group for H. halys. Plots
were arranged in a Latin square design with five replicates. All seeds
met USDA organic certification criteria and were purchased from
Johnny’s Select Seed (Winslow, ME) or Blue River Hybrids (Ames,
IA). Plots were 3 m by 6 m, with 2 m between plots, planted by hand
at the suggested seeding rate and spacing for each species (sorghum
and millet 2.5–5.0cm, sunflower and admiral pea 15.2 cm, okra
30.5cm). Planting dates were 23 May, 20 May, 19 May, 5 June for
UMD, Redbud, RAREC, and Rodale, respectively. Plots were hand
weeded and sampled weekly from 1 July through mid-September. At
Redbud and RAREC, after the admiral pea senesced, buckwheat
(Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) was broadcast over the plot and
was sampled in the same manner as other crops.
Stink bugs were assessed by whole-plant counts on a 1.5-m row
length with two people simultaneously assessing alternate sides of
the row for a minimum of 3 min per sample. Each sample row was
randomly selected each week from the interior rows. Generalized
plant phenological stage (vegetative, flowering, seed head/pod, sen-
escence) and height was recorded for three plants per row from
ground to highest leaf.
Management
During the summers of 2013 and 2014, organic management techni-
ques for controlling H. halys and other stink bugs in trap crops were
evaluated on small experimental plots of sunflowers (see above) at
RAREC. Sunflowers were planted on late May by hand in 3- by 6-m
plots. Each plot consisted of three 6-m-long rows with 15 cm
between each plant. In 2013, the plots were arranged in a 5 5
Latin square design with 2 m of tilled ground between each plot.
In 2014, the distance between each plot was increased to 10–15m of
mown rye to increase independence of plots because an aggregation
pheromone trap was included as a management tactic. Due to subse-
quent size limitations, individual plots were organized in a com-
pletely randomized design.
We utilized a mark–recapture technique to standardize starting
population densities. Ten H. halys third–fifth-instar nymphs were
marked with a small dot of paint and released 2 h prior to treatment
application. Treatment efficacy was assessed by visually surveying
all sunflower plants in the center row of each plot (6 m row sample)
immediately after treatment, 1 d and 3 d after treatment. Marked
and unmarked H. halys nymphs and adults and endemic stink bugs
were recorded. Unmarked H. halys had either molted or naturally
colonized plots. This process was repeated, with plots receiving
identical applications and surveys, 7 d (2013 only) and 14 d follow-
ing initial treatment.
In 2013, treatments included a single application of 56 ml Azera
(Azadirachtin, MGK, Minneapolis, MN), a single application of 3 qt.
Venerate (Burkholderia spp. strain A396, Marrone BioInnovations,
Davis, CA), brief flame treatment using a propane weed torch (Red
Dragon Torches and Equipment, Lacrosse, KS, product no.: VT1-
32C), and removal of foliar insects with a custom vacuum sampler and
an untreated control. Insecticide applications were applied using a
backpack mist blower (#451, Solo USA, Newport News, VA). In
2014, the vacuum treatment was replaced with a black pyramid trap
(1.22 m tall, AgBio Inc., Westminster, CO) baited with H. halys phero-
mone plus synergist (10 mg (3S,6S,7R,10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-
3-ol and (3R,6S,7R,10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol plus 60 mg
2E,4E,6Z methyl decatrienoate).
Statistical Analysis
The total number of H. halys and endemic stink bugs, respectively,
were summed by replicate and trap crop species at each site. Data did
not meet assumptions of normality and were log(x þ1) transformed.
A two-way ANOVA analyzing trap crop species and site were per-
formed. Post hoc means separation was performed with Tukey’s HSD
2Environmental Entomology, 2016, Vol. 0, No. 0
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and analyzed in JMP Pro v.11.2 (SAS, Cary, NC). A repeated meas-
ures analysis on log(xþ1) transformed data evaluated the effects of
time and host plant on total H. halys (nymphs plus adults) densities
over seven consecutive sample weeks (starting 12 August 2013) dur-
ing the active period (compound symmetry covariance structure,
Satterthwaite Degrees of Freedom method, mean separation via LSD;
SAS Version 9.2, Cary, NC). Rodale was omitted from the repeated
measures analysis due to low season-long H. halys densities, and the
three other field sites (Redbud, UMD, and RAREC) were included as
replicates. A nested ANOVA on log(xþ1) transformed data for
H. halys or endemic species density/1.5 m was conducted with plant
species nested within phenological stage. Admiral pea was excluded
from analysis due to zero colonization. A linear regression of BMSB
and endemic stink bug population densities (per 1.5 m) was con-
ducted, although MD was excluded from this data set, as plant height
was not recorded. Analysis was conducted in JMP Pro v.11.2.
