Disease, Insect, and Other Animal Control

Abbreviations used below are: N=non-technical text or presentation, T=technical text or presentation, G=guide, explains "how-to" in the text or presentation, R=reference, charts, easy to look up information, O=describes organic practices, C=describes conventional/non-organic practices, +=a free publication that is highly recommended, *=our choice for the best publication to buy if you can only get one title in this section. While an item might refer to non-organic practices for fertility or pest management, the other information provided is applicable to organic production, and that is why the item is included.

+Pat Harris, James Jarratt, Frank Killebrew, John Byrd, Jr., and Rick Snyder. 1996. Organic vegetable IPM guide. Mississippi State University Extension Service, P-2036 (soft cover, 18 pp., free, also available by clicking here to download). A publication which provides organic controls for diseases, insects, and weeds. Also lists disease and nematode resistant vegetable cultivars. [N G R O]

+Pat Harris. 1996. Control garden insects. Mississippi State University Extension Service, P-167 (pamphlet, 8 pp., free). This is an excellent guide to insects that attack vegetables. Included with each insect is a description of the insect and the type of injury, and the plants affected. Color photographs of the insects are provided. The last section lists and describes insecticides (mostly chemical) that can be used to control the insects. [N G R O C]

*Barbara W. Ellis and Fern Marshall Bradley, editors. 1996. The organic gardener's handbook of natural insect and disease control. Rodale Press, ISBN 0-87596-753-1 (soft cover, 534 pp., US$17.95). The book is divided into four sections, and considers fruits, vegetables, trees, and ornamentals. The first is a plant-by-plant guide to problems of each plant, and their solution. The second is an alphabetical listing of insects, with color pictures of each, a description of the insect, their damage or benefit, life cycle, and control. The third is an alphabetical listing of some diseases, with color pictures of each, a description of the disease, and methods of prevention and control. The last section is on organic control methods, substances, and beneficial insects. [N R O]

Jeff Ball. 1996 (reissue of 1988 edition). Rodale's garden problem solver, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Rodale Press, ISBN 0875966993 (soft cover, 550 pp., US$14.95). This is a guide to the symptoms, hosts, and controls of crop problems, listed by crop, insect, disease, and animal pest. [N R O]

J. Howard Garrett and C. Malcolm Beck. 1999. Texas Organic Vegetable Gardening. Gulf Publishing Co., P. O. Box 2608, Houston, TX 77252-2608, ISBN 0-88415-855-1 (soft cover, 220 pp., US$21.95). Don't let "Texas" scare you off. This book is quite a complete reference for organic producers. The individual "trouble solvers" for major crops are excellent: charts that list symptoms, followed by causes and organic controls. The insect and disease section includes specific organic remedies. The organic pesticides section describes most materials used today, and includes recipies for homemade versions where appropriate. [N R O]

Roger B. Yepsen, Jr. 1984. The encyclopedia of natural insect and disease control. Rodale Press, ISBN 0878574883 (hard cover, 490 pp., out of print). This is an excellent crop-by-crop description of the insects and diseases that affect crops, and their known organic controls. The book is available at many libraries. [N R O]

Rhonda Massingham Hart. 1991. Bugs slug and other thugs, controlling garden pests organically. Storey Publishing, ISBN 0882666649 (soft cover, 224 pp., US$12.95). This book contains short clearly outlined information on pests (birds, small and large animals, slugs, snails, turtles, insects). Included are the range, habitat, description, habits, signs of damage, deterrents, and controls for each pest. [N G R O]

Anna Carr. 1979. Rodale's color handbook of garden insects. Rodale Press, ISBN 0878574603 (soft cover, 241 pp., US$16.95, out-of-print). This is an excellent manual providing color photographs, descriptions, and ranges of insect pests. Many of the insects are photographed in different stages of development. The manual also includes a crop-by-crop chart that indicates which insect affects which plant part. It is out of print, but is still available from some seed and supply catalogs (e.g. Johnny's Selected Seeds). [N R]

Kenneth A. Sorensen and James R. Baker. 1994. Insect and related pests of vegetables. Revised. North Carolina State University, Publication AG-295 (soft cover, 180 pp., US$10.00, order from Agricultural Communications, Box 7603, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7603). This is a comprehensive manual which includes descriptions and line drawings of insects in various stages of development, their biology and control, as well as keys to identify insects by the crop affected. A section of color plates is also included. [T R C]

Mary Louise Flint. 1990. Pests of the garden and small farm, a grower's guide to using less pesticide. University of California, Publication 3332, ISBN 0-931876-89-3 (soft cover, 276 pp., US$30, to order call 800-994-8849). An excellent manual presenting insect, disease, and weed control in fruits and vegetables. The controls are organic or low-input. The book is full of very clear charts and color photographs. [N R O C]

