Swede Midge Management Through Trap Cropping

Swede midge is an invasive fly whose larvae feed on brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi. Larvae feed at the base of leaf stalks and, in severe infestations, stop crown development and cause plant rot. This can cause significant yield loss, making swede midge a major concern for brassica growers where the fly is present. The Specialty Crops Entomology Lab has partnered with a Chicago brassica grower to determine whether Red Russian Kale could be a successful trap crop to protect collards from swede midge. Preliminary results show swede midge is more attracted to Red Russian Kale than to collards, suggesting Red Russian Kale may be an effective trap crop. In the future, we hope to expand this experiment to more farms and test whether collards near Red Russian Kale have fewer swede midge larvae than those not near the trap crop.