In the management trial, count data did not meet assumptions of
normality and were transformed using the two-parameter Box-Cox
algorithm. Due to significant variation between years and between
successive treatment applications of the same year, data were sepa-
rated by these factors and analyzed using a repeated measures
ANOVA (with sampling date as the repeated measure). Post hoc
means comparison was performed with Tukey’s HSD using the
Holm method of P-value adjustment and a critical value of P0.05.
For ease of analysis, counts of endemic stink bugs and unmarked
H. halys include both adults and nymphs of the respective species.
Analysis was performed in R.
Results
Comparison
Although buckwheat was planted after admiral pea senesced, germi-
nation was successful at only one site, and it was excluded from
analysis. The two-way ANOVA found a significant site by trap crop
interaction (F¼14.29, df ¼3,12, P<0.0001). At UMD, a seasonal
mean of 437.08 H. halys were observed on the sorghum, compared
to 105.77 and 102.72 on sunflower and okra, respectively.
Comparatively, at RAREC the average density of H. halys totaled
across the season was 13.60 on sorghum, followed by 5.6 and 2.6
on millet and okra, respectively (Table 1). The main effects
of research site (F¼101.62, df ¼3,12, P<0.0001) and trap crop
species (F¼188.61, df ¼4,12, P<0.0001) also were statistically
significant. Post hoc tests showed that UMD hosted significantly
higher populations of H. halys than all the other sites (P<0.05), fol-
lowed by Redbud, RAREC, and then Rodale. Within the trap crop
species, sorghum had significantly higher seasonal populations of
H. halys than any other trap crop species evaluated (P<0.05).
Sunflower and okra hosted the second highest populations, followed
by millet and then admiral pea. Except for admiral pea, all trap crop
species studied supported H. halys of every life stage (egg, nymph
and adult), indicating that they are host plants. Egg masses were not
found on admiral pea at any location, and this species only hosted
nymphs at RAREC, suggesting that it is not an idea host plant.
There was a significant effect of plant phenology on H. halys
(F¼13.53, df ¼4, 13, P<0.001) with seed head/pod hosting higher
densities per 1.5 m sample than the other stages (Fig. 1a). Similarly,
plant phenology also had a significant effect on endemic stink bug
density per 1.5 m (F¼4.02, df ¼4, 13, P<0.0001; Fig. 1b). There
was not a significant relationship between plant height and stink
bug densities (H. halys: y¼0.574 þ1.911x, R
2
¼0.008; Endemic:
y¼0.044 þ0.085x, R
2
¼0.009), which could be due to an effect of
individual attractiveness of plant species.
Endemic stink bugs, primarily Euschistus servus, also colonized
the trap crop species; however, H. halys dominated the species com-
plex comprising 99.38, 71.34, 51.06, and 97.65% of the stink bug
community at UMD, RAREC, Rodale, and Redbud, respectively.
There were significant main effects of site (F¼4.29, df ¼3,12,
P¼0.007) and trap crop species (F¼9.30, df ¼4,12, P<0.0001)
for endemic stink bugs. RAREC and Redbud hosted the highest pop-
ulation of endemic stink bug species (P<0.05).All crops except for
admiral pea equally attracted endemic stink bug species (P<0.05),
with sunflower having the highest seasonal density (Table 2). There
also was a significant interaction between trap crop and site for
endemic stink bugs (F¼2.59, df ¼3,12, P¼0.006). The seasonality
of H. halys and endemic stink bugs, primarily Euschistus spp., were
similar, although the endemic species sometimes arrived at the trap
crops about a week earlier; as populations of endemic stink bugs
declined on the plants, H. halys densities increased (Fig. 2).
There was a highly significant host plant by week interaction for
H. halys densities (F¼5.69, df ¼18, 384, P<0.0001). During each
of the seven sample periods, millet generally supported the lowest
density of H. halys, with statistically lower average H. halys den-
sities than observed on sorghum during weeks 4, 6, and 7 (LSD,
a¼0.05). In the first two sample weeks, H. halys densities were
highest on sunflower, but by July both sunflower and sorghum sup-
ported high H. halys densities (Fig. 3). Average densities remained
consistent on sunflower through the sixth week, after which time
the plants senesced and sorghum was more attractive. In the third
sample week, H. halys density on sorghum surpassed that of the
other host plants and remained higher throughout the study; average
H. halys densities on sorghum were statistically higher than those on
millet during weeks 4, 6, and 7 (LSD, a¼0.05).
