Assistant Professor Purdue University West Lafayette, Indiana
High tunnels (HT) are a protected agriculture tool used among specialty crop farmers. The popularity of HTs falls on the low cost of construction and increased profitability by extending the growing season and protecting crops against extreme climatic conditions. Cucumber (Cucumis sativa L.) are well suited for HT production because of their vertical growth pattern allowing for space optimization and repeated flowering, offering multiple harvest opportunities. However, two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch; TSSM) is one the primary pests of cucumbers in HT systems. TSSM sucks essential plant nutrients from the leaves, causing yellowed, mottling symptoms and eventual leaf death. TSSM often goes unnoticed by farmers until the damage is irreversible and the pest is difficult to control without conventional insecticides. Because there is inadequate knowledge of the TSSM behavior inside HTs, it is essential to evaluate the performance of this pest and possible management strategies optimized for HT systems. Here, we will present results from an experiment evaluating the susceptibility of cucumber cultivars bred for high tunnel production to manage TSSM. Cucumbers were grown in HTs across Indiana. Cultivar susceptibility was evaluated using the Horsfall-Barret scale across 10 varieties replicated within a single tunnel in a RCB design. The information gained through this work can help growers select varieties that minimize TSSM damage and biopesticides that are efficacious at managing this damaging pest.
