Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The goal of this transdisciplinary Standard Research and Extension Proposal is to create resilient IPM programs for Eastern tree fruit enterprises resulting in increased economic and ecological sustainability in the face of climate change, regulatory changes, and economic uncertainty. Our expert team of Researchers and Extension specialists in entomology, horticulture, economics, and social science already work with many apple and peach growers in the Eastern US. Economic and sociological research elements are fully embedded within our project to identify and resolve factors that could reduce on-farm adoption of enhanced IPM programs. Our objectives were built around the "most difficult to manage" pest complex identified through commodity groups and surveys of Eastern apple and peach growers. They include codling moth (CM), oriental fruit moth (OFM), plum curculio (PC), brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), San Jose Scale (SJS), lesser peachtree and peachtree borer (LPTB, PTB) and dogwood borer (DWB). Our objectives are to: 1) measure phenological shifts of these key pests and evaluate reliability of available monitoring tools and models; 2) refine IPM tools to ensure compatibility with evolving production practices, regulatory changes, and climate; 3) suppress pest populations across orchard agroecosystems with promising biocontrol agents and integrate enhanced IPM tactics; and 4) assess the socioeconomic impact of enhanced IPM programs to promote grower adoption and market flexibility. The results of this project will provide Eastern growers with the critical tools and platforms needed to operate profitably and sustainably into the future and contribute to healthy rural economies and communities.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
75%
Developmental
5%
Goals / Objectives
Stakeholder-identified insect pests identified as of highest concern by Eastern tree fruit growersinclude codling moth (Cydia pomonella, CM), oriental fruit moth (Grapholita molesta, OFM), San Jose scale (Comstockaspis perniciosus, SJS), plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar, PC), invasive brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys, BMSB), and trunk-boring sesiid moth pests; peachtree borer (Synanthedon exitiosa, PTB), lesser peachtree borer (Synanthedon picitipes, LPTB), and dogwood borer (Synanthedon scitula, DWB). Phenology of these pests often overlap during the growing season, complicating management programs. Our goal is to build enhanced IPM programs that solve problems generated by these pests individually and using a risk-based, climate-smart framework that will allow growers to remain profitable and contribute to vibrant rural economies and national food security. Specifically, we will pursue the following objectives: 1)Measure phenological shifts of key pests (PC, OFM, CM, BMSB, SJS, borers) and evaluate reliability of available monitoring tools and models; 2)Refine IPM tools to ensure compatibility with evolving production practices, regulatory changes, and climate; 3)Suppress pest populations across orchard agroecosystems with promising biocontrol agents and integrate improved IPM tactics; and 4)Assess the socioeconomic impact of enhanced IPM programs to promote grower adoption and market flexibility.For Objective 1, we will evaluate and improve precision of decision support tools for CM and OFM. This includes rebuildingDD models to deal with erratic weather patterns, baited traps to take advantage of AI and machine learning for pest detection, and trap-based treatment thresholds in allignment with current production systems. We will evaluate DD models and tree stress indicators for predicting SJS outbreaks, and trap, trap-tree and DD models for guiding PC management. Baseline monitoring of BMSB and its key natural enemy, T. japonicus will be conducted. Finally, we will identify perceptions of key characteristics of monitoring tools and models that may generate barriers to or enable widespread adoption.For Objective 2, we will evaluate and optimize use of entomopathogenic nematodes against CM, OFM and Borers and entomopathogenic fungi aginst SJS. We wiill conduct augmentative releases of T. japonicus against BMSB near orchard production areas, and we will work to optimize mating disruption for lepidopteran pests and SJS. We will develop and evaluate border-driven management tools for PC using behavioral deterrents, and threshold-driven border sprays for BMSB. Finally, we will identify grower perception of compatibility of enhanced IPM tools and quantify baseline costs estimates for their usage.For Objective 3, we will develop a risk-based IPM decision matrix that integrates enhanced IPM tools and pest pressure for improved decision-making in specific regions for specific pests. We also will showcase the benefits of these nehanced IPM practices through larger-scale evaluations across states.For Objective 4, we will quantify cost-benefits for six crop-pest-geographic combinations to using enterprise budgets that will contribute to Extension-ready case studies for dissemination at Extension meetings. We will deliver climate-smart recommendations for key orchard pests using both traditional and digital communication channels, and we will quanitfy knowedge gain, intent to use and perceived economic value of enhanced IPM programs. Undgraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral students wll be provided Extension mentoring and product development opportunities, and our SAP will oversee our project and guide our efforts.
Project Methods
Objective 1Measure phenological shifts of key pests (PC, OFM, CM, BMSB, SJS, borers) and evaluate reliability of available monitoring tools and models.In this objective, we will compare results from current trapping studies of OFM and CM withhistoric data sets to determine if phenology has shifted for these pests. We will compare utility and reliabiity of conventional and automated traps for monitoring these pests and their trap-based treatment thresholds. Degree day models for PC and SJS will be evlauated for their reliability at predicting need for intervention. Baseline monitoring of BMSB and its parasitoid, Trissolcus japonicus, also will be conducted with results compared with historic data sets. Appropriate quantitative statistics will be used to analyze data. Additionally, we will survey growers to identify any enablers and barriers to adoption of IPM tools using the Theory of Planned Behavior.Efforts Results generated from rigorous field studies conducted on experimental and commercial farmswill be presented as part of state and regional Extension meetings and trade shows. Delivery of information will be informed by grower perceptions of IPM tools. EvaluationResults from this objective as well as Objectives 2-3 will be used to identify knowledge gain, intent to use and perceived economic value of adoption enhanced IPM programs in Obj 4.3.Objective 2. Refine IPM tools to ensure compatibility with evolving production practices, regulatory changes, and climate. In this objective, we will evaulate and optimize entomopathogenic nematodes against lepidopteran pests, entomopathogenic fungi against SJS, and augentative releases of T. japonicus against BMSB to reduce relative densities of these pests in orchard production. We also will develop optimized methods for mating disruption of lepidopteran pests and SJS under current climate scenarios and pest densities, and develop border-based management strategies for PC using behavioral deterents, and threshold-driven border sprays for BMSB. Field-based results will be analyzed and compared with conventional practices using appropriate quantitative statistics. Additionally, we will identify grower perceptions of these enhanced IPM tools within the context of existing production systems, regulations and climate change, using Rogers Theory of Diffusison. Additionally, baseline enterprise budgets for enhanced IPM programs will be quantified. EffortsResults generated from rigorous field studies conducted on experimental and commercial farmswill be presented as part of state and regional Extension meetings and trade shows. Delivery of information will be informed by grower perceptions and cost of enhanced IPM tools.EvaluationResults from this objective as well as Objectives 1 and 3 will be used to identify knowledge gain, intent to use and perceived economic value of adoption enhanced IPM programs in Obj 4.3. Additionally, enterprise budget results will be used to develop Extension-ready case studies for delivery at workshops and field days as described in Obj 4.2a.Objective 3. Suppress pest populations across orchard agroecosystems with promising biocontrol agents and integrate improved IPM tactics.Objective 4. Assess the socioeconomic impact of enhanced IPM programs to promote grower adoption and market flexibility.