Integrated Pest Management

Pumpkin & Squash

These guidelines are based on those developed by C.S. Hollingsworth, J.C. Howell, R.L. Wick, R.V. Hazzard & A.R. Bonanno, published in C.S. Hollingsworth & W.M. Coli (eds). 1999. Massachusetts Integrated Pest Management Guidelines: Crop Specific Definitions. University of Massachusetts Extension Publication IP-IPMA.

This document available in PDF.
This document available in Excel spreadsheet format.

Soil Nutrient Management and Cultural Practices
Cultural practices are of value in management of nutrients, weeds, diseases, or insects. The goal of a sound fertility program is to supply adequate nutrients with optimum timing for maximum economical crop yield, while avoiding excesses that can degrade water quality or adversely affect crop or soil quality.

Crop rotation is practiced to reduce incidence of diseases and insects:

a. Field has not been planted to cucurbits, tomato, eggplant or peppers for
the three previous years; 15 pts OR

b. Field has not been planted to cucurbits, tomato, eggplant or peppers for
the two previous years; 10 pts OR

c. Field has not been planted to cucurbits, tomato, eggplant or peppers for
the two previous year. 5 pts
Fields have been evaluated with an appropriate soil test for nutrient status and pH for the current year. 10 pts
Organic matter status has been tested within three years 10 pts
Fertilizer is applied in accordance with current soil test results and expected uptake of nutrients and expected crop yield, giving credit for nitrogen supplied by organic matter, compost, manure and cover crops. Expected nutrient uptake is determined from the New England Vegetable Management Guide. 15 pts
Nitrogen fertilizer is applied by split application. Some is applied at planting, and
some as a side dress, if needed. 10 pts
A pre-sidedress nitrate test is taken to determine if a side dress is needed, and the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used is based on test results and state specified theshold for winter squash and pumpkin. 10 pts
This year's crop was preceded by a winter cover crop. 10 pts
If the cover crop was a legume or legume/grass mix, its nitrogen contribution is calculated and fertilizer for this year's crop is adjusted accordingly. *5 pts
If compost or manure is applied, its nitrogen contribution is calculated, and fertilizer application reduced accordingly. 5 pts
Raised beds are used to improve soil drainage and prevent diseases that depend on high soil moisture. 10 pts
Low areas of the field are not planted, or are planted to crops that are not susceptible to Phytophthora capsici (which includes cucurbits, eggplant, pepper, tomato). 10 pts
Soil drainage is maintained or improved through subsoiling. 10 pts
Irrigation systems are designed and maintained to avoid standing water in any areas of the field (through fixing leaks, establishing drainage trenches, etc). 10 pts
Soil surface around plants is covered to reduce splashing of soil pathogens onto leaves (cover may include plastic or organic mulch or cover crop residue). 10 pts
Transplants are used to increase earliness, yield, and early season insect resistance and crop competitiveness with weeds. 10 pts

Category Total 90 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Pesticide Application and Records
Only pesticides approved and registered in the state for the crop are used. Records of pesticide applications are maintained, including date, field and block, target pest, crop stage pesticide name and EPA number, formulation, rate and number of acres treated. Pesticide drift is minimized. Re-entry and pre-harvest intervals are adhered to. Win-PST analysis is conducted for all pesticides considered for use on the farm.

Pesticides with a LOW or VERY LOW environmental hazard (Win-PST) are used for one or more key pests. 20 pts
Spray equipment, including hoses, nozzles and pumps, is inspected at least once per season and replaced as needed. Equipment is calibrated at the start of the season and the procedure is recorded. 10 pts
Calibration is checked at least once during the season and equipment is recalibrated as needed. 5 pts
Records are maintained of planting dates and stage of crop of treated fields. 15 pts
Water-sensitive spray cards have been used to test the coverage of leaf surfaces in this crop within the past five years, using current pesticide application equipment. 10 pts

Category Total 60 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Insect Management

Records of monitoring and the thresholds used as a basis of decision-making are maintained (required).

