BIS-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, June 1, 1991
Cathy Thomas Uses
BETH PITZER
Cumberland Co. Correspondent
CARLISLE (Cumberland Co.)
—Cathy Thomas, research associ
ate with the department of ento
mology for Penn State University,
has found very positive results
using biological pest control.
She is monitoring the popula
tion of the whitefly on hydroponi
cally grown tomato plants in coop
eration with a Mennonite farm
family in Cumberland County.
They grow the tomato crop from
January to July. Tomatoes are
often plagued with the whitefly.
The goal, when beginning to
reduce the population of the pest,
was to have 80% control; they
have exceeded the goal by achiev
ing 90% control.
The secret to the success lies in
the balance of nature. Cathy
ordered a type of wasp, Encarsia
Formosa, from Europe to keep the
whitefly population in check.
The way the wasp works is fas
cinating. The Encarsia Formosa is
the size of a head of a pin. The
wasp neither stings humans nor
has other detrimental side effects.
A mature wasp injects it’s eggs into
the larvae of the White Fly found
on the back of a tomato leaf. As the
wasp's larvae matures, it then
replaces the larvae of the White
Fly. It keeps the While Fly in
check through it's reproductive
cycle.
Cathy shared two ways she
checks on the population of the
whitefly. First, she places sticky
yellow cards in the Greenhouse.
White Flies are naturally attracted
to the yellow color. She counts the
population on each card. Another
way is to scout 23 tomato plants a
week, or 3% of the crop. This
enables her to look at the way the
Encarsia Formosa is following the
whitefly. When the larvae on the
back of the leaf look black instead
of the original white color, it’s
clear that the wasp has replaced it's
eggs. When they are white, the
original White Fly larvae remain.
This is something new for most
American Farmers as chemical
pest control is ordinarily used
rather than biological pest control.
Cathy prefers working with the
biological methods rather than the
chemicals for several reasons. It's
safer for the environment and for
humans.
Since whiteflies have become
more and more resistant to certain
chemicals as a form of pest con
trol, stronger and stronger chemi
cals are needed to control them.
When insects are controlled bio
logically, consumers don't have
the residue of chemicals when eat
ing their product. Greenhouse
workers at work and children who
may be in the greenhouse aren't
exposed to high levels of the
chemicals.
Cathy took a course in inte
grated pest management earlier in
her career. She finds it exciting to
see the reality and the successful
ness of her classroom studies.
Cathy’s use of the wasp to con
trol the white fly in tomatoes is the
first experiment in the Cumberland
area. The Encarsia Formosa is
being used not only on tomatoes in
Cumberland County but also on
poinsettias in Cumberland and
York Counties. All of the research
is with actual growers and with
saleable crops. There hasn't been
one failure. Cathy sees biological
pest control as the future in crop
management.
She'd like to see expanded
research and ways of using biolog
ical pest control on more plants.
Her goal is to help other growers
use the new methods. She's cur
rently developing a video showing
cTomu SAWch
|L Societies |
Lancaster Society 25
The Society of Farm Women 25
met May 11 at the home of Mary
Roland, Lancaster. Eleven
answered roll call by naming a
flower with the first letter begin
ning with the first letter of the indi
vidual’s name.
SI/KS AM) EAYOI IS TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONS
Wasps To Help
Cathy Thomas examines tomato plants to see If the wasp Is doing its job.
grower's reactions that will be used techniques. She hopes that next research other insects and further
to entice other growers to use the year's grant will be funded to biological pest control.
Members made favors for a rest
home.
The next meeting will be held
June 8 at the home of Emma Goss,
Millersville. Members will need to
answer roll call by telling how or
where they met their spouse.
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Lancaster Society 14
Lancaster Farm Women Society
14 traveled to Pittsburgh on April 8
for a two-day visit. They learned
that the city has 1,730 bridges.
Members visited the National
Classroom of the University of
Pittsburgh.
When members planned their
itinerary to include a visit to the
Heinz Memorial Chapel, they did
not expect to see Senator Heinz’s
body would be laying in state.
Members paid their respects to
Heinz’s family members.
Sightseeing included the
Duquesne Incline, dinner at the
June is
Dairy Month.
Growers
•, v r
Grand Concourse Restaurant, me
annual spring flower show at
Phipps Conservatory, Gateway
Clipper boat ride, Sherms Edwards
Candy Factory, and shopping.
On May 7, members held a
mother-daughter banquet at Yod
er’s Restaurant. Entertainment
included Professor Drake and the
Quack-Quacks. This unique group
of ladies are 70 to 88-years old.
They sing, recite, and play slide
trombones.
On June 12, members will meet
at the Farm and Home Center,
Lancaster.
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