Management
There were significant differences in abundance of marked nymphs
between treatments in 2013, following each application (application
1:F¼16.78, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.0005; application 2:F¼5.63, df ¼4,
8, P¼0.0196; application 3:F¼10.84, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.003). For all
applications, the number of marked nymphs found in the flame
treated plots was significantly lower than in the majority of other
treatments (Fig. 4). The abundance of marked H. halys nymphs in
all other treatments was not significantly different from that in the
control. There were no significant differences due to treatment in
the abundance of endemic stink bugs following any application
(application 1:F¼1.813, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.22; application 2: N/A;
application 3:F¼0.105, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.977). After the second
Table 1. Seasonal mean (6SEM) per 1.5-m row sample of H. halys present on potential trap crops at four locations
Site Admiral Pea Millet Okra Sunflower Sorghum
UMD 0.61 60.37 33.53 66.23 102.72 66.33 105.77 619.96 437.08 620.24
RAREC 0.20 60.20 5.60 62.62 2.60 60.81 1.40 60.60 13.60 63.31
Rodale 0.00 60.00 0.40 60.24 0.20 60.20 1.40 60.75 2.80 61.16
Redbud 0.00 60.00 18.20 610.53 52.60 67.32 134.80 641.48 229.40 652.64
Environmental Entomology, 2016, Vol. 0, No. 0 3
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application, no endemic stink bugs were found in any treatment
plot, so statistical analysis could not be completed. Additionally,
there were no significant differences in abundance of unmarked H.
halys between treatments during any application (application 1:
F¼0.538, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.712; application 2:F¼0.754, df ¼4, 8,
P¼0.583; application 3:F¼3.171, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.077).
No significant differences in the abundance of marked nymphs were
found between treatments in 2014 after the first treatment application
(F¼1.892, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.205; Fig. 4a). Significant differences were
identified for the second application (F¼5.628, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.0187;
Fig. 4b). Marked nymph abundance was lowest in flame- and Azera-
treated plots and highest in plots with pheromone traps although the
latter was not significantly different from the untreated control.
After a single round of treatment applications, there were signifi-
cant differences between treatments in the abundance of endemic
stink bugs; however, this effect was not observed after the second
application (application 1:F¼14.8, df ¼4, 8, P<0.001; applica-
tion 2:F¼1.73, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.236). The abundance of endemic
stink bugs after one application of treatments was significantly
higher in plots with pheromone-baited traps than the control
plots. Conversely, endemic stink bugs were significantly less
abundant in flame-treated plots than in the controls. There were no
significant differences in abundance of unmarked H. halys
between treatments during either application (application 1:
F¼1.643, df ¼4, 8, P¼0.255; application 2:F¼2.239, df ¼4, 8,
P¼0.154).
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
Vegeta ve Flowering Seed Head/Pod Senesced
log(x+1) H. halys per 1.5m
Plant phenology stage
0
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
Vegeta ve Flowering Seed Head/Pod Senesced
log(x+1) endemic s nk bugs per 1.5m
Plant phenology stage
(a)
(b)
Fig. 1. Log(x þ1) mean 6SEM of (a)H. halys and (b) endemic stink bugs per 1.5-m row in potential trap crop species by plant phenology stage. Nested ANOVA of
trap crops within phenology was significant at P<0.05 for H. halys and endemic stink bug species.
Table 2. Seasonal mean ( 6SEM) per 1.5-m row sample of endemic stink bugs (i.e., E. servus) present on potential trap crops at four
locations
Site Admiral Pea Millet Okra Sunflower Sorghum
UMD 0.0060.00 0.30 60.30 1.22 60.57 0.91 60.61 1.83 61.12
RAREC 0.0060.00 2.40 60.93 0.80 60.49 3.80 60.73 2.40 60.24
Rodale 0.00 60.00 1.40 60.51 1.00 60.63 0.60 60.24 1.60 60.68
Redbud 0.40 60.40 0.20 60.20 4.00 61.38 3.80 61.16 2.20 61.20
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0
10
20
30
40
50
Mean per 1.5m sample
(a)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Mean per 1.5m sample
(b)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
Mean per 1.5m sample
(c)
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Mean per 1.5m sample
(d)
Fig. 2. Mean 6SEM total H. halys and endemic stink bugs (primarily Euschistus servus) per 1.5-m row in potential trap crop species in (a) Clarksville, MD, (b)
Bridgeton, NJ, (c) Rodale Institute (PA), and (d) Inwood, WV. H. halys is represented by the solid black line, while endemic species are in grey.
Fig. 3. Mean ( 6SEM) per 1.5-m sample row population densities of H. halys on potential trap crops sampled weekly (late June through mid-September 2013) at
three replicate field sites (UMD, RAREC, and Redbud); millet is shown with black diagonal hash marks, okra with grey, sunflower with white, sorghum with black;
asterisk indicates significant differences in average densities within sample week (P<0.05 by LSD).
