The management of diamondback moth and other crucifer pests

The timing of pest insect attacks can vary greatly from region to region and from year to year. A simulation method, based on rates of insect development, has been developed for forecasting the timing of insect attacks on cruciferous crops. The method is based on using a fixed number of individuals from one generation to the next and simulates the timing of events in the life cycle of the pests rather than their population dynamics. Forecasts produced for the cabbage root fly, the bronzed-blossom beetle and various species of Lepidoptera have been validated using pest monitoring data. Forecasts can be generated on either a regional basis from standard meteorological data, or on a local basis from air and soil temperatures collected by participating growers.