REDUCED TILLAGE PRACTICES FOR MANAGING THE COLORADO POTATO BEETLE IN PROCESSING TOMATO PRODUCTION

Experiments were conducted on processing tomatoes (Lycopersicon escule ntum Mill.) grown in a reduced tillage system utilizing rye (Secale ce reale L.) as a cover crop, to determine the effects of tillage practic es on the severity of Colorado potato beetle [Leptinotarsa decemlineat a (Say)] infestation and damage. Colonization by newly emerged adult C olorado potato beetles in the spring was significantly more rapid in c onventional tillage than in reduced tillage plots in 2 of 3 years. Con ventional tillage plots without insecticide had significantly higher d ensities of egg masses, larvae, and second-generation adult Colorado p otato beetles at several sampling dates over the 3-year study. Reduced tillage plots sustained less defoliation than conventional tillage pl ots without insecticide and had higher yields of ripe fruit. The resul ts of this study establish that damage from the Colorado potato beetle can be significantly reduced in processing tomatoes through the use o f minimum tillage.