Catering to Stink Bugs: A Trap Crop Experiment Success

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Even a toddler who grabs one for the first time knows why they are called stink bugs. The shield-shaped bug releases an unpleasant odor when handled, a natural defense against certain predators. Found in most of the United States, stink bugs are a major agricultural pest in the Southeast. Using needlelike mouth parts, they suck the life out of commercial row crops like cotton, rice and soybeans, as well as vegetables, fruits and nuts. Wilted leaves, deformed plants and damaged fruit can all be symptoms that stink bugs are in the area.

University of FloridaentomologistRussell Mizellhas a sneaky strategy when it comes to stink bugs. It could be called ‘feeding the hand that bites you’. He has designed a rotating menu of trap crops to lure the voracious insects away from cash crops. The trap cropping system can be customized for any planting season from spring to fall. It is farm-scale neutral and will work for organic or conventional farms.

Mizell used a Southern SAREOn-Farm research grant to test a myriad of potential trap crops. He was seeking plants that would provide a steady source of food that is tastier to stinkbugs than the soybeans, peaches, pecans, grains or other crops a farmer might grow. The most desirable trap plants would be unappealing to deer while being attractive to as many stink bugs and leaf-footed bugs as possible. Seeds also would have to be widely available from commercial dealers.

The tests were conducted for two growing seasons at the North Florida Research and Education Centerin Quincy. Mizell’s detailed final report reads like a detective novel with a distinct process of elimination. Some plants that showed promise didn’t make the cut because they took too long to mature or didn’t reach preferred height requirements or were difficult to manage.

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