Till the soil in the fall to expose pests that live near the surface of the soil to natural enemies and weather, and to destroy insects in crop residues. If you do not till in the fall, do so early enough in the spring to give remaining vegetation time to decay before planting. Plant Selection Use disease and insect free, certified seeds and plants if available. Select plants that are sturdy and have well developed root systems. Buy plants from a reputable grower who can assure you that they are disease and insect free.
Plant cultivars that have insect resistance.
Resistant cultivars are those which repel, are unattractive to, or otherwise are unsuitable as food for certain insects, or which will withstand feeding by certain pests with little reduction in yield or quality. Some cultivars may not taste as good to the pest. Some may possess certain physical or chemical properties which repel or discourage insect feeding or egg laying. Some may be able to support insect populations with no appreciable damage or alteration in quality or yield. Genetic engineering offers great potential for incorporating genes into plants that reduce their susceptibility to insect attacks.