Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Research Plan:To develop a nano clay matrix to repeal whiteflies, we will conduct behavioral assays to investigate the contact repellency of different nanoclays against whiteflies. These assays will be conducted in arenas, and the behavior of whiteflies in contact of the different clays will be observed with a camera equipped with a macroscopic lens. Repellency of clays mixed with limonene will be measured with a Y-tube olfactometer assays. To evaluate capacity of nanoclay to carry limonene, headspace volatiles will be collected after 24 hrs, 48 hrs, 1 and 2-week post application and anayzed through a GC-MS system. The decrease of limonene emission from clay-treated plants will be assessed by collecting volatiles from squash plants and compared to the decrease of limonene emitted by a squash plant where limonene will be directly applied to. Antifeedant activities of mineral oil and polygodial will be investigated with feeding assays where the solution will be coated on a watermelon leave. Feeding of whitefly will be measured by visual observation and by the number of stylet sheaths revealed through the McBrinde stain coloration. We will test the effect of coloring nano clay by adding edible pigments to the clay matrix and conducting behavioral assay in laboratory. Reflectance of the clay will be measured and correlated to the whitefly response. Evaluation of limonene and clay against the whitefly and beneficial organisms will be assessed in laboratory. Behavioral and toxicology assay will be conducted to ensure that natural enemies are not disrupted using kaolin and limonene or other essential oils. Field trials will be conducted to assess the combination of nano clay, colored pigment, limonene and antifeedant. There will be four replicates per treatment. The field trial will consist of 8 treatments: 1) untreated control, 2) M-Pede (positive control), 3) kaolin clay + limonene, 3) kaolin clay+ limonene + colored dye, 4) kaolin clay + limonene + antifeedant, 6) kaolin clay + limonene + antifeedant + colored dye, 7) alternative clay + limonene, 8) alternative clay + limonene + antifeedant. The effects of reflective and live mulch will be evaluated during two field trials on squash. The various treatments will be white plastic mulch, reflective plastic mulch, live mulch 1-buckwheat, and live mulch 3 -hairy vetch. Efficacy of row cover will be evaluated during field trials. The following treatments will be evaluated, 1) Season-long row cover with introduction of bumblebees at start of flowering; 2) Season-long row cover but the ends open at start of flowering to enable pollinators access and close the ends 10 days later; 3) Complete removal of row cover at start of flowering; and 4) No row covers (control). We will evaluate the combination of row cover and UV-reflective mulches in field trials. Treatments of row cover, reflective mulch, and OMRI-approved organic insecticides in watermelon or squash crops will be evaluated against the natural populations of whiteflies, predators, and parasitoids. Augmentation biological control in combination with cover crop will be evaluated during a field trial. Cover crops will be planted in spring and fall. The winter cover crop will be cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and the summer cover crop will be sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.). The experimental design will be a split plot design, with presence or absence of a cover crop as the main effect and the post-cover crop treatment type as the sub effect. Three post-cover crop treatments will be applied to relevant plots. These treatments are 1) no additional treatment (control), 2) intercropping squash with sweet alyssum, and 3) releases of predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii. Each of this technics will be evaluated for their economic sustainability. We will develop detailed regional enterprise budgets using the different alternative production practices investigate in the proposal (mulch, row cover, nanoclay and repellents, augmentative biological control method), and compare them to current organic production practices.Outreach plan: Growers will be engaged from the beginning of the project. Representatives from the main commodity groups affected by whiteflies will be invited to participate in the bi-monthly Zoom calls and annual workshops. Having growers participate in the workshops will ensure that we have identified the key issues relative to organic pest management and that the methods to be developed can be applied in the field and are economically sound.At each workshop, a printed abstract of the presentations will be given to participants, and growers will be informed through the workshop about the current information regarding whitefly management in horticultural crops. Growers will also be able to interact with the different participants, including industry representatives, to help them understand organic pest management. Also, a website will be created to include the current recommendations for organic pest management in horticultural crops. This project will be the first step to developing federal-funded research on organic pest management of whiteflies and aphids in horticultural crops.
