Source: N Y AGRICULTURAL EXPT STATION submitted to NRP
MANAGING INSECT PESTS AND INSECT-TRANSMITTED DISEASES PLUS CONSERVING NATIVE POLLINATORS TO IMPROVED VEGETABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN NEW YO
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0170387
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2007
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2013
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
N Y AGRICULTURAL EXPT STATION
(N/A)
GENEVA,NY 14456
Performing Department
Geneva - Entomology
Non Technical Summary
Insect pests and pathogens transmitted by insects are often major constraints for producing vegetables. Vegetable growers rely on insecticides as their principal pest management tool, but pressure by consumers to minimize pesticide use on vegetable crops has made pest management more challenging. Another serious issue facing a significant sector of the vegetable industry is the decline of honey bee populations, which are important pollinators of cucurbit crops. In response to the vegetable industry's needs for alternative pest management tactics, this project seeks to develop strategies that are economical, practical, durable, and environmentally responsible. To accomplish this goal, new knowledge about insect pest ecology, population dynamics and disease epidemiology will influence the approach for developing novel management strategies. To address the issue of cucurbit pollination by honey bees, this project will develop approaches that will enhance pollination services by native bees. This project will determine how to increase naturally occurring levels of native bee pollination by identifying habitat required for nesting, resources utilized throughout the season and cultural practices that may conserve populations.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2111421113010%
2111429113010%
2111451106010%
2111451107030%
2111451113010%
2124030110110%
2124030117010%
2111411113010%
Knowledge Area
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants; 211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
1451 - Onion, garlic, leek, shallot; 1411 - Beans (fresh, fresh-processed); 4030 - Viruses; 1429 - Cucurbits, other; 1421 - Cucumber;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems); 1101 - Virology; 1130 - Entomology and acarology; 1070 - Ecology; 1170 - Epidemiology;
Goals / Objectives
1. Develop and implement management strategies for onion thrips, Iris yellow spot virus and onion maggot; 2. Improve production of cucurbits through management of cucumber beetles and bacterial wilt and enhanced pollination by native bees; 3. Develop and implement decision-based guidelines for managing European corn borer and aphid-transmitted viruses in snap bean.
Project Methods
There are two major goals of this project that should improve vegetable crop production in New York. The first goal is to study the ecology of insect pests and epidemiology of pathogens they transmit to crops such as onion, cucurbits and snap bean. Information generated from this research will be used for predicting, minimizing or avoiding insect pest infestations and insect-transmitted disease outbreaks. Concurrently, novel and conventional pest management technologies that have the most promise of success based on the fundamental information of the pests ecology will be evaluated. This information will be used to develop and improve integrated management programs for the vector and pathogen. The second goal of this project is to examine the ecology of native bees that are important pollinators of cucurbit crops. This goal is in response to the severe decline in both managed and natural honey bee populations that have resulted from colony collapse disorder and varroa mite. Ecological information about native bees should be used to identify habitat for nesting and resources to conserve for these bees. Farm profitability should be improved using the information generated from this project and the management tactics should be incorporated easily into existing production practices. This project particularly will benefit vegetable growers in NY, but also vegetable growers in other regions that face the same problems. We expect that our findings will be particularly useful for conventional vegetable growers, but some of this information will be useful for organic vegetable growers.

Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project included onion, snap bean and cucurbit crop growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agri-chemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public. Efforts to transfer knowledge about our research have focused primarily on verbal presentations at stakeholder-based meetings, extension educator-based workshops and on-farm visits. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Information about this project was disseminated to the US onion, snap bean and vine crops industries via multiple events. Oral presentations by the research team were given at local, regional and national vegetable grower-oriented meetings and international scientific meetings. The principal topics included management of onion thrips with selective insecticides in a use pattern that follows insecticide resistance management principles as well as identifying sources of IYSV in the landscape and when risk of this virus was most likely to occur. Another principal topic included evaluating fruit yield and bee visitation to pumpkin fields that were supplemented with managed bees or not supplemented. Finally, another topic was to reduce insecticide use in snap bean crops. These topics were discussed at Cornell Cooperative Extension meetings held throughout New York State, regional vegetable grower meeting EXPOs in Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, national and international scientific meetings including the Entomological Society of America annual meetings, Center for Pollinator Research Symposium, National Allium Research Conference and the Multi-State Project W2008 annual meeting. Detailed handouts or proceedings articles accompanied most of these presentations. Information was also communicated to the New York vegetable industry via monthly and weekly regional Cornell Cooperative newsletters and monthly to the US onion industry via the national onion ipmPIPE information platform. Demonstrations of our onion research trials were highlighted at Cornell Cooperative Extension field days and twilight meetings so that growers could see the results. Our research team worked with over a dozen vegetable growers on their farms and consulted with them in our recommendations to make advancements in pest management and crop production. As Discipline Editor of the Cornell Cooperative Extension produced publication, The Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Vegetable Production, information about onion thrips, onion maggot, European corn borer and potato leafhopper management was updated based on this project. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? This project has been completed.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project has increased knowledge of those in the vegetable industry about insect ecology, virus epidemiology, pest and virus management and crop production. Based on a more thorough understanding of the ecology of onion thrips, Thrips tabaci, the primary vector of Iris yellow spot virus, onion growers have reduced the risk for damage by both. IYSV can significantly reduce onion bulb weight in New York by 8 to 26 percent. Virus levels typically remain low until mid-August and then increase dramatically through late August and early September. Increases in virus levels correspond well with increases in adult thrips densities in these onion fields. Imported transplants from Arizona and non-summer annual weeds are likely the most important sources of Iris yellow spot virus in New York. Tactics such as insecticide use, tolerant plants and a reduction in nitrogen at planting should help manage both thrips and IYSV. Growers have begun using sequences of selective insecticides belonging to different classes and timing sprays based on action thresholds. In some cases from 2011 through 2013, effective management of onion thrips was achieved using 13 to 58 percent fewer applications. Additionally, information generated from this project was used by the EPA to grant several Section 18s for spirotetramat and abamectin for use on onion to manage onion thrips. Two insecticide seed treatment products that can be used to manage onion maggot, Delia antiqua, and seedcorn maggot, Delia platura, in onion have become available commercially to onion growers. Sepresto, which includes clothianidin and imidacloprid, and FarMore FI500, which includes spinosad and thiamethoxam, were used in New York in 2013. While Sepresto has not performed well in Cornell research trials, FarMore FI500 has done well. Compared with the use of a standard in-furrow application of chlorpyrifos and cyromazine seed treatment, use of FarMore FI500 seed treatment products reduce the overall amount of insecticide active ingredient per acre by 95 percent. This project also increased knowledge about pollination services provided to pumpkin by bees. The eastern common bumble bee is the most significant native bee pollinator of pumpkin in New York. This species was one of the most common in pumpkin fields and it visited flowers throughout the entire field, even on cool and cloudy days. Bumblebees also visited flowers in pumpkin fields equally, regardless of their size, which ranged from 1.5 to nearly 30 acres. Bumble bees also needed fewer visits to female flowers to produce a maximum-sized fruit compared with visits required by honey bees or squash bees. In the Finger Lakes Region, the potential for increasing fruit yield by increasing the stocking density of bumble bee hives in pumpkin fields was examined. Commercial fields were supplemented with bumble bees at the recommended density (1 QUAD per 2 acres), 3 times the recommended density (3 QUADs per 2 acres) or not supplemented with bees. The jack-o-lantern variety, ‘Gladiator’, was planted in all fields. Ten seedlings were transplanted into each of three locations in the field. In September, when the crop was mature, all marketable fruit were counted and weighed. Increasing the density of bumble bee hives in pumpkin fields did not increase pumpkin fruit weight per plant or bumble bee visits to pumpkin flowers. Moreover, neither pumpkin fruit weight per plant nor honey bee visits to pumpkin flowers increased when fields were supplemented with honey bee hives. Through a series of statistical analyses, two features in the landscape were identified that impact wild bumble bee and honey bee visits to pumpkin flowers and led to greater fruit yield. The first feature was the level of diversity in land-use types across the landscape. High diversity landscapes (many different land-use types and approximately even parcel sizes) had more bumble bees and greater pumpkin yield compared with landscapes that had low diversity. The second feature was the amount of grassland in the landscape (i.e., semi-natural, open-canopy habitats such as fallows, shrubland, weedy ditches and nature preserves). A landscape with greater than 20 percent grassland was considered sufficient to sustain an adequate population of honey bees for pumpkin pollination. This project also examined strategies that would reduce reliance on multiple applications of broad-spectrum insecticides to manage insect pests of snap bean, especially European corn borer and potato leafhopper.Anthranilic diamide insecticides have longer residual activity and a more positive environmental profile compared with products currently used to manage snap bean pests.A single application of the anthranilic diamide, cyantraniliprole, was evaluated against corn borer and potato leafhopper when co-applied with either a fungicide during first bloom for white mold control or with a post-emergent herbicide 30 days after planting for weed control. European corn borer was controlled effectively with cyantraniliprole; the fewest numbers and percentages of corn borer-damaged plants and marketable pods were observed in plots treated with cyantraniliprole.While applications of cyantraniliprole 30 days after planting reduced insect pest densities, cyantraniliprole was most effective against corn borers and leafhoppers when applied during first bloom and early pin.Co-applications with other pesticides did not interfere with the performance of cyantraniliprole.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Nault, B. A., C. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2013. Consequences of co-applying insecticides and fungicides for managing Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on onion. Pest Management Science. 69: 841-849.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Petersen, J. D., S. Reiners and B. A. Nault. 2013. Pollination services provided by bees in pumpkin fields supplemented with either Apis mellifera or Bombus impatiens or not supplemented. PLoS ONE 8(7): e69819. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0069819.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Garibaldi, L.A., I. Steffan-Dewenter, R. Winfree, M.A. Aizen, R. Bommarco, S.A. Cunningham, C. Kremen, L.G. Carvalheiro, L.D. Harder, O. Afik, I. Bartomeus, F. Benjamin, V. Boreux, D. Cariveau, N.P. Chacoff, J.H. Dudenh�ffer, B.M. Freitas, J. Ghazoul, S. Greenleaf, J. Hip�lito, A. Holzschuh, B. Howlett, R. Isaacs, S.K. Javorek, C.M. Kennedy, K. Krewenka, S. Krishnan, Y. Mandelik, M.M. Mayfield, I. Motzke, T. Munyuli, B.A. Nault, M. Otieno, J. Petersen, G. Pisanty, S.G. Potts, R. Rader, T.H. Ricketts, M. Rundl�f, C.L. Seymour, C. Sch�epp, H. Szentgy�rgyi, H. Taki, T. Tscharntke, C.H. Vergara, B.F. Viana, T.C. Wanger, C. Westphal, N. Williams, A.M. Klein. 2013. Wild pollinators enhance fruit set of crops regardless of honey-bee abundance. Science. 339: 1608-1611.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2014 Citation: Petersen, J. D., and B. A. Nault. 2013. Landscape diversity moderates the effects of bee visitation frequency to flowers on crop production. J. Appl. Ecol.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Alston, D. G., Nault, B., Cranshaw, W. S., Hardin, J., Srinivasan, R., and Waters, T. 2013. Insects and their management. Pp. 49-56. In, Onion Health Management and Production. Schwartz, H. F. and Bartolo, M. E. (editors). Colorado State University Bull. Fort Collins, CO.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Petersen, J. D., and B. A. Nault. 2013. Is it worth supplementing pumpkin fields with bees?, 4 pages. Empire State Fruit & Vegetable EXPO. January 23, 2013. Syracuse, NY. http://www.hort.cornell.edu/expo/proceedings/2013/Vine%20Crops/Vine%20Crops%20Peterson%20Supplementing%20with%20Bees.pdf
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Nault, B. A., and J. Petersen. 2012. Does supplementation with bees improve pumpkin production?, 3 pgs. In: Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. Educational Program Abstracts. December 5, 2012. Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan State Univ. Extension. http://www.glexpo.com/summaries/2012summaries/vine_crops.pdf
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Nault, B. A. 2013. Integrated pest management of onion thrips, 4 pages. Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey, PA. January 30, 2013.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Nault, B. A. 2012. Onion thrips management in onion, 5 pgs. In: Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. Educational Program Abstracts. December 5, 2012. Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan State University Extension. http://www.glexpo.com/summaries/2012summaries/onion.pdf
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Petersen, J., and B. A. Nault. 2013. Is it worth supplementing pumpkin fields with bees? Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 9(2): 6-7.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: http://nysipm.cornell.edu/factsheets/vegetables/cucu/bees_pumpkins.pdf
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Smith, E. A., DiTommaso, A., Fuchs, M., Shelton, A., and Nault, B. A. 2012. Abundance of weed hosts as potential sources of onion and potato viruses in western New York. Crop Protection 37: 91-96.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Diaz-Montano, J., Fail, J., Deutschlander, M., Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2012. Characterization of resistance, evaluation of the attractiveness of plant odors, and effect of leaf color on different onion cultivars to onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 105(2): 632-641.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Diaz-Montano, J., Fuchs, M., Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2012. Resistance to onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion cultivars does not prevent infection by Iris yellow spot virus following vector-mediated transmission. Florida Entomol. 95(1): 156-161.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Nault, B. A., and Petersen, J. D. 2012. Does supplementation with bees improve pumpkin production?, 3 pgs. In: Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. Educational Program Abstracts. December 5, 2012. Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan State University Extension.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A., Artz, D. R., and Petersen, J. 2011. Potential for bumble bees to improve production of pumpkins, pgs. 45-47. In: Proceedings of the 2011 New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference. December 13-14, 2011. Manchester, NH.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Nault, B. A., Shelton, A. M., Hsu, C. L. and Hoepting, C. A. 2012. How to win the battle against onion thrips, 6 pgs. In: Proceedings of the 2012 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable EXPO. January 24-26, 2012. Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Hsu, C.L., Hoepting, C. A., MacNeil, C. R., and Nault, B. A. 2012. How low can you go? The economics of controlling onion thrips with reduced inputs, 2 pgs. In: Proceedings of the 2012 Empire State Fruit & Vegetable EXPO. January 24-26, 2012. Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Petersen, J. D., and Nault, B. A. 2012. Can pumpkin yield be increased by supplementing fields with honey bees or bumble bees?, pgs. 61-62. In: Proceedings of the Northeast Organic Research Symposium. January 19-20, 2012. Saratoga Springs, NY.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Nault, B. A. 2012. Onion thrips control in onion, 2011. Arthropod Management Tests, 2012. 37: E35.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Hoepting, C. A., and Nault, B. A. 2012. New developments for managing onion maggot. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 8(28): 10-13.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Artz, D. R., and B. A. Nault. 2011. Performance of Apis mellifera, Bombus impatiens, and Peponapis pruinosa as pollinators of pumpkin. J. Econ. Entomol. 104(4): 1153-1161.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2012. Guidelines for managing onion thrips on onion. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 8(5): 14-17.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2012. Guidelines for managing onion thrips on onion. Cornell Cooperative Extension. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County. Muck and Mineral June 2012: 1-5.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Petersen, J., and Nault, B. A. 2012. Can pumpkin yield be increased by supplementing fields with honey bees or bumble bees? Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 8(2): 4-5.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Artz, D. R., C. L. Hsu, and B. A. Nault. 2011. Influence of honey bee, Apis mellifera, hives and field size on foraging activity of native bee species in pumpkin fields. Environ. Entomol. 40(5): 1144-1158.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Diaz-Montano, J., M. Fuchs, B. A. Nault, J. Fail and A. M. Shelton. 2011. Onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae): A global pest of increasing concern in onion. J. Econ. Entomol. 104(1): 1-13.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Hsu, C., C. A. Hoepting, M. Fuchs, E. Smith and B. A. Nault. 2011. Sources of Iris yellow spot virus in New York. Plant Disease 95: 735-743.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Hsu. C. L., S. Reiners, S., C. Hoepting and B. Nault. 2010. Impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and implications for management, 3 pages. In: Proceedings of the 2010 National Allium Research Conference. December 9, 2010. Reno, NV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Hsu, C. L., S. Reiners, C. A. Hoepting and B. A. Nault. 2011. Relationship between nitrogen rate, thrips and yield in New York, 3 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. January 25, 2011. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Nault, B. A. 2012. Onion thrips management in onion, 5 pgs. In: Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. Educational Program Abstracts. December 5, 2012. Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan State University Extension.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A. 2011. Update on virus epidemics in snap beans by aphid vectors, 3 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention. February 1, 2011. Hershey, PA. Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A., and D. R. Artz. 2011. The potential for bumble bees to improve production of cucurbit crops, 3 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. January 25, 2011. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A., and M. L. Hessney. 2011. Onion thrips control in onion Trial I, 2010. Arthropod Management Tests, 2010. 36: E51.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A., and M. L. Hessney. 2011. Onion thrips control in onion Trial II, 2010. Arthropod Management Tests, 2010. 36: E52.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A. and A. M. Shelton. 2011. Onion thrips management in onions: Consider before you spray. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 7(5): 6-9.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2011. Maximizing the level of onion thrips control using insecticides, 4 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention. February 1, 2011. Hershey, PA. Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2010. Impact of tank mixing insecticides, penetrating surfactants and fungicides on onion thrips control in onion, 5 pages. In: Proceedings of the 2010 National Allium Research Conference. December 9, 2010. Reno, NV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2011. Do tank mixes of insecticides and fungicides affect thrips control?, 4 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. January 25, 2011. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2011. Maximizing performance of new insecticides for managing onion thrips in onion, 4 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Wisconsin Potato and Onion Meeting. February 2, 2011. Stevens Point, WI. Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Diaz-Montano, J., Fuchs, M., Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2010. Evaluation of onion cultivars for resistance to onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Iris yellow spot virus. J. Econ. Entomol. 103(3): 925-937.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Nault, B. A., B. P. Werling, R. W. Straub and J. P. Nyrop. 2011. Delaying onion planting to control onion maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae): Efficacy and underlying mechanisms. J. Econ. Entomol. 104(5): 1622-1632.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Smith, E. A., A. DiTommaso, M. Fuchs, A. M. Shelton and B. A. Nault. 2011. Weed hosts for onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and their potential role in the epidemiology of Iris yellow spot virus in an onion ecosystem. Environ. Entomol. 40(2): 194-203.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B.A., and Shelton, A.M. 2010. Impact of insecticide efficacy on developing action thresholds for pest management: A case study of onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on onion. J. Econ. Entomol. 103(4): 1315-1326.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Hsu, C., Hoepting, C. A., Fuchs, M., Shelton, A. M., and Nault, B.A. 2010. Temporal dynamics of Iris yellow spot virus and its vector, Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in seeded and transplanted onion fields. Environ. Entomol. 39(2): 266-277.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B. A., and Kikkert, J. 2010. Viruses in beans: symptoms and vectors, pp. 48-50. In: Proceedings of the 2010 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. January 25-27, 2010. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B.A., Hsu, C.L., Smith, E.A., Hessney, M.L., Fuchs, M., and Shelton, A.M. 2010. Managing onion thrips and status of Iris yellow spot virus in New York, pp. 113-117. In: Proceedings of the 2010 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. January 25-27, 2010. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Boutard-Hunt, C., Smart, C. D., Thaler, J., and Nault, B. A. 2009. Impact of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and natural enemies on Myzus persicae infestations in pepper. J. Econ. Entomol. 102(6): 2183-2191.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Nault, B. A., Shah, D. A., Straight, K. E., Bachmann, A. C., Sackett, W. M., Dillard, H. R., Fleischer, S. J., and Gildow, F. E. 2009. Modeling temporal trends in aphid vector dispersal and Cucumber mosaic virus epidemics in snap bean. Environ. Entomol. 38(5): 1347-1359.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Nault, B., Hsu, C., Shelton, A., Fuchs, M., and Hoepting, C. 2009. Ecology of onion thrips and epidemiology of Iris yellow spot virus: Implications for management in New York onion fields. The Ninth International Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses Program and Abstracts. Main Beach, Queensland, Australia. p. 27.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Nault, B. and Shelton, A. 2009. Controlling onion thrips in onion with insecticides. The Ninth International Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses Program and Abstracts. Main Beach, Queensland, Australia. p. 77.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Nault, B. A., Hsu, C., Smith, E., Diaz-Montano, J., Hessney, M. L., Marcella-Herrick, P., Fuchs, M., Shelton, A., DiTommaso, A., and Hoepting, C. 2009. Onion thrips and Iris yellow spot virus in New York. Pages 62-66 in Proc. of the 2009 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Nault, B. A., Hessney, M. L., Bornt, C., Hadad, R., and Taylor, A. 2009. New seed treatments for controlling striped cucumber beetles. Pages 199-202 in Proc. of the 2009 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B. A., and Kikkert, J. 2010. Viruses in beans: Symptoms and Vectors. Veg Edge 6(6): 4-5.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Hsu, C.L., Hoepting, C.A., Reiners, S., and Nault, B.A. 2010. Impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and implications for management, pp. 114-120. . In: Proceedings of the 2010 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. January 25-27, 2010. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B.A., and Hessney, M.L. 2010. Onion thrips control in onion, 2009. Arthropod Management Tests, 2009. 35: E13.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B., and Taylor, A. 2010. New insecticide seed treatments for onions, snap & dry beans, cucurbits, carrots & broccoli. Veg Edge 6(12): 14.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B.A., and Shelton, A.M. 2010. Battling onion thrips using insecticides. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 6(6): 15-17.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B.A. 2010. New insecticides for insect pest management. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 6(2): 14-15.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B.A. 2010. Thrashing thrips. American Vegetable Grower. November 2010. pp. 43-44.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2010 Citation: Nault, B.A. 2010. Onion thrips control in New York. Onion World. 26(1): 12-14.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Artz, D. R. and Nault, B. A. 2009. Are native bees important pollinators of pumpkin in New York? Pages 203-205 in Proc. of the 2009 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Nault, B. A. 2009. Cornell team looks at onion thrips and Iris yellow spot virus in New York. Onion World. 25(4): 6-8.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Dorschner, K. W., Taylor, A. G, Nault, B. A., and Walsh, D. B. 2009. Spinosad: an effective, organic seed treatment for certain vegetable crops. Pages 23-24 in Symposium Proc. No. 83. Seed Production and Treatment in a Changing Environment. British Crop Protection Council. Alton, Hampshire, UK.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Kuhar, T., Doughty, H., Brust, G., Whalen, J., Welty, C., Nault, B. and Taylor, A. 2009. Neonicotinoid seed treatments for early-season management of cucumber beetles in cucurbits. Pages 25-30 in Symposium Proc. No. 83. Seed Production and Treatment in a Changing Environment. British Crop Protection Council, Alton, Hampshire, UK.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2009 Citation: Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2009. Onion thrips management: New insecticides and timing strategies. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 5(7): 10-11.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Larentzaki, E., Plate, J., Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Impact of straw mulch on populations of onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion. J. Econ. Entomol. 101(4): 1317-1324.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Taylor, A. G., Hoepting, C. A., Nault, B. A., Lorbeer, J. W., and McDonald, M. R. 2008. Onion seed treatment and coating technologies. Acta Horticulturae 782: 129-134.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Herman, M. A. B., Nault, B. A., and Smart, C. D. 2008. Effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on bell pepper production and green peach aphid infestations in New York. Crop Protection 27: 996-1002.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B., A., Hsu, C., Smith, E., Shelton, A., Fuchs, M., Hoepting, C., and DiTommaso, A. 2008. Identifying sources of IYSV in the New York cropping system, pp. 67-72. In Program and Proceedings of the 2008 National Allium Research Conference, Savannah, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Hsu, C., Hoepting, C., Shelton, A., and Nault, B. 2008. Seasonal prevalence of Iris yellow spot virus in transplanted and direct-seeded onion fields, pp. 60-66. In Program and Proceedings of the 2008 National Allium Research Conference, Savannah, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A., Fuchs, M., Hsu, C., Smith, E., and Shelton, A. 2008. Potential sources of IYSV, relationship between IYSV and onion thrips, and thrips control in New York, 9-12. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Wisconsin Muck Crops Research Update. Portage, WI.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A. and Taylor, A. G. 2008. Evaluating commercially pelleted seed treatments for onion maggot control, 13-15. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Wisconsin Muck Crops Research Update. Portage, WI.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A., Taylor, A. G., and Shah, D. A. 2008. Snap bean virus research: A review, 145-147. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Taylor, A. G., Shail, J., and Nault, B. A. 2008. The impact of viruses on yield of selected snap bean varieties, 142-144. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Update: Insecticides and sequences of applications for onion thrips control. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 4(7): 6-9.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Insecticide efficacy and timing of sprays for onion thrips control, pp. 52-56. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A., and Hessney, M. L. 2008. Onion thrips control in onion, 2007. Arthropod Management Tests, 2006. 33: E20.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A., and Hessney, M. L. 2008. Onion thrips control in onion, 2006. Arthropod Management Tests, 2006. 33: E19.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Insecticides and sequences of applications for onion thrips control in onion fields. Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Orange County. Muck and Mineral. June 2008. pp. 1-3.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Insecticides and timing for onion thrips control. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 4(6): 12-14.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2008 Citation: Nault, B. A., Taylor, A. G., and Shah, D. 2008. Virus vectors: Understanding how cucumber mosaic virus is transmitted in snap beans may help growers reduce its incidence. American Vegetable Grower. December 2008. pp. 68-70.


Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Outputs of this this project included conducting field experiments, analyzing data and using the information to improve managing onion thrips and Iris yellow spot virus in onion fields and to educate vegetable growers about bees and their pollination services to vine crops. The project also included mentoring post-doctoral research associates, graduate students and undergraduate students. Information about this project was disseminated to the US onion industry and Northeast vine crops industry via multiple events. Oral presentations by the research team were given at local, regional and national vegetable grower-oriented meetings and international scientific meetings. The principal topics included management of onion thrips with selective insecticides in a use pattern that follows insecticide resistance management principles as well as identifying sources of IYSV in the landscape and when risk of this virus was most likely to occur. Another principal topic included evaluating fruit yield and bee visitation to pumpkin fields that were supplemented with managed bees or not supplemented. These topics were discussed at Cornell Cooperative Extension meetings held throughout New York State, regional vegetable grower meeting EXPOs in Michigan, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania, national and international scientific meetings including the Entomological Society of America annual meetings, Northeast Organic Research Symposium, Center for Pollinator Research Symposium and the Multi-State Project W1008 annual meeting. Detailed handouts or proceedings articles accompanied most of these presentations. Information was also communicated to the New York vegetable industry via monthly and weekly regional Cornell Cooperative newsletters and monthly to the US onion industry via the national onion ipmPIPE information platform. Demonstrations of our onion research trials were highlighted at Cornell Cooperative Extension field days and twilight meetings so that growers could see the results. Our research team worked with over a dozen vegetable growers on their farms and consulted with them in our recommendations to make advancements in pest management and crop production. As Discipline Editor of the Cornell Cooperative Extension produced publication, The Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Vegetable Production, information about onion thrips management using selective insecticides and action thresholds was updated based on this project. A video was produced that informed the onion industry of the benefits and uses of one commonly used selective insecticide product. Results from this project also were used in assisting Section 18 registrations for two of the selective insecticides in NY, WI, MI, OH, CO, ID, OR and WA. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Anthony Shelton, Professor, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Elson Shields, Professor, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips biology. Dr. Alan Taylor, Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving seed treatments. Dr. Marc Fuchs, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Stephen Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving nitrogen and onions. Dr. Cynthia Hsu, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Jessica Petersen, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research to identify the role of native pollinators of pumpkin. Mr. Erik Smith, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Ms. Elaine Fok, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and biological control. Growers: Ken Datthyn, Sodus, NY; Matt Mortellaro, Elba, NY; Laura Pederson, Geneva, NY; Ed Hansen, Geneva, NY; Dale Hemminger, Seneca Castle, NY; other growers from other States. These growers allowed us to conduct research in their fields. Dr. Kim Skyrm, Koppert Biological Systems TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project included onion and cucurbit crop growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agri-chemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public. Efforts to transfer knowledge about our research have focused primarily on verbal presentations at stakeholder-based meetings, extension educator-based workshops and on-farm visits. However, written material also was disseminated. Below is a list of efforts, primarily meetings and publication sources, in which information generated from this project was presented within this reporting period. Onion insect ecology, IYSV epidemiology and management: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (November 2011). Multi-State Project W1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting, Las Cruces, NM (December 2011) Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Syracuse, NY (January 2012) Onion School for Orange County Onion Growers, Middletown, NY (March 2012). Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County's Onion Twilight Meeting, Oswego, NY (June 2012). New York State Onion Industry Summer Council Tour, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Sodus, NY (July 2012) Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program's Elba Muck Onion Twilight Meeting, Elba, NY (August 2012). Proceedings of the 2012 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Arthropod Management Tests Veg Edge Veg Edge Weekly Mineral and Muck Cucurbit crop pest ecology and management and pollinators: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (November 2011) New England Vegetable and Fruit Growers Conference, Manchester, NH (December 2011) Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Syracuse, NY (January 2012) Northeast Organic Research Symposium, Saratoga Springs, NY (January 2012). Center for Pollinator Research Symposium, State College, PA (May 2012). PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
This project has increased knowledge of those in the vegetable industry about insect ecology, virus epidemiology, pest and virus management and crop production. Based on a more thorough understanding of the ecology of onion thrips, Thrips tabaci, the primary vector of Iris yellow spot virus, onion growers have reduced the risk for damage by both. Growers have begun using sequences of selective insecticides belonging to different classes and timing sprays based on action thresholds. In many cases in 2012, effective management of onion thrips was achieved using 13 to 58 percent fewer applications. Additionally, information generated from this project was used by the EPA to grant a Section 18 for spirotetramat for use on onion to manage onion thrips. Two insecticide seed treatment products that can be used to manage onion maggot, Delia antiqua, and seedcorn maggot, Delia platura, in onion have become available commercially to onion growers. Sepresto, which includes clothianidin and imidacloprid, and FarMore FI500, which includes spinosad and thiamethoxam, were used successfully in New York in 2012. Compared with the use of a standard in-furrow application of chlorpyrifos and cyromazine seed treatment, use of these new seed treatment products reduce the overall amount of insecticide active ingredient per acre by 95 percent. This project also increased knowledge about pollination services provided to pumpkin by the native eastern common bumble bee, Bombus impatiens, and introduced honey bee, Apis mellifera. Marketable fruit yield in commercial pumpkin fields was compared in fields supplemented with B. impatiens, supplemented with A. mellifera, or not supplemented. The average fruit weight per pumpkin plant in fields supplemented with B. impatiens did not differ significantly from fruit weight in fields supplemented with A. mellifera or those that were not supplemented. Results also indicated that there were no more visits to flowers by bumble bees in fields supplemented with bumble bees than in fields that were not supplemented. Likewise, there were no more honey bee visits to flowers in fields supplemented with honey bees than in fields that were not supplemented. Although supplementing pumpkin fields with bees did not increase bee visits to flowers, more B. impatiens visits to flowers in certain fields resulted in greater yield. These seemingly contrasting results may be explained by differences in the local abundance of native B. impatiens populations near pumpkin fields. For example, a pumpkin field near a high locally abundant B. impatiens population would not need to be supplemented with commercial B. impatiens because the native population would provide sufficient pollination of the crop. Conversely, a pumpkin field that is near a low population of B. impatiens may benefit from supplementing with commercial B. impatiens to increase pollination and thereby increase fruit yield. To address this point, we intend to identify landscape features near pumpkin fields sampled that were positively associated with B. impatiens visiting pumpkin flowers.

Publications

  • Hoepting, C. A., and Nault, B. A. 2012. New developments for managing onion maggot. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 8(28): 10-13.
  • Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2012. Guidelines for managing onion thrips on onion. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 8(5): 14-17.
  • Smith, E. A., DiTommaso, A., Fuchs, M., Shelton, A., and Nault, B. A. 2012. Abundance of weed hosts as potential sources of onion and potato viruses in western New York. Crop Protection 37: 91-96.
  • Diaz-Montano, J., Fail, J., Deutschlander, M., Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2012. Characterization of resistance, evaluation of the attractiveness of plant odors, and effect of leaf color on different onion cultivars to onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 105(2): 632-641.
  • Diaz-Montano, J., Fuchs, M., Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2012. Resistance to onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion cultivars does not prevent infection by Iris yellow spot virus following vector-mediated transmission. Florida Entomol. 95(1): 156-161.
  • Nault, B. A., and Petersen, J. D. 2012. Does supplementation with bees improve pumpkin production, 3 pgs. In: Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. Educational Program Abstracts. December 5, 2012. Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan State University Extension.
  • Nault, B. A. 2012. Onion thrips management in onion, 5 pgs. In: Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. Educational Program Abstracts. December 5, 2012. Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan State University Extension.
  • Nault, B. A., Shelton, A. M., Hsu, C. L. and Hoepting, C. A. 2012. How to win the battle against onion thrips, 6 pgs. In: Proceedings of the 2012 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable EXPO. January 24-26, 2012. Syracuse, NY.
  • Hsu, C.L., Hoepting, C. A., MacNeil, C. R., and Nault, B. A. 2012. How low can you go The economics of controlling onion thrips with reduced inputs, 2 pgs. In: Proceedings of the 2012 Empire State Fruit & Vegetable EXPO. January 24-26, 2012. Syracuse, NY.
  • Petersen, J. D., and Nault, B. A. 2012. Can pumpkin yield be increased by supplementing fields with honey bees or bumble bees, pgs. 61-62. In: Proceedings of the Northeast Organic Research Symposium. January 19-20, 2012. Saratoga Springs, NY.
  • Nault, B. A., Artz, D. R., and Petersen, J. 2011. Potential for bumble bees to improve production of pumpkins, pgs. 45-47. In: Proceedings of the 2011 New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference. December 13-14, 2011. Manchester, NH.
  • Nault, B. A. 2012. Onion thrips control in onion, 2011. Arthropod Management Tests, 2012. 37: E35.
  • Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2012. Guidelines for managing onion thrips on onion. Cornell Cooperative Extension. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County. Muck and Mineral June 2012: 1-5.
  • Petersen, J., and Nault, B. A. 2012. Can pumpkin yield be increased by supplementing fields with honey bees or bumble bees Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 8(2): 4-5.


Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Two graduate students, seven undergraduate students, two post-doctoral associates and a research associate were mentored as part of this project. Research highlights were disseminated to audiences at professional entomological meetings such as the Entomological Society of America Annual and Branch Meetings and at vegetable stakeholder-based conferences including the Empire State Fruit and Vegetable EXPO, Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Wisconsin Potato and Onion Conference and four Cornell Cooperative Extension organized meetings or advisory boards. New fundamental knowledge about onion thrips biology, ecology and management in onion fields were generated from this project and conveyed at most of these meetings. Fundamental knowledge about native bee biology and ecology and their pollination services to pumpkin also were generated from this project and disseminated to stakeholders at a few meetings. Proceedings articles and detailed handouts often accompanied these presentations. Also, general information about onion insect pest descriptions and biology were included in an Onion ipmPIPE Diagnostic Pocket Series and disseminated to onion growers. As Discipline Editor of the Cornell Cooperative Extension produced publication, The Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Vegetable Production, information about insect pest management using insecticides was updated based on this project. Results from this project also were used in assisting Section 18 Emergency Use registrations for one or two of the selective insecticides in NY, WI, MI, OH, CO, ID, OR and WA. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Anthony Shelton, Professor, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Elson Shields, Professor, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips biology. Dr. Alan Taylor, Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving seed treatments. Dr. Marc Fuchs, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Stephen Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving nitrogen and onions. Dr. Cynthia Hsu, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Derek Artz, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research to identify the role of native pollinators of pumpkin. Dr. Jessica Petersen, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research to identify the role of native pollinators of pumpkin. Mr. Erik Smith, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Ms. Elaine Fok, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and biological control. Growers: Ken Datthyn, Sodus, NY; Matt Mortellaro, Elba, NY; Laura Pederson, Geneva, NY; Ed Hansen, Geneva, NY; Dale Hemminger, Seneca Castle, NY; other growers from other States. These growers allowed us to conduct research in their fields. TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project included onion, snap bean and cucurbit crop growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agri-chemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public. Efforts to transfer knowledge about our research have focused primarily on verbal presentations at stakeholder-based meetings, extension educator-based workshops and on-farm visits. However, written material also was disseminated. Below is a list of efforts, primarily meetings and publication sources, in which information generated from this project was presented in 2011. Onion insect ecology and management: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (November 2011). Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA (December 2010). Multi-State Project W1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (December 2010) Multi-State Project W1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting, Las Cruces, NM (December 2011) National Allium Research Conference, Reno, NV (December 2010) Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Syracuse, NY (January 2011) Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Harrisburg, PA (February 2011) University of Wisconsin Extension and Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association Grower Conference, Stevens Point, WI (February 2011) Onion School for Orange County Onion Growers, Middletown, NY (March 2011). Cornell Cooperative Extension of Oswego County's Onion Twilight Meeting, Oswego, NY (June 2011). Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program's Elba Muck Onion Twilight Meeting, Elba, NY (August 2011). Proceedings of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Proceedings of the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention Proceedings of the 2011 Wisconsin Potato and Onion Meeting Proceedings of the 2010 National Allium Research Conference Arthropod Management Tests Veg Edge Mineral and Muck PestMinder Snap bean insect pest ecology and management: Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Conference (February 2011) Cucurbit crop pest ecology and management and pollinators: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. (November 2010) New England Vegetable and Fruit Growers Conference, Manchester, NH (December 2011) PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

Impacts
This project has increased knowledge of those in the onion industry about insect pest ecology and management. Based on a more thorough understanding of the biology and ecology of onion thrips, Thrips tabaci, onion growers have improved managing them. Rather than using the same insecticide multiple times during the season, which has resulted in the development of insecticide resistance and economically damaging infestations, more growers are using sequences of selective insecticides belonging to different classes and timing sprays based on action thresholds. In 2011, information generated from this project was used by the EPA to grant Section 18s for spirotetramat and abamectin for use on onion to manage onion thrips. Both products are selective and highly effective against onion thrips and offer onion growers a new and safer alternative to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. In many cases this year, management of onion thrips was achieved using 25 to 50% fewer applications. Moreover, use of the newer selective products appears to be conserving natural enemies of thrips in onion fields. Based on research from this project, two federal registrations of seed treatment products that can be used to manage onion maggot, Delia antiqua, and seedcorn maggot, Delia platura, in onion have become available commercially to onion growers. One is called Sepresto, which includes clothianidin and imidacloprid, and the other, FarMore FI-500, which includes spinosad and thiamethoxam. Use of these new products could results in a 95 percent reduction in the amount of insecticide active ingredient currently used to manage these insect pests compared with the standard in-furrow application of chlorpyrifos and cyromazine seed treatment. This project increased knowledge about pollination services provided to pumpkin by the native eastern common bumble bee, Bombus impatiens, and introduced honey bee. Marketable fruit yield in commercial pumpkin fields was compared in fields supplemented with B. impatiens, supplemented with honey bees, or not supplemented. Although fruit yield was numerically greater in fields supplemented with B. impatiens than in those supplemented with either honey bees or no bees, yield differences were not significant. Results also indicated that the number of bee visits to pumpkin flowers was similar in fields supplemented or not supplemented with bees, suggesting that bees may be exploiting resources adjacent to pumpkin fields or that stocking densities are too low. More research is needed, but these results may have a pronounced impact on whether vegetable growers will continue to supplement fields with bees.