Mary Louise Flint and Steve H. Dreistadt. 1998. Natural enemies handbook, the illustrated guide to biological pest control. University of California, ISBN 0-520-21801-9 and ISBN 1-879906-41-4 (soft cover, 154 pp., US$35.00). An excellent manual of organisms that are harmful to diseases, insects, and weeds of crops. Contains quality color photographs, as well as a useful guide to quickly locate the appropriate biological control for a crop pest. [N R O]

Michael R. Williams. 1996. Key to orders of adult insects. Mississippi State University Extension Service, IS-389 (4 pp., free). This is an excellent, brief, key to determining the order of adult insect specimen. [T G]

Gaby Stoll. 1988. Natural crop protection in the tropics. Margraf Publishers, ISBN 3823611135 (soft cover, 188 pp., US$30.00). This book lists insect pests of crops and their non-chemical controls. Unique to this book are the many recipes for control substances. The book is translated into English from German, and is available in other languages as well. [N R O]

Joan Benjamin and Deborah L. Martin, eds. 1998. Great garden formulas, the ultimate book of mix-it-yourself concoctions for your garden. Rodale Press, ISBN 0-87596-798-1 (hard cover, 342 pp., US$27.95). The book includes formulas for materials to control pests, fertilizer formulations, and many other formulas useful to gardeners. [N R O]

Nita A. Davidson, John E. Dibble, Mary Louise Flint, Patrick J. Marer, and Anne Guye. 1991. Managing insects and mites with spray oils. University of California, Publication 3347, ISBN 1-879906-07-4 (soft cover, 47 pp., US$7.00). This is a short but thorough manual on all aspects of spray oils, including times and rates for particular crops and pests. [T G O]

*A. A. MacNab, A. F. Sherf, and J. K. Springer. 1981. Identifying diseases of vegetables. Pennsylvania State University, ISBN 9992977663 (soft cover, 62 pp., US$18.50, out of print). This is an excellent manual providing color photographs and descriptions of vegetable crop diseases. It is out of print, but is still available from many seed and supply catalogs (e.g. Johnny's Selected Seeds, Gempler's). [N R]

D. Blanchard. 1994. A colour atlas of tomato diseases, observation, identification and control. Manson Publishing, London, ISBN 1-874545-31-6, and John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0-470-23417-2 (hard cover, 212 pp., US$119.95). This book is a thorough, excellent presentation of almost every tomato disease that might be encountered. Diseases are arranged by leaf, root, collar, stem, and fruit symptoms. Excellent color photographs. [T R]

D. Blanchard, H. Lecoq, and M. Pitrat. 1994. A colour atlas of cucurbit diseases, observation, identification and control. Manson Publishing, London, ISBN 1-874545-15-4, and John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0-470-23416-4 (hard cover, 299 pp., US$129.00). This book is a thorough, excellent presentation of almost every cucurbit disease that might be encountered. Diseases are arranged by leaf, root, stem, flower, and fruit symptoms. Excellent color photographs. [T R]

Crucifer diseases. 1994. Peto Seed Co., Inc. (soft cover, 41 pp., US$15.00).
Cucurbit diseases. 1988. Peto Seed Co., Inc. (soft cover, 47 pp., US$10.00).
Pepper diseases. 1999. Peto Seed Co., Inc. (not yet published).
Tomato diseases. 1985. Peto Seed Co., Inc. (soft cover, 47 pp., US$10.00).
These are excellent crop-specific manuals that provide color photographs and information on the disease symptoms, conditions, and controls. [N R]

Donald G. White, ed. 1999. Compendium of corn diseases. Third edition. APS Press, ISBN 0-89054-234-1 (soft cover, 128 pp., US$37.00).
John L. Maas, ed. 1998. Compendium of strawberry diseases. Second edition. APS Press, ISBN 0-89054-194-9 (soft cover, 128 pp., US$37.00).
R. Michael Davis, Drishna V. Subbarao, Richard N. Raid, and Edward A. Kurtz. 1997. Compendium of lettuce diseases. APS Press, ISBN 0-89054-186-8 (soft cover, 79 pp., US$37.00).
Howard F. Schwartz and S. Krishna Mohan, eds. 1995. Compendium of onion and garlic diseases. APS Press, ISBN 0-89054-170-1 (soft cover, 54 pp., US$37.00, call 800-328-7560 to order or to inquire about other titles).
These are excellent crop-specific manuals that provide color photographs and very detailed information on the disease, including scientific references. American Phytopathological Society publishes these compendia for many other crops, as well as books on other aspects of plant disease. [T R]

Arden F. Sherf and Alan A. MacNab. 1986. Vegetable diseases and their control. Second edition. John Wiley & Sons, ISBN 0-471-05860-2 (hard cover, 728 pp., US$99.00). This book contains a thorough academic presentation of the biology and control of just about every disease organism of vegetable crops. Contains no color pictures. [T R C]