Animal Health Component
60%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
60%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
1) Organic management of whitefly and their associated viruses with nanoclay mixed with essential oils.2) Evaluation of cultural practices (mulches and row cover) to manage whitefly and whitefly-transmitted viruses in organic cucurbits' production.3) Augmentative biological control and conservation, increase early augmentation of natural enemies. Cover crops may increase the natural enemies, using clover to increase.4) Evaluating the economic sustainability of the newly developed methods compared to traditional whitefly management methods
Project Methods
Research plan:To develop a nano clay matrix to repeal whiteflies, we will conduct behavioral assays to investigate the contact repellency of different nanoclays against whiteflies. These assays will be conducted in arenas, and the behavior of whiteflies in contact of the different clays will be observed with a camera equipped with a macroscopic lens. Repellency of clays mixed with limonene will be measured with a Y-tube olfactometer assays. To evaluate capacity of nanoclay to carry limonene, headspace volatiles will be collected after 24 hrs, 48 hrs, 1 and 2-week post application and anayzed through a GC-MS system. The decrease of limonene emission from clay-treated plants will be assessed by collecting volatiles from squash plants and compared to the decrease of limonene emitted by a squash plant where limonene will be directly applied to. Antifeedant activities of mineral oil and polygodial will be investigated with feeding assays where the solution will be coated on a watermelon leave. Feeding of whitefly will be measured by visual observation and by the number of stylet sheaths revealed through the McBrinde stain coloration. We will test the effect of coloring nano clay by adding edible pigments to the clay matrix and conducting behavioral assay in laboratory. Reflectance of the clay will be measured and correlated to the whitefly response. Evaluation of limonene and clay against the whitefly and beneficial organisms will be assessed in laboratory. Behavioral and toxicology assay will be conducted to ensure that natural enemies are not disrupted using kaolin and limonene or other essential oils. Field trials will be conducted to assess the combination of nano clay, colored pigment, limonene and antifeedant. There will be four replicates per treatment. The field trial will consist of 8 treatments: 1) untreated control, 2) M-Pede (positive control), 3) kaolin clay + limonene, 3) kaolin clay+ limonene + colored dye, 4) kaolin clay + limonene + antifeedant, 6) kaolin clay + limonene + antifeedant + colored dye, 7) alternative clay + limonene, 8) alternative clay + limonene + antifeedant. The effects of reflective and live mulch will be evaluated during two field trials on squash. The various treatments will be white plastic mulch, reflective plastic mulch, live mulch 1-buckwheat, and live mulch 3 -hairy vetch. Efficacy of row cover will be evaluated during field trials. The following treatments will be evaluated, 1) Season-long row cover with introduction of bumblebees at start of flowering; 2) Season-long row cover but the ends open at start of flowering to enable pollinators access and close the ends 10 days later; 3) Complete removal of row cover at start of flowering; and 4) No row covers (control). We will evaluate the combination of row cover and UV-reflective mulches in field trials. Treatments of row cover, reflective mulch, and OMRI-approved organic insecticides in watermelon or squash crops will be evaluated against the natural populations of whiteflies, predators, and parasitoids. Augmentation biological control in combination with cover crop will be evaluated during a field trial. Cover crops will be planted in spring and fall. The winter cover crop will be cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and the summer cover crop will be sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.). The experimental design will be a split plot design, with presence or absence of a cover crop as the main effect and the post-cover crop treatment type as the sub effect. Three post-cover crop treatments will be applied to relevant plots. These treatments are 1) no additional treatment (control), 2) intercropping squash with sweet alyssum, and 3) releases of predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii. Each of this technics will be evaluated for their economic sustainability. We will develop detailed regional enterprise budgets using the different alternative production practices investigate in the proposal (mulch, row cover, nanoclay and repellents, augmentative biological control method), and compare them to current organic production practices.Outreach plan: Growers will be engaged from the beginning of the project. Representatives from the main commodity groups affected by whiteflies will be invited to participate in the bi-monthly Zoom calls and annual workshops. Having growers participate in the workshops will ensure that we have identified the key issues relative to organic pest management and that the methods to be developed can be applied in the field and are economically sound.At each workshop, a printed abstract of the presentations will be given to participants, and growers will be informed through the workshop about the current information regarding whitefly management in horticultural crops. Growers will also be able to interact with the different participants, including industry representatives, to help them understand organic pest management. Also, a website will be created to include the current recommendations for organic pest management in horticultural crops. This project will be the first step to developing federal-funded research on organic pest management of whiteflies and aphids in horticultural crops.