Publications

  • Smith, E. A., A. DiTommaso, M. Fuchs, A. M. Shelton and B. A. Nault. 2011. Weed hosts for onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and their potential role in the epidemiology of Iris yellow spot virus in an onion ecosystem. Environ. Entomol. 40(2): 194-203.
  • Artz, D. R., and B. A. Nault. 2011. Performance of Apis mellifera, Bombus impatiens, and Peponapis pruinosa as pollinators of pumpkin. J. Econ. Entomol. 104(4): 1153-1161.
  • Artz, D. R., C. L. Hsu, and B. A. Nault. 2011. Influence of honey bee, Apis mellifera, hives and field size on foraging activity of native bee species in pumpkin fields. Environ. Entomol. 40(5): 1144-1158.
  • Diaz-Montano, J., M. Fuchs, B. A. Nault, J. Fail and A. M. Shelton. 2011. Onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae): A global pest of increasing concern in onion. J. Econ. Entomol. 104(1): 1-13.
  • Hsu, C., C. A. Hoepting, M. Fuchs, E. Smith and B. A. Nault. 2011. Sources of Iris yellow spot virus in New York. Plant Disease 95: 735-743.
  • Hsu. C. L., S. Reiners, S., C. Hoepting and B. Nault. 2010. Impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and implications for management, 3 pages. In: Proceedings of the 2010 National Allium Research Conference. 12/9/2010. Reno, NV.
  • Hsu, C. L., S. Reiners, C. A. Hoepting and B. A. Nault. 2011. Relationship between nitrogen rate, thrips and yield in New York, 3 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. 1/25/2011. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2010. Impact of tank mixing insecticides, penetrating surfactants and fungicides on onion thrips control in onion, 5 pages. In: Proceedings of the 2010 National Allium Research Conference. 12/9/2010. Reno, NV.
  • Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2011. Do tank mixes of insecticides and fungicides affect thrips control, 4 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. 1/25/2011. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2011. Maximizing performance of new insecticides for managing onion thrips in onion, 4 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Wisconsin Potato and Onion Meeting. 2/2/2011. Stevens Point, WI. Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Nault, B. A. 2011. Update on virus epidemics in snap beans by aphid vectors, 3 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention. 2/1/2011. Hershey, PA. Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Nault, B. A., and D. R. Artz. 2011. The potential for bumble bees to improve production of cucurbit crops, 3 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. 1/25/2011. Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension and New York State Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Nault, B. A., and M. L. Hessney. 2011. Onion thrips control in onion Trial I, 2010. Arthropod Management Tests, 2010. 36: E51.
  • Nault, B. A., and M. L. Hessney. 2011. Onion thrips control in onion Trial II, 2010. Arthropod Management Tests, 2010. 36: E52.
  • Nault, B. A. and A. M. Shelton. 2011. Onion thrips management in onions: Consider before you spray. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 7(5): 6-9.
  • Nault, B. A., D. R. Artz and J. Petersen. 2011. Potential for bumble bees to improve production of pumpkins, 45-47. In: Proceedings of the 2011 New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference. 12/13/2011. Manchester, NH.
  • Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2011. Maximizing the level of onion thrips control using insecticides, 4 pp. In: Proceedings of the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention. 2/1/2011. Hershey, PA. Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association.
  • Nault, B. A., B. P. Werling, R. W. Straub and J. P. Nyrop. 2011. Delaying onion planting to control onion maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae): Efficacy and underlying mechanisms. J. Econ. Entomol. 104(5): 1622-1632.


Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Highlights from this project were disseminated to the vegetable industry via both oral and written modes of communication. There were three commodities, onion cucurbit and snap bean, that were targeted. For the onion industry, the ecology and management of insect pests and insect-transmitted viruses were presented at multiple Cornell Cooperative Extension Meetings held throughout New York State and at professional national and international meetings. For the snap bean industry, management of insect pests using novel insecticides and delivery systems were discussed at the Fall Advisory Council meeting. For cucurbit crops, information about the role of native bees as pollinators of pumpkins was discussed at a Cornell Cooperative Extension Meeting, at a professional national meeting and an international meeting on pollinators. Detailed handouts accompanied most of the presentations. As Discipline Editor of the Cornell Cooperative Extension produced publication, The Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Vegetable Production, information about insect pest management using new and selective insecticides was updated based on this project. Results from this project also were used in assisting Section 18 registrations for one or two of the selective insecticides in NY, WI, MI, OH, CO, ID, OR and WA. Finally, two postdoctoral research associates and a graduate student participated on portions of this project and presented talks at professional and commodity meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Mary Lou Hessney, Technician IV, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Coordinated labor and materials needed to conduct research on all aspects of this project. Dr. Tony Shelton, Professor, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Alan Taylor, Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving seed treatments. Dr. Marc Fuchs, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Stephen Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving nitrogen and onions. Dr. Cynthia Hsu, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Derek Artz, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research to identify the role of native pollinators of pumpkin. Mr. Erik Smith, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Mr. John Diaz-Montano, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Growers: Lucian Sacheli, Potter, NY; Mark Torrey, Elba, NY; Troy Shuknecht, Elba, NY; Jim Panek, Elba, NY, Ken Datthyn, Sodus, NY; Matt Mortellaro, Elba, NY; Leon Hallett, Elba, NY; Paul and John Ruskiewicz, Pine Island, NY; Laura Pederson, Geneva, NY; Ed Hansen, Geneva, NY; Dale Hemminger, Seneca Castle, NY; other growers from other States. These growers allowed us to conduct research in their fields. TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project have included onion, snap bean and cucurbit crop growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agri-chemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public. Efforts to transfer knowledge about our research have focused primarily on verbal presentations at commodity-based meetings, extension educator-based workshops and on-farm visits. However, written material also was disseminated. Below is a list of efforts, primarily meetings and publication sources, in which information generated from this project was presented in 2010. Onion insect ecology and management: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. National Allium Research Conference, Reno, NV. Multi-State Project W-1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting, Reno, NV. Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program's Elba Muck Onion Twilight Meeting, Elba, NY. New York State Onion Industry Council Summer Tour and Meeting. Florida, NY. NYS Onion Industry Council Winter Meeting. Ithaca, NY. Onion School for Orange County Onion Growers, Middletown, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Food Systems In-Service, Ithaca, NY. Biopesticide Industry Alliance Semi-Annual Meeting. Ottawa, ON, Canada Journal of Economic Entomology Environmental Entomology Proceedings of the 2010 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Proceedings of the 2010 National Allium Research Conference. Veg Edge Mineral and Muck PestMinder Snap bean and dry bean insect pest ecology and management: Processing Advisory Round Table Meeting between the New York Vegetable Crop Research Association/Council and Cornell Cooperative Extension, Canandaigua, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Food Systems In-Service, Ithaca, NY. Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Syracuse, NY. NYS Dry Bean Meeting, Mendon, NY Cucurbit crop pest ecology and management and pollinators: Capital District Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Winter Meeting, Albany, NY Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA. The Xerces Society for Insect Conservation, New York Pollinator Conservation Planning Short Course, Corning, NY. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
This project has increased knowledge of those in the onion industry about insect pest ecology and management. Based on a better understanding of the biology and ecology of onion thrips, onion growers have a better understanding of how to manage onion thrips. Rather than using the same insecticide multiple times during the season, which has resulted in the development of insecticide resistance and economically damaging infestations, more growers are using sequences of insecticides belonging to different classes and timing sprays based on thresholds. In 2010, information generated from this project was used by the EPA to grant Section 18s for spirotetramat and abamectin for use on onion to manage onion thrips. Both products are selective and highly effective against onion thrips and offer onion growers a new and safer alternative to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. In many cases this year, management of onion thrips was achieved using fewer applications and using selective products. Another achievement of this project was generating information needed for federal registration of an organically approved formulation of spinosad, called Entrust, as a vegetable seed treatment. Entrust controls seedcorn maggot on many vegetable crops and onion maggot on onion. Research from this project led to registration of Entrust on snap bean, onion, carrot and cucurbit crops in late 2010. Similar work with insecticide seed treatments led to the registration of Sepresto, a clothianidin and imidacloprid mixed seed treatment, which is a highly effective tool for managing maggots in onion. Additional uses of Sepresto for insect control on a number of other vegetable crops are pending. For both Entrust and Sepresto, their adoption will result in a 95 percent reduction in the amount of insecticide active ingredient currently used to manage major insect pests. We learned that the eastern common bumble bee is the most significant native bee pollinator of pumpkin in New York. This species was one of the most common in pumpkin fields and it visited flowers throughout the entire field, even on cool and cloudy days. Bumblebees also visited flowers in pumpkin fields equally, regardless of their size, which ranged from 1.5 to nearly 30 acres. Bumble bees also needed fewer visits to female flowers to produce a maximum-sized fruit compared with visits required by honey bees or squash bees.

Publications

  • Nault, B.A., and Shelton, A.M. 2010. Impact of insecticide efficacy on developing action thresholds for pest management: A case study of onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on onion. J. Econ. Entomol. 103(4): 1315-1326.
  • Nault, B. A., and Kikkert, J. 2010. Viruses in beans: symptoms and vectors, pp. 48-50.
  • Nault, B.A., Hsu, C.L., Smith, E.A., Hessney, M.L., Fuchs, M., and Shelton, A.M. 2010. Managing onion thrips and status of Iris yellow spot virus in New York, pp. 113-117.
  • Hsu, C.L., Hoepting, C.A., Reiners, S., and Nault, B.A. 2010. Impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and implications for management, pp. 114-120.
  • Nault, B.A. and Hessney, M.L. 2010. Onion thrips control in onion, 2009.
  • Arthropod Management Tests, 2009. 35: E13. Nault, B., and Taylor, A. 2010. New insecticide seed treatments for onions, snap & dry beans, cucurbits, carrots & broccoli. 6(12): 14.
  • Nault, B. A., and Kikkert, J. 2010. Viruses in beans: Symptoms & Vectors. Veg Edge 6(6): 4-5.
  • Nault, B.A., and Shelton, A.M. 2010. Battling onion thrips using insecticides. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 6(6): 15-17.
  • Nault, B.A. 2010. New insecticides for insect pest management. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 6(2): 14-15.
  • Nault, B.A. 2010. Thrashing thrips. American Vegetable Grower. November 2010. pp. 43-44.
  • Nault, B.A. 2010. Onion thrips control in New York. Onion World. 26(1): 12-14.


Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Information from this project was disseminated to the vegetable industry via oral presentations and handouts at local, regional, national and international meetings. Commodities focused on included onion, cucurbit and snap bean. For the onion industry, the ecology and management of insect pests and insect-transmitted viruses was presented at multiple Cornell Cooperative Extension Meetings held throughout New York State and at professional regional, national and international meetings. For the snap bean industry, management of insect pests using novel insecticides and delivery systems were discussed at the Fall Advisory Council meeting. For cucurbit crops, information on seed treatments for insect control and the role of native bees as pollinators of pumpkins was discussed at several Cornell Cooperative Extension Meetings and at a professional national meeting. Detailed handouts accompanied most of the presentations and some of the results can be viewed on the website of the Principal Investigator. As Academic Chair of the Vegetable Crops Program Work Team at Cornell, I moderated our annual PWT meeting. One purpose of this meeting was to highlight and discuss impacts of current vegetable insect pest management research with Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators and Cornell faculty who work with vegetable crops. A more formal meeting, Ag In-Service, was held in the Fall to achieve the same purpose. As Discipline Editor of the Cornell Cooperative Extension produced publication, The Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Vegetable Production, information for insect pest control using insecticides was updated based on this project. Results from portions of this project also were disseminated to the IR-4 Project for use in assisting future registrations of novel insecticides. Finally, graduate students and postdoctoral research associates participated on portions of this project and presented talks at professional and commodity meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Mary Lou Hessney, Technician IV, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Coordinated labor and materials needed to conduct research on all aspects of this project. Dr. Tony Shelton, Professor, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Alan Taylor, Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving seed treatments. Dr. Marc Fuchs, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Stephen Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving nitrogen and onions. Dr. Denis Shah, Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving aphid-transmitted viruses and snap bean. Dr. Cynthia Hsu, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Derek Artz, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research to identify the role of native pollinators of pumpkin. Mr. Erik Smith, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Mr. John Diaz-Montano, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Keith Dorschner, IR-4 Project Headquarters, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Princeton, NJ. Assisted in making decisions about seed treatment products in which residue data could be taken by the IR-4 program. Growers: Lucian Sacheli, Potter, NY; Mark Torrey, Elba, NY; Troy Shuknecht, Elba, NY; Jim Panek, Elba, NY, Ken Datthyn, Sodus, NY; Matt Mortellaro, Elba, NY; Leon Hallett, Elba, NY; Paul and John Ruskiewicz, Pine Island, NY; Laura Pederson, Geneva, NY; Ed Hansen, Geneva, NY; Dale Hemminger, Seneca Castle, NY; other growers from other States. These growers allowed us to conduct research in their fields. TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project have included onion, snap bean and cucurbit crop growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agri-chemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public. Efforts to transfer knowledge about our research have focused primarily on verbal presentations at commodity-based meetings, extension educator-based workshops and on-farm visits. However, written material also was disseminated. Below is a list of efforts, primarily meetings and publication sources, in which information generated from this project was presented in 2009. Onion insect ecology and management: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN. Entomological Society of America-Eastern Branch Meeting. Harrisburg, PA. Multi-State Project W-1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. Sixth International Integrated Pest Management Symposium, Portland, OR. The Ninth International Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses, Main Beach, Queensland, Australia. Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Syracuse, NY. Great Lakes EXPO, Grand Rapids, MI. Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program's Elba Muck Onion Twilight Meeting, Elba, NY. New York State Onion Industry Council Summer Tour and Meeting. Potter, NY. NYS Onion Industry Council Winter Meeting. Ithaca, NY. Oswego County Onion Growers Twilight Meeting, Oswego, NY. Onion School for Orange County Onion Growers, Middletown, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Food Systems In-Service, Ithaca, NY. Northeast University Consultants Meeting, Greensboro, GA Journal of Economic Entomology Environmental Entomology Proceedings of the 2009 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Program and Proceedings of the Ninth International Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses, Main Beach, Queensland, Australia Proceedings of the Seed Production and Treatment in a Changing Environment. Veg Edge Mineral and Muck PestMinder Snap bean insect pest ecology and management: Processing Advisory Round Table Meeting between the New York Vegetable Crop Research Association/Council and Cornell Cooperative Extension, Canandaigua, NY. Environmental Entomology Cucurbit crop pest ecology and management and pollinators: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN. Fresh-Market Vegetable Winter Meeting, Lockport, NY. Proceedings of the 2009 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
This project has increased knowledge of those in the onion industry about insect pest ecology and management. Based on a better understanding of the biology and ecology of onion thrips, onion growers have a better understanding of how to manage onion thrips. Rather than using the same insecticide multiple times during the season, which has resulted in the development of insecticide resistance and economically damaging infestations, more growers are using sequences of insecticides belonging to different classes and timing sprays based on thresholds. In 2009, information generated from this project was used by the EPA to grant Section 18s for spirotetramat and abamectin for use on onion to manage onion thrips. Both products are selective and highly effective against onion thrips and offer onion growers a new and safer alternative to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. In many cases this year, management of onion thrips was achieved using fewer applications and using selective products. This year we documented that Iris yellow spot virus reduces onion bulb size in New York. This is important because onion growers were unaware of the impact that this virus has on yield. We also learned that virus levels typically remain low until mid August and then increase dramatically. Increases in virus levels correspond well with increases in adult thrips densities in these onion fields. Non-summer annual weeds are likely the most important overwintering sources of Iris yellow spot virus in New York. Recommendations for managing this virus are in the process of being developed. Another achievement of this project was generating information needed for pursuing federal registration of an organically approved formulation of spinosad, called Entrust, as a vegetable seed treatment. Entrust controls seedcorn maggot on many vegetable crops and onion maggot on onion. Research from this project will should lead to registration of Entrust on snap bean, sweet corn, cucumber and related crops in early 2010. Additional work with insecticide seed treatments led to the submission of a clothianidin and imidacloprid mixed seed treatment, called Sepresto, to be considered as an effective tool for managing maggots on a number of vegetable crops and cucumber beetles in cucurbits. Registration is expected in early 2010 and should result in a 95 percent reduction in the amount of insecticide active ingredient currently used to manage major insect pests. We learned that the eastern common bumble bee is the most significant native bee pollinator of pumpkin in New York. This species was one of the most common in pumpkin fields and it visited flowers throughout the entire field, even on cool and cloudy days. Bumble bees also needed fewer visits to flowers to produce a maximum-sized fruit compared with visits required by honey bees.

