Trap crops seem to be a promising control method for the marmorated brown stink bug. As the name suggests, a trap crop is a plant which acts a lure to an insect pest to divert them from feeding on the crop of value - the cash crop. Examples of trap crops used to attract stink bugs are crimson clover, vetch, sorghum, millet, buckwheat, sunflower - even field peas and okra! However, consideration must be given to the locale in which the crops are to be grown to avoid unwanted side effects, for example, okra is known to attract root knot nematodes.
Stink bugs exhibit a strong “edge effect”, that is to say that they will naturally orientate around the edge of a plantation of their host plants where they will feed before migrating inwards. They will avoid being in open fields as much as possible and with research and monitoring of these pests, it is possible to predict the source of the insects and position trap crops to intercept them en route to the cash crop.
Here is a link to a webinar given by Dr Russell Mizell who is based at the University of Florida in which he talks about particular varieties of plants which are amenable to trapping stink bugs.
http://www.extension.org/pages/62443/...
In this webinar, Dr. Mizell explains how some trap crops can be planted in the Fall so that they reach the correct stage of growth attractive to the stink bug by Spring when the overwintering adults emerge. In Spring, ratooning (mowing) of trap crops which have already headed encourages the growth of the next generation. As the second generation will often not breed true to type, they will exhibit a range of growth rates and mature at different times, ensuring that the growth stage that is palatable for the stink bug is available when the insect arrives. When information from monitoring is unavailable and/or the source of the insect is not known then perimeter trap cropping should be utilized (see Figure 1). When it can be predicted with some certainty where the insect will come from then the trap crop can be positioned more strategically (see Figure 2).
Research into trap crops that particularly target the BMSB is ongoing. But promise is being shown in the use of sunflowers and cucurbit species. Sunflowers in particular can be container grown and moved into position both in organic farms and in the home garden. Once the bugs have arrived on the trap crop they can be picked off by hand or by vacuum and disposed of (hot soapy water or alcohol are effective).
Here is another source of information that may be helpful for you if you have not already seen it.
Organic management of brown marmorated stink bug: http://www.bmsb.opm.msu.edu/
It is a site jointly run by an organic pest management specialist - Dr Matt Grieshop - at Michigan State University and Dr Anne Neilson, a fruit entomology specialist at Rutgers University, which is aiming to both gain information from growers on incidence of BMSB (very important for the reasons detailed above) and also keep everyone updated on research progress. They secured funding late last year to conduct research on organic management strategies so hopefully they will add some updates when they have some news to share.
Figure 1. Perimeter trap cropping
Brown marmorated stink bug
Figure 2. Strategic positioning of trap crops
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