Abstract
Flea beetles can cause significant damage to eggplants and reduce harvest yields. In 2010, Ben Saunders compared kaolin clay and row covers as physical barriers to reduce flea beetle damage on eggplants. Yields were higher in both kaolin clay and row cover treatments than the control, but statistical significance was not found between the treatments and control. Ben replicated the trial in 2011, and kaolin clay and row covers both resulted in yields significantly greater than the control. Cull eggplants were significantly greater in the kaolin clay treatment but still comparatively low. Ben plans to utilize kaolin clay as his flea beetle control for future eggplant plots; applying kaolin clay worked better with Ben’s skills than row covers.