From plant emergence tofive -leaf stage, cucumber beetles are monitored at least weekly by examining 25 plants per field for beetles and damage. Results are recorded. 10 pts
If foliar Iisecticides are applied to main crop for cucumber beetle, they are used only when thresholds specified in state IPM publications are exceeded. 10 pts
If systemic insecticides are used at planting for cucumber beetle, they are applied at the lowest label rates. 10 pts
If transplants are used, insecticides for cucumber beetle are applied to transplants in the trays before planting in order to reduce insecticide application rate. 10 pts
A perimeter trap crop is used to concentrate cucumber beetles in the crop border, and insecticide applicastions are made to the border crop at planting or at first sign of beetles. The perimeter crop is selected, planted and maintained as specified in state extension publications. 15 pts
From fifth leaf to harvest, aphids are monitored weekly by direct observation of 10 mature leaves from 5 representative sites (50 leaves) of the field. 10 pts
Insecticides are applied for aphid control only if 20 percent of leaves have ten or more aphids per leaf. 10 pts
Squash bugs are monitored on 25 plants per field from emergence through the fifth leaf state, or on 50 leaves at 5 sites throughout the field (10 leaves per site) from 6th leaf through maturity. 10 pts
Insecticides are applied for squash bug only if density exceeds state specified thresholds based on monitoring, and are timed to control nymphs. 5 pts
Insecticides for squash bugs are selected and timed to minimize risk to pollinators. 5 pts

Category Total 95 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Disease Management
Disease management includes the many cultural practices. See previous section on nutrient and soil management and cultural practices. Preventative fungicides are generally not recommended unless the field has a history of disease or weather conditions are particularly favorable for disease development. Written records are kept indicating the results of monitoring, diseas forecasting, and disease identification.

Fields are monitored weekly by examining 50 mature leaves at representative sites throughout the field (10 per site) and observing crowns and stems Scouting results are recorded. 10 pts
A spray program for powdery mildew is implemented only if monitoring shows
one leaf in 50 is infected, or when first observed in the field. 10 pts
Diseases are accurately identified by the farmer, consultant or diagnostic laboratory. 10 pts
A resistance management program is used to prevent or delay powdery mildew resistance to fungicides. Practices include using any given class of systemic fungicide no more than two times per season, alternating classes of fungicides, and and always adding a contact fungicide when applying a systemic fungicide. 10 pts
Fungicides and bactericide are applied only when the application will be followed by a drying period of at least two hours. 5 pts
Precautions are taken to avoid spreading pathogens, such as working the crop only when plants are dry, working areas of infection last, and, when Phytophthora capsicii is present, hosing down cultivation equipment between fields. 5 pts
A spray program for downy mildew is implemented if regional disease forecasting predicts moderate to high risk or when first observed in the field or in the state. 10 pts

Category Total 50 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Weed Management

This year's fields were scouted for weeds in the previous year, at mid- to late season. Weeds were identified and mapped. This information was used in the current weed management program. 10 pts
Weed management includes one of the following:
- a. Herbicide use is replaced with non-chemical management practices such
  as mechanical cultivation, hand-hoeing, mowed living mulch or
  organic mulches. 25 pts OR
- b. Seeds are planted no-till or strip-till into a cover crop which is killed, if
  needed, with a contact herbicide. No residual herbicide is used.
  Sethoxydim (Poast) can be used for postemergence grass control. 15 pts OR
- c. Stale seedbed technique is used. Refer to the New England Vegetable
  Management Guide. 15 pts OR
- d. Plastic mulch is used. Herbicides are only used between the mulch so
  that less than 50% of the area is treated. 15 pts OR
- e. Use of one application of residual herbicide followed by cultivation
  and hoeing. 15 pts
Weeds in fields, alleys and roadways are prevented from going to seed. 10 pts
Fields are scouted in midseason for weeds. Location and species of uncontrolled
weeds are mapped and the information is used in planning for next year. 10 pts
Outbreaks of new or problem weed species are controlled, using chemical or
non-chemical means, to prevent spreading or seed production. 10 pts
A trial plot is maintained, to test a different weed management technique. The
methods and results are recorded. Bonus: 10 pts

Category Total 65 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Education

Manager has a current copy of the New England Vegetable Management Guide. 5 pts
Manager attends one or more state/regional/national Extension vegetable training
session during the current year. 5 pts
Manager subscribes to the UMass Extension Vegetable Notes & IPM Message. 5 pts

Category Total 15 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Grand Total 375 pts
Adjusted Grand Total ______ pts
Percentage of adjusted total %

IPM Guidelines

Pumpkin & Squash