Publications

  • Hsu, C., Hoepting, C. A., Fuchs, M., Shelton, A. M., and Nault, B. A. 2010. Temporal dynamics of Iris yellow spot virus and its vector, Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in seeded and transplanted onion fields. Environ. Entomol. (in press).
  • Diaz-Montano, J., Fuchs, M., Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2010. Evaluation of onion cultivars for resistance to onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Iris yellow spot virus. J. Econ. Entomol. (in press).
  • Boutard-Hunt, C., Smart, C. D., Thaler, J., and Nault, B. A. 2009. Impact of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and natural enemies on Myzus persicae infestations in pepper. J. Econ. Entomol. 102(6): 2183-2191.
  • Nault, B. A., Shah, D. A., Straight, K. E., Bachmann, A. C., Sackett, W. M., Dillard, H. R., Fleischer, S. J., and Gildow, F. E. 2009. Modeling temporal trends in aphid vector dispersal and Cucumber mosaic virus epidemics in snap bean. Environ. Entomol. 38(5): 1347-1359.
  • Nault, B., Hsu, C., Shelton, A., Fuchs, M., and Hoepting, C. 2009. Ecology of onion thrips and epidemiology of Iris yellow spot virus: Implications for management in New York onion fields. The Ninth International Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses Program and Abstracts. Main Beach, Queensland, Australia. p. 27.
  • Nault, B. and Shelton, A. 2009. Controlling onion thrips in onion with insecticides. The Ninth International Symposium on Thysanoptera and Tospoviruses Program and Abstracts. Main Beach, Queensland, Australia. p. 77.
  • Nault, B. A., Hsu, C., Smith, E., Diaz-Montano, J., Hessney, M. L., Marcella-Herrick, P., Fuchs, M., Shelton, A., DiTommaso, A., and Hoepting, C. 2009. Onion thrips and Iris yellow spot virus in New York. Pages 62-66 in Proc. of the 2009 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Nault, B. A., Hessney, M. L., Bornt, C., Hadad, R., and Taylor, A. 2009. New seed treatments for controlling striped cucumber beetles. Pages 199-202 in Proc. of the 2009 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Artz, D. R. and Nault, B. A. 2009. Are native bees important pollinators of pumpkin in New York Pages 203-205 in Proc. of the 2009 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Dorschner, K. W., Taylor, A. G, Nault, B. A., and Walsh, D. B. 2009. Spinosad: an effective, organic seed treatment for certain vegetable crops. Pages 23-24 in Symposium Proc. No. 83. Seed Production and Treatment in a Changing Environment. British Crop Protection Council. Alton, Hampshire, UK.
  • Kuhar, T., Doughty, H., Brust, G., Whalen, J., Welty, C., Nault, B. and Taylor, A. 2009. Neonicotinoid seed treatments for early-season management of cucumber beetles in cucurbits. Pages 25-30 in Symposium Proc. No. 83. Seed Production and Treatment in a Changing Environment. British Crop Protection Council, Alton, Hampshire, UK.
  • Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2009. Onion thrips management: New insecticides and timing strategies. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 5(7): 10-11.
  • Nault, B. A. 2009. Cornell team looks at onion thrips and Iris yellow spot virus in New York. Onion World. 25(4): 6-8.


Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Practical information from this project was disseminated on multiple occasions to the vegetable industry in New York, especially the onion, cucurbit and processing vegetable commodity groups. For the onion industry, the ecology and management of insect pests was presented at Onion Industry Council Winter and Summer Meetings and the Elba Muck Twilight Meeting. For the processing vegetable industry, epidemiology of aphid-transmitted viruses and their management were discussed at the Fall Advisory Council meeting. Similar information was formally introduced to the vegetable industry at the Empire State Fruit and Vegetable EXPO. At the Fresh-Market Winter Vegetable Crops meeting, the research planned for this project was presented on how to improve management of a key pest of cucurbits and to enhance pollination of pumpkins with native bees. Proceedings articles and detailed handouts accompanied most of the presentations and some of the results can be viewed on the website of the Principal Investigator. As Academic Chair of the Vegetable Crops Program Work Team at Cornell, the Principal Investigator organized all vegetable sessions at the annual Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Food Systems In-Service Workshop, which is designed for extension educators and research and extension faculty to exchange information currently impacting the vegetable industry. Some of the onion research results from this project was presented at that meeting. Articles on onion insect pest management generated from this project were included in two of Cornell Cooperative Extension newsletters, Pestminder and Mineral and Muck. As Discipline Editor of the Cornell Cooperative Extension produced publication, The Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Vegetable Production, information for pest control using insecticides was updated based on this project. Results from portions of this project also were disseminated to the IR-4 Project for use in assisting future registrations of novel insecticides. Finally, graduate students and a postdoctoral research associate participated on portions of this project and presented talks at professional and commodity meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Leading participants in this project include the following: Mary Lou Hessney, Technician IV, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Coordinated labor and materials needed to conduct research on all aspects of this project. Dr. Tony Shelton, Professor, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Alan Taylor, Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving seed treatments. Dr. Marc Fuchs, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Denis Shah, Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving aphid-transmitted viruses and snap bean. Dr. Cynthia Hsu, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Derek Artz, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research to identify the role of native pollinators of pumpkin. Mr. Erik Smith, Graduate Student, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving onion thrips and IYSV management Dr. Keith Dorschner, IR-4 Project Headquarters, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Princeton, NJ. Assisted in making decisions about seed treatment products in which residue data could be taken by the IR-4 program. Mr. Peter Jentsch, Extension Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Highland, NY. Conducted an onion maggot control study at one site in New York. Growers: Lucian Sacheli, Potter, NY; Mark Torrey, Elba, NY; Troy Shuknecht, Elba, NY; Jim Panek, Elba, NY, Ken Datthyn, Sodus, NY; Matt Mortellaro, Elba, NY; Leon Hallett, Elba, NY; John Ruskiewicz, Pine Island, NY; Laura Pederson, Geneva, NY; Ed Hansen, Geneva, NY; Dale Hemminger, Seneca Castle, NY; other growers from other States. These growers allowed us to conduct research in their fields. TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project have included onion, snap bean and cucurbit crop growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agri-chemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public. Efforts to transfer knowledge about our research have focused primarily on verbal presentations at commodity-based meetings, extension educator-based workshops and on-farm visits. However, written material also was disseminated. Below is a list of meetings and publication sources in which information generated from this project was presented in 2008. Onion insect ecology and management: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Reno, NV. Entomological Society of America-Eastern Branch Meeting. Syracuse, NY. Multi-State Project W-1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting. Denver, CO. National Allium Research Conference, Savannah, GA. Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Syracuse, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program's Elba Muck Onion Twilight Meeting, Elba, NY. New York State Onion Industry Council Summer Tour and Meeting. Elba, NY. NYS Onion Industry Council Winter Meeting. Ithaca, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Food Systems In-Service, Ithaca, NY. Wisconsin Muck Farmers Association Annual Meeting, Portage, WI. Journal of Economic Entomology Acta Horticulturae Proceedings of the 2008 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Program and Proceedings of the 2008 National Allium Research Conference Proceedings of the 2008 Wisconsin Muck Crops Research Update Arthropod Management Tests Vedge Edge Mineral and Muck PestMinder Snap bean insect pest ecology and management: Processing Advisory Round Table Meeting between the New York Vegetable Crop Research Association/Council and Cornell Cooperative Extension, Geneva, NY. Cucurbit crop pest ecology and management and pollinators: Fresh-Market Vegetable Winter Meeting, Rochester, NY. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: None.

Impacts
This project has increased knowledge of those in the onion industry about insect pest ecology and management. Based on a better understanding of the biology and ecology of onion thrips, onion growers have a better understanding of how to manage onion thrips. Rather than using the same insecticide multiple times during the season, which has resulted in the development of insecticide resistance and economically damaging infestations, more growers are using sequences of insecticides belonging to different classes and timing sprays based on thresholds. In many cases this year, management of onion thrips was achieved using fewer applications. Onion growers also are gaining a better understanding of potential sources and infection times of the onion thrips-transmitted Iris yellow spot virus. Because this virus in new to New York, recommendations for its management are in the process of being developed. Another major achievement of this project was generating information needed for pursuing federal registration of an organically approved formulation of spinosad, called Entrust, as a vegetable seed treatment. Entrust controls seedcorn maggot on many vegetable crops and onion maggot on onion. Research from this project will should lead to registration of Entrust on snap bean, sweet corn, cucumber and related crops. Additional work with insecticide seed treatments led to the submission of a clothianidin and imidacloprid mixed seed treatment, called Sepresto, to be considered as an effective tool for managing maggots on a number of vegetable crops and cucumber beetles in cucurbits. If registered, the amount of insecticide active ingredient currently used to manage these pests could be reduced by over 95 percent.

Publications

  • Larentzaki, E., Plate, J., Nault, B. A., and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Impact of straw mulch on populations of onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion. J. Econ. Entomol. 101(4): 1317-1324.
  • Taylor, A. G., Hoepting, C. A., Nault, B. A., Lorbeer, J. W., and McDonald, M. R. 2008. Onion seed treatment and coating technologies. Acta Horticulturae 782: 129-134.
  • Herman, M. A. B., Nault, B. A., and Smart, C. D. 2008. Effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria on bell pepper production and green peach aphid infestations in New York. Crop Protection 27: 996-1002.
  • Nault, B., A., Hsu, C., Smith, E., Shelton, A., Fuchs, M., Hoepting, C., and DiTommaso, A. 2008. Identifying sources of IYSV in the New York cropping system, pp. 67-72. In Program and Proceedings of the 2008 National Allium Research Conference, Savannah, GA.
  • Hsu, C., Hoepting, C., Shelton, A., and Nault, B. 2008. Seasonal prevalence of Iris yellow spot virus in transplanted and direct-seeded onion fields, pp. 60-66. In Program and Proceedings of the 2008 National Allium Research Conference, Savannah, GA.
  • Nault, B. A., Fuchs, M., Hsu, C., Smith, E., and Shelton, A. 2008. Potential sources of IYSV, relationship between IYSV and onion thrips, and thrips control in New York, 9-12. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Wisconsin Muck Crops Research Update. Portage, WI.
  • Nault, B. A. and Taylor, A. G. 2008. Evaluating commercially pelleted seed treatments for onion maggot control, 13-15. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Wisconsin Muck Crops Research Update. Portage, WI.
  • Nault, B. A., Taylor, A. G., and Shah, D. A. 2008. Snap bean virus research: A review, 145-147. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Taylor, A. G., Shail, J., and Nault, B. A. 2008. The impact of viruses on yield of selected snap bean varieties, 142-144. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Insecticide efficacy and timing of sprays for onion thrips control, pp. 52-56. In: Proceedings of the 2008 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. Syracuse, NY.
  • Nault, B. A., and Hessney, M. L. 2008. Onion thrips control in onion, 2007. Arthropod Management Tests, 2006. 33: E20.
  • Nault, B. A., and Hessney, M. L. 2008. Onion thrips control in onion, 2006. Arthropod Management Tests, 2006. 33: E19.
  • Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Update: Insecticides and sequences of applications for onion thrips control. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 4(7): 6-9.
  • Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Insecticides and sequences of applications for onion thrips control in onion fields. Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Orange County. Muck and Mineral. June 2008. pp. 1-3.
  • Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2008. Insecticides and timing for onion thrips control. Cornell University Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program. Veg Edge 4(6): 12-14.
  • Nault, B. A., Taylor, A. G., and Shah, D. 2008. Virus vectors: Understanding how cucumber mosaic virus is transmitted in snap beans may help growers reduce its incidence. American Vegetable Grower. December 2008. pp. 68-70.


Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Practical knowledge from this project has been disseminated on multiple occasions to New York's vegetable industry, especially to the onion and processing vegetable commodity groups. For New York's onion industry, information was presented at Onion Industry Council Winter and Summer Meetings, Elba Muck Twilight Meeting, and the Orange County Vegetable School. For New York's processing vegetable industry, research findings were discussed at the Fall Advisory Council meeting. Similar information was formally introduced to New York's vegetable industry at the Empire State Fruit and Vegetable EXPO and Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Food Systems In-Service Workshop. Proceedings articles or detailed handouts accompanied most of these presentations. Some of the research also was highlighted in display presentations and demonstration experiments at the 125th Anniversary of Cornell University's New York Agricultural Experiment Station Open House for the public. Additionally, some of these results can be viewed on the Principal Investigator's website. Results from portions of the project were disseminated to the IR-4 Program so that they can assist in future registrations of novel insecticides. Finally, graduate students and a postdoctoral research associate participated on portions of this project and presented talks at professional and commodity meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Mary Lou Hessney, Technician IV, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Works in Brian Nault's program. Mary Lou has taken a major role in conducting the NY studies. Kathyrn Straight, Technician II, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Works in Brian Nault's program. Katie took a supportive role in conducting research associated with this project. Dr. Tony Shelton, Professor, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Took a major role in coordinating logistics of cooperative research on onion thrips and IYSV management. Dr. Alan Taylor, Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Took a major role in coordinating logistics of cooperative research with IR-4, seed enhancement companies and cooperators from other States. Dr. Marc Fuchs, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Works with Nault on identifying tactics for reducing the impact of IYSV on onion production Dr. Denis Shah, Research Associate, Department of Plant Pathology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Works with Nault on identifying tactics for reducing the impact of cucumber mosaic virus on snap bean production. Dr. Keith Dorschner, IR-4 Project Headquarters, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Princeton, NJ. Assisted in making decisions about seed treatment products in which residue data could be taken by the IR-4 program. Mr. Peter Jentsch, Extension Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Highland, NY. Conducted a study at one site in New York. Dr. Walter Pett, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. Conducted studies at two sites in Michigan. Dr. Russell Groves, Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Conducted a study at one site in Wisconsin. Dr. Douglas Walsh, Associate Professor, Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Prosser, WA. Conducted a study at one site in Wisconsin. Dr. Harry Carlson, Farm Advisor and Center Director, UC Davis, IREC, Tulelake, CA. Conducted a study at one site in California. Commercial Seed Treatment Companies: Agricoat, Eastern Seed Services, Germain's Technology Group, Kamterter, Incotec, Nunhems, Seed Dynamics, Seminis, Skagit Seed Services. Growers: Troy Shuknecht, Elba, NY; Jim Panek, Elba, NY, Ken Datthyn, Sodus, NY; John Ruskiewicz, Pine Island, NY; other growers from other States. These growers allowed us to conduct research in their fields. TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project have included onion and snap bean growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agri-chemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public. Efforts to transfer knowledge about our research have focused primarily on verbal presentations at commodity-based meetings, extension educator-based workshops and a public open house this fall. Below is a list of meetings in which target audiences were addressed in two main topics of this project. Onion insect ecology and management: Cornell Cooperative Extension Vegetable Program's Elba Muck Onion Twilight Meeting, Elba, NY. New York State Onion Industry Council Summer Tour and Meeting. Oswego Co. Entomological Society of America's Eastern Branch Meeting. Harrisburg, PA. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County's Onion and Vegetable School. Middletown, NY. Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo, Syracuse, NY. Malheur County, Oregon/ Idaho Onion Growers - 47th Annual Meeting. Ontario, OR. Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey, PA. NYS Onion Industry Council Winter Meeting. Geneva, NY. Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture and Food Systems In-Service, Ithaca, NY. Article in Onion World. 23(1): 24-27. Snap bean insect pest ecology and management: Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey, PA Processing Advisory Round Table Meeting between the New York Vegetable Crop Research Association/Council and Cornell Cooperative Extension, Geneva, NY.

Impacts
This project has increased knowledge of those in the onion industry about vegetable insect pest ecology and management. Based on a better understanding of the biology and ecology of onion thrips, onion growers have a better understanding of how to manage onion thrips. Rather than using the same insecticide multiple times during the season, which has resulted in the development of insecticide resistance and economically damaging infestations, growers are not using sequences of insecticides differing in class and timing sprays following thresholds. In many cases this year, management of onion thrips was achieved using fewer applications. Onion growers also are gaining a better understanding of potential sources and infection times of the onion thrips-transmitted Iris Yellow Spot Virus. Because this virus in new to New York, recommendations for its management are in the process of being developed. Another major achievement of this project was in educating personnel from over eight commercial vegetable seed enhancement companies about novel insecticides that are nearing commercial release for use on onion to control onion maggot and seedcorn maggot. These companies, located in CA, WA, ID and NJ, are now familiar with these new products and gained confidence that the seed treatment techniques they use provide equivalent results as those generated previously using Cornell's film-coating technique. The greatest impact of this research will be realized when one or more of these products become federally registered. Our results from this season are being used in multiple Section 18 packages to request that clothianidin seed treatment be considered as an effective tool for managing maggots.

Publications

  • Larentzaki, E., A. M. Shelton, F. R. Musser, B. A. Nault and J. Plate. 2007. Overwintering of onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion fields in New York. J. Econ. Entomol. 100: 1194-1200.


Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06

Outputs
Onion maggot is a key pest of onion in NY. Chlorpyrifos and cyromazine are the only products recommended even though resistance to chlorpyrifos is widespread and we suspect that populations are also developing resistance to cyromazine. Onion growers are in desperate need of alternatives. Novel insecticides such as fipronil, clothianidin and spinosad delivered as seed treatments have provided significant protection of the onion crop from onion maggot in fields where chlorpyrifos and cyromazine were ineffective. Registration of these products is imperative for the onion industry in NY. Onion thrips also is a major pest of onion in NY and has become especially worrisome since the widespread discovery of iris yellow spot virus (IYSV), a pathogen of onion that is only transmitted by insect. Management of onion thrips and reduction of IYSV relies on multiple applications of insecticides. Yet, control can be unpredictable because onion thrips populations have developed resistance to some products such as lambda-cyhalothrin. New products and knowledge of application timing must be identified to improve onion thrips control and management of IYSV. Susceptibility to insecticides can vary among thrips populations and within populations during the season. These changes could be attributable to the insecticide use pattern by the grower; however, changes also are likely caused by dispersal of insecticide-resistant or insecticide-susceptible onion thrips among onion fields or between onion fields and other crops. Understanding the ecology and dispersal of onion thrips within the onion agroecosystem is necessary for designing an effective insecticide resistance management strategy. Diamondback moth is an important pest of cabbage in NY and populations may be resistant to multiple classes of insecticides. Trap cropping may be an alternative approach for managing this pest, at least in small fields. Several highly attractive hosts such as glossy-wax collards and yellow rocket may be the most suitable trap crop candidates. In field cage and field experiments, larval populations of diamondback moth in cabbage plantings with the trap crop were often lower than in cabbage-only plots. Studies on diamondback moth dispersal suggested that placement of the trap crop along the perimeter of a cabbage field would be initially effective, but additional plantings within the field would be necessary because moths eventually diffused into the field. Seedcorn maggot and potato leafhopper are perennial pests of snap bean and dry bean in NY. In the past, an organophosphate seed treatment was required to control seedcorn maggot and broad-spectrum foliar insecticide sprays were needed to control leafhoppers. Based partly on my work, thiamethoxam seed treatment, a neonicotinoid insecticide, has effectively replaced the use of organophosphates for managing these pests. In 2006, nearly all snap beans and dry beans grown in NY were treated with thiamethoxam.

Impacts
Onion growers are becoming desperate for effective options to control onion maggot. Availability of fipronil, clothianidin and spinosad as seed treatments would be an excellent solution and progress is being made toward registration. Management of onion thrips infestations in onion using insecticides can be improved by predicting controllability of the population with various products before the field is sprayed using the TIBS assay. Additionally, registration of new products for onion thrips control and information on optimizing the performance of these products will result in greater profits for onion growers. Trap cropping for diamondback moth using either glossy collards or yellow rocket may be effective especially for small fields. However, this approach first needs to be evaluated over an entire season and also compared with conventional management tactics. Over the past few years, we have shown that thiamethoxam seed treatment provides and equivalent level of potato leafhopper and seedcorn maggot control as that provided by broad-spectrum insecticides. Based in part on these results, virtually all of the snap bean and dry bean acreage in NY is planted with thiamethoxam seed treatment. This novel approach was highly successful and reduced the amount of insecticide active ingredient in NY snap bean fields by approximately 14,000 to 30,000 lbs.

Publications

  • Nault, B. A., Zhao, J. Z., Straub, R. W., Nyrop, J. P. and Hessney, M. L. 2006. Onion maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) resistance to chlorpyrifos in New York onion fields. J. Econ. Entomol. 99(4): 1375-1380.
  • Nault, B. A., R. W. Straub and A. G. Taylor. 2006. Performance of novel insecticide seed treatments for managing onion maggot (Diptera: Anthoymiidae) in onion fields. Crop Protection 25(1): 58-65.
  • Nault, B. A., Shelton, A. M., Gangloff-Kaufmann, J. L., Clark, M. E., Werren, J. L., Cabrera-LaRosa, J. C. and Kennedy, G. G. 2006. Reproductive modes in onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) populations from New York onion fields. Environ. Entomol. 35(5): 1264-1271.
  • Werling, B. P., Nyrop, J. P. and Nault, B. A. 2006. Spatial and temporal patterns of onion maggot adult activity and oviposition within onion fields that vary in bordering habitat. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 118: 49-59.
  • Shelton, A. M., Zhao, J. Z., Nault, B. A., Plate, J., Musser, F. M. and Larentzaki, E. 2006. Patterns of insecticide resistance in onion thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in onion fields in New York. J. Econ. Entomol. 99(5): 1798-1804.
  • Badenes-Perez, F. R., Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2006. Dynamics of diamondback moth oviposition in the presence of a highly preferred non-suitable host. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 120: 23-31.


Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05

Outputs
Onion maggot is a key pest of onion in NY. Chlorpyrifos and cyromazine are the only products labeled and resistance to chlorpyrifos is widespread and we suspect that increasing damage in onion fields treated with cyromazine is due to resistance. Onion growers are in desperate need of alternatives. Novel insecticides such as fipronil, clothianidin and spinosad delivered as seed treatments have provided significant protection of the onion crop from onion maggot in fields where chlorpyrifos and cyromazine were ineffective. Registration of these products is imperative for the onion industry in NY. Besides seed treatments, a spinosad-baited trap could be used to control onion maggot females before they lay eggs in fields. This approach could replace foliar applied insecticides that are used in an attempt to control flies. In a lab experiment evaluating spinosd-baited traps, fly mortality reached 80 percent. Spinosad-baited traps could be dispensed along onion field peripheries, where fly activity is highest, especially in fields that border woods. Onion thrips also is a significant pest of onion in NY and control relies on multiple applications of broad-spectrum insecticides. Management is unpredictable primarily because populations have developed resistance to some products. From 2002 through 2005, levels of onion thrips susceptibility to lambda-cyhalothrin, methyl parathion and methomyl were monitored using a lab assay called TIBS. Susceptibility to these products varied among populations and within populations during the season. These changes could be attributable to the insecticide use pattern by the grower; however, changes also could be caused by dispersal of insecticide-resistant or insecticide-susceptible onion thrips among onion fields or between onion fields and other crops. Understanding the ecology and dispersal of onion thrips within the onion agroecosystem is necessary for designing an effective insecticide resistance management strategy. Diamondback moth is an important pest of cabbage in NY and populations may be resistant to multiple classes of insecticides. Trap cropping may be an alternative approach for managing this pest, at least in small fields. Several highly attractive hosts such as glossy-wax collards and yellow rocket may be the most suitable trap crop candidates. In field cage and field experiments, larval populations of diamondback moth in cabbage plantings with the trap crop were often lower than in cabbage-only plots. Studies on diamondback moth dispersal suggested that placement of the trap crop along the perimeter of a cabbage field would be initially effective, but additional plantings within the field would be necessary because moths eventually diffused into the field. Seedcorn maggot and potato leafhopper are perennial pests of snap bean in NY. Management involves use of an organophosphate seed treatment to control seedcorn maggot and broad-spectrum foliar insecticide sprays to control leafhoppers. However, beginning in 2004, thiamethoxam seed treatment has effectively controlled these pests and nearly eliminated all sprays targeting leafhoppers.

