Monitoring psyllid populations is an important component of managing Zebra chip. Growers and consultants can deploy yellow sticky cards to help estimate if and when adult psyllids may be migrating into potato fields. Guidelines for placing cards and some sources for purchasing cards are provided here.
For monitoring potato psylllids, Dr. Erik Wenninger at the University of Idaho recommends relatively large traps (about 4 x 6 or 5 x 7). Sticky trap cards should be placed just inside potato fields, along the edges. Cards should be placed at the top of the potato canopy and can be clipped to a stake. The height of the card should be adjusted as the canopy height increases.
Dr. Andy Jensen of the Idaho, Washington, and Oregon Potato Commissions suggests that cards be checked every few days and changed once each week. Sticky trap cards will catch anything (e.g. other insects, sand) and if cards are left too long they will become too difficult to read.
Sticky trap cards can be purchased from several companies. Some examples include:
(This is not an exhaustive list, but simply some recommendations that others have found to be useful.)
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