Do you have pest problems with your Brassica crops? We can help. The Brassica Pest Collaborative (BPC) is a project funded by Northeast-SARE that brings together Extension educators and researchers from UMass, UConn, UNH and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County to collaborate on research and education to improve management of this suite of insect pests. Collectively, we are doing research to evaluate the efficacy of tactics like mulches, netting, and conservation biocontrol to combat multiple pests, reduce overall pest damage, and increase yield.
You might have already participated in some of our project activities – like the series of webinars we held earlier this spring. If you missed the webinars, you can check out the recorded ones online, anytime that is convenient for you. Each one discusses the biology and management of some important pests of Brassica crops:
- Cabbage looper & diamondback moth
- Imported cabbageworm and cross-striped armyworm
- Cabbage aphid
- Flea beetles
- Cabbage maggot
As the growing season gets going, now is a great time to reach out to us if you have had a Brassica pest problem that has been hard for you to solve. We will work together to try to help come up with a solution.
How can Commercial Brassica Growers Get Involved?
- Tell us what pests or crops you struggle with so we can tailor our education program to meet your needs! You can contact project team members directly, or fill out this survey: http://bit.ly/growerneeds
- Sign-up for our email forum to get timely pest updates and share observations with growers and researchers around the Northeast: http://bit.ly/bpcforum
- Become a collaborator! Send an email to brassicapest@umass.edu and tell us about your farm and your pest issue and what strategy you would like to try to implement. Or just reach out to any member of the project team. Here in NH, that’s me, Becky Sideman. We look forward to hearing from you!