Environmental Entomology, 2016, Vol. 0, No. 0 5
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Discussion
In organic farming systems, trap crops present an opportunity to
manipulate the agroecosystem habitat for pest management. We
identified attractive host plants for the invasive H. halys that could
serve as a trap crop. Sorghum was the most attractive host plant
evaluated, followed by sunflower and okra. These host plants were
also attractive to endemic stink bug species such as Eushistus spp.,
suggesting that the phytophagous stink bug complex could be tar-
geted. Although attractive to stink bugs, okra may not be a suitable
trap crop because the pods need to be removed for continuous pro-
duction, a tactic that would require additional labor. Mizell et al.
(2008) also identified sorghum and sunflower as potential trap crops
against E. servus,C. hilaris, and Nezara viridula (L.) in Florida, sug-
gesting that these and triticale could serve as trap crops throughout
most of the eastern United States. The slight differences in coloniza-
tion timing we observed between sunflower and sorghum suggest
that they could be used synergistically to provide at least a 5-wk
period of attraction to H. halys. Together, the attractive period of
sunflower and sorghum coincides with the peak activity of H. halys
in eastern agroecosystems, from mid-July through mid September.
In mid-July through early fall, H. halys is found on fruit and vegeta-
ble crops including tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and corn. At the
end of September, H. halys is commonly found in soybean, apples,
grapes, and is beginning its dispersal to overwintering sites. Ehler
(2000) reported that endemic stink bugs track plant phenology and
Mizell et al. (2008) further validated this for potential trap crop spe-
cies in Florida. The data presented here further validate this since
differences in host plant selection and utilization varied over time
and host plant phenology had a significant effect on colonization,
specifically during the formation or presence of seed heads or pods.
Organic agroecosystems are known to host higher levels of insect
biodiversity, and habitat manipulation tactics, such as trap crop-
ping, may further enhance natural enemy services by providing nec-
tar and pollen resources for beneficial insects. Although this was not
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
321
Mean nymphs per 6m sample
Application Time
(a)
Azera Control Flame Vacuum Venerate
*
**
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
21
Mean nymphs per 6m sample
Application Time
(b)
Azera Control Flame Pheromone Venerate
**
Fig. 4. Mean ( 6SEM) number per 6-m row of recovered H. halys nymphs from sunflower plots treated with Azera (white), flame (black diagonal stripe), vacuum
(grey diagonal stripe), Venerate (dark grey), and untreated control (light grey) in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 in Bridgeton, NJ. Asterisks indicate significant treatment
effects within an application timing (P<0.05 by Tukey’s HSD).
6Environmental Entomology, 2016, Vol. 0, No. 0
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a primary objective of this evaluation, natural enemies were found
in high numbers on millet, sunflower, and sorghum and may provide
additional ecosystem benefits. Whether this would result in
enhanced predation upon stink bugs is unknown.
Despite the design of trap crops as a management tool, they
frequently require additional management applications or ratooning
(harvesting a crop while leaving the roots and the lower parts of the
plant uncut) to maintain attractive plant phenology (Shelton and
Badenes-Perez 2006,Mizell et al. 2008). We decided not to ratoon
plants for this trial to reduce the amount of labor required.
However, we did investigate management using common manage-
ment tools in organic systems. Brief flaming was found to be effec-
tive against nymphs in both years and could be a feasible
management option for small plots. In 2014, we integrated the H.
halys aggregation pheromone trap as a management tool. However,
the pheromone trap is designed as a monitoring tool, not a mass-
trapping tool, and the aggregation pheromone acts as an attractant
with only a percentage of individuals entering the trap. The small
plot size we evaluated corresponded to the purported zone of aggre-
gation of 2.5 m (in apple) (Morrison et al. 2015), and thus, it did not
remove significantly high numbers of H. halys, although it could
increase retention time within the trap crop (Tillman 2006).
Research is still needed to determine if trap cropping is an effec-
tive management tool for H. halys as well as the appropriate size
and placement within the farm. Soergel et al. (2015) investigated
sunflowers as a trap crop in peppers against H. halys. In this case,
utilizing a single plant species was ineffective as a stand-along man-
agement tool, although sunflower was identified as a highly attrac-
tive host plant. Retention time of a trap crop or how long it attracts
or diverts the target pests from the cash crop is critical to its success
(Holden et al. 2012). Retention time could be increased by multiple
plantings of trap crops, increasing the size of the trap crop, identifi-
cation of repellent plants (Khan et al. 2000) or augmentation with
aggregation pheromone as discussed above. The data presented here
identify previously undocumented host plants for the invasive H.
halys and suggest that trap cropping may be an effective manage-
ment tool for multiple stink bug species, including H. halys, in
organic agroecosystems.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank numerous student interns and volunteers in the
Nielsen, Dively, Mathews labs and at the Rodale Institute. This project is
funded by USDA NIFA OREI#2012-51300-20097 and is NJAES publication
# D-08-08931-9-15.
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