Reducing Crop Damage Caused by Folsomia candida by Providing an Alternate Food Source

Collembola (Folsomia candida), hexapods found in nearly every land environment on earth, have been shown to be a crop pest. Researchers who culture Collembola in the laboratory often use yeast as a food source. A series of tests was conducted to 1) verify that Folsomia candida would feed on lettuce seedlings; and 2) determine if the availability of yeast as a food source would reduce damage to lettuce seedlings caused by feeding Collembola. The tests confirmed that F. candida will feed on lettuce seedlings. Results strongly suggest that the availability of yeast as a food source significantly reduces damage to lettuce seedlings caused by feeding activities. There is a strong suggestion that F. candida prefers yeast to lettuce seedlings