Pneumatic and thermal control of Colorado potato beetle

Previous research and development work showed that pneumatic and thermal co ntrol of Colorado potato beetle (CPB) are both technically and economically possible at different stages of growth of the potato plants or of the beet les. A two-stage control strategy was thus developed and tested. The first stage requires retrofitting flaming components on potato cultivation implem ents. As mechanical cultivation is performed shortly after the potato plant s have emerged, the heat generated by propane burners is directed toward th e crop rows to control emerging adult CPB and egg masses at a period where the potato plants are more resistant to heat than CPB. A dedicated implemen t combining pneumatic and thermal components is required for the second sta ge later during the season. Air is blown across the crop rows to dislodge l arge CPB larvae and adult insects present on the potato plants. The dislodg ed insects are deposited on the soil surface between the rows where shielde d propane burners are used to destroy them. Preliminary testing of this con trol strategy was completed during the summer of 1997 using a 4-row prototy pe of the combined pneumatic-thermal implement along with existing cultivat ion implements retrofitted with propane burners. Results of the research st udy under real production conditions showed that the use of the combined CP B control strategy had no negative effects on the growth of potato plants. Also, the effectiveness of this strategy in controlling CPB during the firs t half of the growing season of potato plants is comparable to that of chem ical insecticides. The proposed combined control strategy could therefore b e a very interesting alternative to chemical means for controlling CPB.