Impacts
Onion growers are becoming desperate for effective options to control onion maggot. Future registration of fipronil, clothianidin and spinosad as seed treatments would be a solution. Additionally, spinosad-baited spheres might be an effective strategy to control onion maggot flies. Management of onion thrips infestations in onion using insecticides would be improved by predicting controllability of the population with various products before the field is sprayed. This could be done by collecting thrips from the field and subjecting them to the lab assay TIBS. Although preliminary studies suggest that TIBS can predict controllability of a thrips population, more research is needed to determine the probability of accurately predicting controllability. Trap cropping for diamondback moth using either glossy collards or yellow rocket may be effective especially for small fields. However, this approach first needs to be evaluated over an entire season and also compared with conventional management tactics. Over the past few years, we have shown that thiamethoxam seed treatment provides and equivalent level of potato leafhopper and seedcorn maggot control as that provided by broad-spectrum insecticides. Based in part on these results, all of the processing snap bean acreage in NY was planted with thiamethoxam seed treatment in 2005. This novel approach was highly successful and reduced the amount of insecticide active ingredient in NY snap bean fields by approximately 14,000 to 30,000 lbs.

Publications

  • Musser, F. M., Nault, B. A., Nyrop, J. P. and Shelton, A. M. 2005. The impact of a glossy collard trap crop on adult movement, oviposition and larval survival of diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 117: 71-81.
  • Badenes-Perez, F., Shelton, A. M. and Nault, B. A. 2005. Using yellow rocket as a trap crop for diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 98(3): 884-890.
  • Badenes-Perez, F., Nault, B. A. and Shelton, A. M. 2005. Manipulating the attractiveness and suitability of hosts for diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 98(3): 836-844.
  • Badenes-Perez, F. R. 2005. Trap cropping strategies for the management of diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Ph.D. thesis. pp. 159. Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.


Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04

Outputs
Onion maggot is a devastating pest of onion in New York and its management is reliant on insecticide use at planting. Many growers use an in-furrow drench treatment of chlorpyrifos, but this approach has been failing more frequently because maggots are developing resistance to chlorpyrifos. Novel insecticides used as seed treatments, which require less active ingredient than drench treatments, offer an effective alternative. Spinosad used as seed treatment has provided significant protection of the onion crop from onion maggot in fields where chlorpyrifos was ineffective due to resistance. Besides seed treatments, a spinosad-based bait could be used to control onion maggot females before they lay eggs in fields. In recent lab experiments, fly mortality levels above 60 percent have resulted after a brief exposure to the bait. The bait could be dispensed along onion field peripheries, where we have documented that fly activity is highest, especially in fields bordering woods. Onion thrips also is a significant pest of onion in New York and control relies on multiple applications of broad-spectrum insecticides. Management is unpredictable primarily because populations have developed resistance to some products. From 2002 through 2004, levels of onion thrips susceptibility to lambda-cyhalothrin, methyl parathion and methomyl were monitored using a lab assay called TIBS. Susceptibility to these products varied among populations and within populations during the season. These changes could be attributable to an insecticide use pattern by the grower; however, changes also could be caused by dispersal of insecticide-resistant or insecticide-susceptible onion thrips among onion fields or between onion fields and other crops. Understanding the ecology and dispersal of onion thrips within the onion agroecosystem is necessary for designing an effective insecticide resistance management strategy. Diamondback moth is an important pest of cabbage in New York and populations may be resistant to multiple classes of insecticides. Trap cropping may be an alternative approach for managing this pest. Several highly attractive hosts such as glossy-wax collards and yellow rocket may be the most suitable trap crop candidates. In field cage and open field experiments, larval populations of diamondback moth in cabbage plantings with the trap crop were often lower than in cabbage-only plots. Studies on diamondback moth dispersal suggested that placement of the trap crop along the perimeter of a cabbage field would be initially effective, but additional plantings within the field would be necessary because moths eventually diffused into the field. Potato leafhopper is a perennial pest of snap bean in New York. Leafhopper control using foliar insecticide sprays is often ineffective when plants are young because coverage is inadequate and rapid plant growth dilutes the residue. However, thiamethoxam seed treatments provide excellent control of leafhoppers during early plant growth stages and can provide season-long control at high rates. This seed treatment chemistry also is effective against seedcorn maggot, a sporadic but incredibly destructive pest.

Impacts
Onion growers are becoming desperate for effective options to control onion maggot. Future registration of spinosad as a seed treatment, a bait, or both would be a solution. Spinosad is safe to the user and environment and is effective against onion maggots that are resistant to chlorpyrifos. Management of onion thrips infestations in onion using insecticides would be improved by predicting controllability of the population with various products before the field is sprayed. This could be done by collecting thrips from the field and subjecting them to the lab assay TIBS. Although preliminary studies suggest that TIBS can predict controllability of a thrips population, more research is needed to determine the probability of accurately predicting controllability. Trap cropping for diamondback moth using either glossy collards or yellow rocket may be effective especially for cabbage growers with small acreages. However, this approach first needs to be evaluated over an entire season and also compared with conventional management tactics. Over the past few years, we have shown that thiamethoxam seed treatment provides and equivalent level of potato leafhopper and seedcorn maggot control as that provided by broad-spectrum insecticides. Based in part on these results, virtually all of the processing snap bean acreage in NY was planted with thiamethoxam seed treatment in 2004. This novel approach was highly successful and reduced the amount of insecticide active ingredient in NY snap bean fields by approximately 14,000 to 30,000 lbs.

Publications

  • Badenes-Perez, F. R., Shelton, A. M. and Nault, B. A. 2004. Evaluating potential trap crops for diamondback moth (L.), Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 97(4): 1365-1372.
  • Shelton, A. M. and Nault, B. A. 2004. Dead-end trap cropping: a technique to improve management of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Crop Protection. 23(6): 497-503.


Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03

Outputs
Onion thrips is a principal pest of onion in New York and multiple insecticide applications are used to manage it. Management of thrips is unpredictable because populations have developed insecticide resistance. In 2002 and 2003, levels of onion thrips susceptibility to lambda- cyhalothrin were monitored using a lab assay called TIBS, which also is used to predict resistance. Susceptibility varied dramatically among populations and within populations during the season. In 2003, similar trends were detected for their susceptibility to methomyl and methyl- parathion. Additionally, onion thrips populations within a field became more or less resistant to an insecticide as the season progressed. These changes were likely attributable to individual grower practices; however, changes also may have been caused by movement of onion thrips among onion fields or between onion fields and other crops. Better understanding the ecology and dispersal of onion thrips within the onion agroecosystem will provide us with information needed to design an effective insecticide resistance management strategy. Onion maggot is also a serious pest of onion in New York and its management is reliant on insecticides. Many populations have developed resistance to chlorpyrifos, which is used as a drench treatment. As an alternative management approach, insecticide seed treatments control onion maggot and require much less active ingredient than drench treatments. Effective novel chemistries have been identified, but one in particular, spinosad, is very safe to the user and environment. In 2002 and 2003, spinosad effectively controlled onion maggot in fields where chlorpyrifos was ineffective due to resistance. Additional research on onion maggot ecology has revealed a high level of adult activity along field edges, especially those bordering woods. This information may be used to target management of adults before they colonize fields and lay eggs. Potato leafhopper is a major pest of snap bean in New York. Leafhopper control using insecticide seed treatments is an alternative to foliar sprays, which are often ineffective when plants are young because coverage is inadequate and rapid plant growth dilutes the residue. Seed treated with thiamethoxam provided excellent control of leafhoppers during early plant growth stages and provided season-long control at high rates. Future research will identify how thiamethoxam and related chemistries will control other significant pests such as seed maggots and aphids. Diamondback moth is a major pest of cabbage in New York and populations may be resistant to multiple classes of insecticides. As an alternative management strategy, a trap crop of glossy collards planted within cabbage fields reduced larval populations in four of six trials. These reductions ranged between 25 to 75 percent. Although promising, more research is needed to evaluate other potential trap crop hosts and to better understand diamondback moth movement for identifying the minimal area and optimal placement of trap crops within commercial fields.

Impacts
Management of onion thrips infestations in onion fields using insecticides will be improved by predicting controllability of the population before the field is sprayed. This can be done using the lab assay TIBS. Use of TIBS will minimize the number of applications required to manage thrips infestations by eliminating control failures and selecting the most effective product to control the population. Consequently, growers will save money and less insecticide active ingredient will be used in fields. Evaluation of insecticide seed treatments for control of vegetable insect pests will provide information about how best to use this tactic as a replacement for less efficient delivery systems. For example in 2004, snap bean growers are likely to use thiamethoxam seed treatment for managing potato leafhopper rather than using foliar insecticide sprays. Although this approach may not significantly reduce control costs, much less insecticide active ingredient will be used. We also have identified bio-based seed treatments that have novel uses, such as spinosad for onion maggot control in onion. Future registration of spinosad would lead to a reduction in levels of insecticide active ingredient and would be safer and more environmentally compatible than approaches currently used.

Publications

  • Shelton, A. M., Nault, B. A., Plate, J. and Zhao, J. -Z.. 2003. Regional and temporal variation in susceptibility to lambda-cyhalothrin in onion thrips, Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in onion fields in New York. J. Econ. Entomol. 96(6): 1843-1848.
  • Nault, B. A., Taylor, A. G., Urwiler, M., Rabaey, T. and Hutchison, W. D. 2004. Neonicotinoid seed treatments for managing potato leafhopper infestations in snap bean. Crop Protection 23: 147-154.


Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02

Outputs
Onion thrips resistance to insecticides in onion fields continues to make control expensive and unpredictable. The laboratory assay, TIBS, has been used to detect differing levels of resistance to several insecticides for a number of onion thrips populations throughout New York. Furthermore, results using this assay have been positively correlated with field-level control of onion thrips. Next year, management of onion thrips infestations in several commercial onion fields will be based on results from TIBS. Several novel insecticide products, which are very effective for managing onion thrips in onions, have also been identified. Management of onion maggot in onion fields using seed treated with environmentally sensitive chemistries such as spinosad was highly effective and offers a potential replacement for the organophosphate, chlorpyriphos. Spinosad was effective in controlling onion maggots in the same field in which chlorpyriphos was ineffective due to resistance. Additional research on onion maggot adult movement in onion fields indicates a high level of activity along field edges, especially edges that border woods. This information may be used to better target management of adults before they colonize fields and lay eggs. Potato leafhopper (PLH) control in snap bean fields using foliar applications of insecticides is often poor early in the season because adequate coverage of seedlings is difficult and rapid plant growth dilutes the insecticide residue. Seed treated with the neonicotinoids, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, provided excellent control of potato leafhoppers during early plant growth stages, up to 23-42 days after planting. Advantages in using seed treatments for PLH control in snap beans include better control, savings in time and money not having to spray the field with an insecticide, and conserving beneficial organisms that are often killed by the foliar sprays. Designing a trap-cropping approach to manage diamondback moth (DBM) in cabbage requires identification of a host of the same or different species that is highly preferred over cabbage. Additionally, the dispersal pattern of DBM must be known in order to determine the best spatial arrangement of the trap crop in the field. Recently, we have documented through choice tests that DBM prefers to lay eggs on glossy collard plants than on cabbage. We also found more DBM larvae on cabbage plants near the location where adults were released into the field than on plants at increasing distances away from the release point. We also noted that the relative size of the DBM larval infestation was significantly lower in cabbage fields containing the large, glossy collard trap crop than in plantings of cabbage only. More research on movement of diamondback moth will lead to optimal placement of trap crops in commercial fields.

Impacts
The effectiveness of environmentally sensitive insecticides used as seed treatments for control of vegetable insect pests should lead to federal labels for use of these products on onion and snap beans in the near future. Onion seed treated with novel chemistries such as spinosad reduced the amount of insecticidal-active ingredient required to control onion maggots by 85 to 94 percent compared with chlorpyriphos. Availability of these novel chemistries will be safer to the user and environment and can be used in a manner that would reduce resistance development. Management of onion thrips infestations in onion fields using insecticides will be improved using information provided by the TIBS assay. Effective products will be identified using TIBS before they are applied in the field, thereby optimizing the number of applications required to control the infestation. Moreover, effective classes of chemistry will be identified for which insecticide rotation strategies will be based. Environmentally sensitive products that are effective against onion thrips also were identified and their future registration should make the benefits of insecticide rotation even more apparent.

Publications

  • Taylor, A. G., Paine, D. H., Suzuki, N., Nault, B. A. and McFaul, A. 2003. Coating technologies for seed treatment applications. Acta-Horticulturae (In Press)


Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01

Outputs
Onion seed treated with environmentally sensitive insecticides for controlling onion maggot in onion were identified as potential replacements for the commonly used organophosphate, chlorpyriphos. These chemistries significantly reduced onion maggot damage in a field that was infested by a chlorpyriphos-resistant population. Progress also was made on developing a laboratory assay for detecting insecticide resistance in onion maggot populations. Similarly, an insecticide-resistance monitoring assay for onion thrips was used to determine levels of susceptibility to lambda-cyhalothin in New York onion fields in 2001. Results indicated that levels of susceptibility varied among onion-growing regions of the State, fields within regions and even within fields. The population with the lowest LD50 was 0.2 ppm and the highest one was 1,087 ppm. Additionally, several novel insecticide chemistries were shown to be effective for managing lambda-cyhalothrin-resistant onion thrips.

