Erik Wenninger, University of Idaho assistant professor of entomology, has relayed information regarding the purchase of yellow sticky cards for potato psyllid monitoring. This is in response to Idaho growers requesting more information about the sticky cards used during psyllid identification workshops in Idaho in May.
Wenninger provided the following information:
"I used to buy them from Great Lakes IPM, which is probably a good place for relatively small quantities. For much larger batches, I've gone with G.S. Long or Sea Bright. Probably cheaper per card, but it also takes a lot longer to get the cards delivered since they are typically custom orders with this company. I bet they have cards at Gemplers and Ben Meadows and Forestry Suppliers, etc., but they're probably pretty expensive. They may also be found at local home centers or greenhouse supply companies, but also might be pricey.
http://greatlakesipm.com/
http://www.seabrightlabs.com/index.htm
http://gslong.com/
"There are other companies, too, but this should give a good start. You probably want relatively large traps-about 4 x 6 inches or 5 x 7 inches as opposed to 3 x 5 inches. I think they use even larger traps in Texas, but huge cards might turn into sails in our wind in Idaho.
"Place traps within fields along field edges, positioned on stakes such that the cards are at the top of the plant canopy. In addition to sticky card samples, we are taking vacuum samples using a leaf blower with a vacuum attachment and an insect net on the vacuum tube to collect bugs that are sucked up off the plant. Data from Texas earlier this year showed that psyllid counts in vacuum samples were 100s of times higher than on sticky cards. We're taking five-minute samples from each field while walking along field edges.
"Finally, we're also taking leaf samples to look for larvae-10 leaves collected from each of 10 locations around the edges of fields (100 leaves per field), and inspecting for larvae under magnification in the lab. Leaf samples should be taken from the middle section of plants. This is the only way to find larvae. Vacuum samples and especially sticky traps only collect adults."
In addition, UI scientists Dr. Saad Hafez and Mahesh P. Pudasaini have just published a research report on the use of Movento for managing nematodes in potato. The research report, called "New Approach for Columbian Root-knot and Root lesion Nematodes Management Using Movento," will appear in print form in the July 2012 issue of Potato Grower magazine.