Impacts
The effectiveness of environmentally sensitive insecticides used as seed treatments for control of onion maggot, especially those resistant to chlorpyriphos, should lead to federal labels for use of these products on onion in the near future. Onion seed treated with several of the effective novel chemistries reduced the amount of insecticidal-active ingredient required to control onion maggots by 85 to 94 percent compared with chlorpyriphos. Availability of these novel chemistries will be safer to the user and environment and can be used in a manner that would reduce resistance development. Evidence of varying levels of susceptibility in onion thrips populations to insecticides suggests that resistance, rather than weather or application technique is primarily responsible for many of the control failures onion growers have been experiencing. For this reason, growers should be more inclined to rotate classes of insecticides to help mitigate the development of resistance. Environmentally sensitive products that are effective against onion thrips were identified and their future registration should make the benefits of insecticide rotation even more apparent.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 01/01/00 to 12/31/00

Outputs
This project has focused upon the management of two arthropod pests of onions: onion maggot (Delia antiqua) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci L.). A nine-year monitoring study of Lorsban (Chlorpyrifos) resistance on onion maggot field populations was continued with insects collected from a problem field in Elba, NY. This study was done using a bioassay that showed a low but significant level of resistance. Field trials on onion maggot control continued to indicate that seed treatments with either Trigard (Cyromazine, labeled for use in NY State), or Mundial (Fipronil, an experimental seed treatment), could be suitable alternatives for seed furrow treatments of Lorsban, which continues to weaken. Onion thrips populations from five commercial onion fields in NY State were tested against a susceptible thrips colony using a registered pyrethroid, Warrior (Lamba-cyhalothrin). The average LC50 in ppm for the susceptible thrips colony was 1.2, while LC50s in ppm for the five field populations ranged from 12312 in Steuben County, NY to 4981 in Yates County, NY. These recently developed laboratory bioassays of thrips samples collected from onion fields indicate a rapid increase in the level of detectable resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. Replicated field comparisons of foliar sprays consisting of combinations of unrelated labeled chemicals (either used together or in rotation) suppressed thrips populations in research plots more effectively than did successive applications consisting of a single compound.

Impacts
Onion maggots and onion thrips pose a very serious threat to the 12,000 acres of onions grown in New York State, and to the other onion producing regions on organic soils in the northeast and midwest. Focus of our studies in 2000 was on management of these two pests and monitoring resistance to registered compounds. Resistance of both pests was conducted in laboratory bioassays. Field studies on insecticide efficacy for control of onion maggot and onion thrips management included labeled, off-labeled, experimental compounds and selected combinations of these.

Publications

  • Diaz, A., Okabe, K., Eckenrode, C.J., Villani, M.G., and O'Connor, M. 2000. Biology, ecology and management of the bulb mites of the genus Rhizoglyphus (Acari: Acaridae). Expl. Appl. Acar.. 24: 85-113.
  • Eckenrode, C.J., Hessney, M.L., Kain, W.C., and Taylor A.G. 2000. Onion maggot control, 1999. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. 25: 126.
  • Eckenrode, C.J., Kain, W.C., Gangloff, J.L., Hessney, M.L., and Furano, K. 2000. Onion thrips resistance to Warrior, 1999. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. 25: 409.
  • Eckenrode, C.J., Hessney, M.L., and Kain, W.C. 2000. European corn borer damage reduction on snap beans, 1999. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. 25: 87.
  • Hessney, M.L. and Eckenrode, C.J. 2000. Onion maggot resistance to Lorsban, 1999. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. 25: 410.
  • Eckenrode, C.J., Hessney, M.L., and Kain, W.C. 2001. Onion thrips control with candidate sprays, 2000. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. (In Press)
  • Eckenrode, C.J., Hessney, M.L., Kain, W.C., and Taylor A.G. 2001. Onion maggot control, 2000. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. (In Press)
  • Eckenrode, C.J., Kain, W.C, Hessney, M.L., Furano, K., and Gangloff, J.L. 2001. Onion thrips resistance to Warrior, 2000. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. (In Press)


Progress 01/01/99 to 12/31/99

Outputs
This project has focused upon arthropod pests of selected vegetable crops, with significant emphasis placed upon onions and beans in recent years. Regardless of the specific problem, primary research themes have included clarification of field behavior and utilization of practical management strategies. While clarification of field biology is an ongoing process, the increased presence of an occasional relatively unknown pest such as the onion bulb mite on onions necessitates additional resources to identify extent and scope of the problem. Additionally, suspected occurrence of pesticide resistance has necessitated documentation and clarification of resistant arthropod populations, with accompanying searches for suitable replacements. Pesticide resistant insects where there is a paucity of labeled substitutes increasingly threaten commercial onion production in NY State. In 1999, Lorsban bioassays conducted upon samples from 2 separated onion maggot populations indicated the continuing spread of a low but significant level of resistance, first noted in several isolated locations in 1991. Field trials continue to indicate that seed treatments with either Trigard or Fipronil (neither of which have received federal or NY State approval for onions as of this time), could be suitable alternatives for seed furrow treatments of Lorsban that continue to weaken. Concurrently, recently developed laboratory bioassays of onion thrips samples collected from onion fields indicate a rapid increase in the level of detectable resistance to pyrethroid insecticides. In 1999, resistance increased markedly in about a week after one commercial spray of Warrior, moving from an LC50 in ppm of 822 (pre-spray) to 4454 (post-spray). Other thrips collections from onion fields in 1999 showed similar resistance levels, excepting a sample from Orange County, NY with an LC50 of 16. Throughout these bioassays, LC50's in ppm for a susceptible thrips colony ranged from 0.69 to 1.37. In 1999's replicated field comparisons, Spintor applied at rates of < 0.1 kg AI/ha, was the only candidate material that provided acceptable thrips reduction below the application threshold of 3/leaf. In snap bean field trials, single sprays of Orthene at 1.1 kg AI/ ha and Spintor 2CS at rates ranging from 0.3 - 0.6 L/ha reduced larval feeding damage from artificial infestations of European corn borer from 9.5 entry holes in approximately 50 untreated plants to < 1 in treated plants. Plant development ranged from bloom to pin pod when they were treated using a CO2 back-pack sprayer delivering 414.9 L of water/ ha at 18 kg/sq cm; while approximately 1000 borer eggs in plastic creamers were hooked to plant stems per about 9.1 row meters. The eggs were placed in the plots beginning about 5 days AFTER sprays were applied, and were produced by a laboratory colony of corn borer characterized by bivoltine development and production of the E pheromone. Earlier published data suggest that this particular race can infest snap beans at detectable levels.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Diaz, A., Okabe, K., Eckenrode, C.J., Villani, M.G., and O'Conner, B. 2000. Biology, ecology, and management of the bulb mites of the genus Rhizoglyphus (Claparede) (Acari: Acaridae). Expt. & Appl. Acarol. (In Press).


Progress 01/01/98 to 12/31/98

Outputs
Laboratory bioassays using 7 individual populations collected from selected commercial New York farms demonstrated detectable levels of Lorsban resistance at all sites. Lorsban is the one remaining even partially effective labeled compound for onion maggot control here. Additionally, replicated field trials at a commercial site near Potter, NY showed an almost complete failure of labeled rates of Lorsban (33% plant damage as compared to 44% damage in the control plots); while seed treatments of Trigard (10gms AI per seed cwt), Fipronil (50 gms etc.), and EXP80572 (50 gms etc., Rhone Poulenc) provided acceptable plant damage reduction of 1.3, 7.1, and 9.7%, respectively. Using a laboratory colony of onion maggot, we compared the infectivity of 6 hypomycetous fungi to various life stages. The most active fungus, a Topypocladium cyclindorsporum strain, provided >80% mortality of neonates after dipping in a spore suspension of 10 to the 8th power spores per ml in distilled water. Warrior (lambda-cyhalothrin) is one of the newest compounds registered for onion thrips on onions in NY State. However, resistance ratios calculated from 1998 bioassays from thrips populations collected from three commercial onion farms showed that these field populations have developed a level of resistance that is 100-400 times the level of a thrips population with minimal exposure to this compound. Concurrently, we established baseline data for the efficacy of SpinTor (spinosad, a naturalyte compound) against onion thrips in similar laboratory bioassays. This promising compound, although yet to be labeled and used for onion thrips management on NY onions, is effective at very low rates with a Lethal Concentration for 50% mortality ranging from 0.1 to 0.26 ppm. Replicated field trials showed that Mustang, another relatively new pyrethroid for onion maggot management, lost effectiveness to sprays applied beginning in early Aug., while only the first Ambush spray (an older labeled pyrethroid) provided effective thrips reductions in this trial. On the other hand, SpinTor sprays applied at .2 and .14 dg AI per ha, respectively, provided relatively effective thrips control on onions until the final application in early Sept. In another field trial that included a labeled rate of Warrior, the only effective control below the NY thrips threshold of 3 per leaf was provided by the unlabeled compound Alert (Am. Cyanamid) applied at .4 kg AI per ha.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Eckenrode, C. J., Webb, D. R. and Hessney, M. L. 1998. Seed maggot control on snap bean, 1997. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. 23: 73.
  • Eckenrode, C. J., Webb, D. R. and Hessney, M. L. 1998. European corn borer control, 1997. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. 23: 73.
  • Eckenrode, C. J., Webb, D. R. and Hessney, M. L. 1998. Seed maggot control on sweet corn, 1997. Arthropod Mgmt. Tests. 23: 94-95.


Progress 01/01/97 to 12/31/97

Outputs
A fly-active Bt formulation, when incorporated at a rate of 30 lbs/acre with a 10 percent sugar solution and sprayed onto onion plants under screen cages placed in a commercial muck onion field, reduced damage from introduced onion maggots, i.e. 20 percent seedling loss in treated cages as compared to 60 percent losses in untreated cages. When cleared for commercial use, fly-active Bt applications could have a positive impact on pest management practices in onion fields, particularly where growers are attempting to control onion maggot adults with organo-phosphate and synthetic pyrethroid sprays. Ongoing bioassays of field-collected onion maggots indicated the continuing presence of low-grade resistance to Lorsban on onion farms in three different NY counties. Rotating onion fields out of onions for an entire growing season, while reducing numbers of onion maggots per acre, does not reduce Lorsban resistance. Sprays of Warrior at labeled rates provided acceptable levels of onion thrips control by maintaining populations below the NY threshold of 3 thrips/onion leaf. A seed treatment of 28.6 g fipronil/seed kg reduced thrips below the threshold until 25 July. A laboratory bioassay using field-collected onion thrips from a commercial onion farm in Yates County NY indicated a significant level of tolerance to Ambush, Mustang, and Warrior. Pyrethroid tolerance, while also detectable in thrips populations from a farm in Oswego County, occurred at lower levels. In snap bean field trials, a single spray of Spintor at 4 oz formulation/acre effectively minimized European corn borer damage. The control levels compared favorably to a labeled spray of Orthene applied at 1 lb AI/acre.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • No publications reported this period


Progress 01/01/96 to 12/30/96

Outputs
Field experiments planted in muck soil in 1996 indicated that onion seeds previously treated with either Trigard or Fipronil provided effective control of onion maggot larvae (less than 10 percent seedling damage). Lab bioassays using reared onion maggot flies indicated that of the four pyrethroids labeled for onions in NY (i.e. Ambush, Ammo, Mustang, and Warrior), Ambush at field rates was likely to provide more significant fly kill than the others, probably because Ambush is labeled for onions at the highest rates of the four. Additional assays comparing field collected maggots showed that Lorsban resistance re-occurs at the same levels two years after an entire muck area is rotated out of onions. Warrior provided a slightly higher level of onion thrips control in field experiments than other treatments but minimal yield differences were noted with any of the treatments. One seed treatment, Fipronil at 28.6 gms ai per seed kilogram also provided significant reduction of early thrips infestations. In beans, Lorsban continues to provide adequate control of seed maggots. Orthene sprays at labeled rates have significantly reduced tarnished plant bug damage. Potato leafhoppers reduced yields in kidney bean trials when they occurred at 1-2 nymphs per trifoliate leaf. Based on these data, we may lower the economic threshold of 3 per trifoliate to 2.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Webb, D. R., M. L. Hessney, and C. J. Eckenrode. 1996. Onion maggot control, Prattsburg, 1995. Arthropod Management Tests. 21: 131.
  • Webb, D. R., M. L. Hessney, and C. J. Eckenrode. 1996. Onion maggot control, Oswego, 1995. Arthropod Management Tests. 21: 131-132.
  • Webb, D. R., P. Van Horn, and C. J. Eckenrode. 1996. Seed maggot control with seed treatments, 1995. Arthropod Management Tests. 21: 87.
  • Webb, D. R., M. L. Hessney, and C. J. Eckenrode. 1996. Seed maggot control on sweet corn, 1995. Arthropod Management Tests. 21: 114.
  • Walters, T. W. and C. J. Eckenrode. 1997. Integrated management of the onion maggot (Diptera: Anthomyiidae)
  • McFerson, J. R., T. W. Walters, and C. J. Eckenrode. 1997. Variation in Allium spp. damage by onion maggot. HortSci. In press.
  • Eckenrode, C. J. and D. R. Webb. 1997. Seedcorn maggot. ESA Handbook of Corn Insects. In press.