Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Outputs generated from this project include 29 extension publications and popular articles, 37 extension programs, 9 refereed scientific papers, 7 published research abstracts, 14 display presentation and 14 scientific presentations disseminated to a large primary clientele group (the staff of 550 golf courses, 600 professional lawn care businesses, 20 sod producers, numerous athletic fields at the university, high school, and municipal level, grounds managers of business and industrial complexes, schools, parks, and hospitals, and industry salespeople and distributors) and the scientific community in the U.S., Europe and New Zealand. These outputs provide primary clientele and the scientific community with an understanding of the relative importance of the major arthropod pests and their natural enemies associated with turfgrass in Indiana and clarify how management practices influence the abundance and diversity of these arthropods, which may in turn influence management decisions. Furthermore, these outputs describe, in simple terms, how interactions between soil fertility and endophyte-mediated resistance influence the efficacy of biological controls for turfgrass arthropod pests and establish a framework for evaluating the biological, aesthetic and economic trade-offs associated with biologically-based insect management strategies in this system. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Outputs generated from this project have resulted in several important outcomes/impacts. First, the primary clientele group has been provided with a science-based accounting of the major arthropod pests and natural enemies associated with turfgrass in Indiana. In particular, this project has alerted stakeholders to the presence of 3 new invasive scarab species and highlighted the prominence of several billbug species that were previously undocumented. In response to these findings, stakeholders have altered scouting behavior in ways that will allow them to accurately determine if these pests are present in their area. If these previously undocumented pests are present, stakeholders have adjusted their insect management programs in ways that will allow them to manage populations of these new pests with little or no increase in overall insecticide use. Secondly, this project has provided stakeholders with a baseline for evaluating and comparing the biological, aesthetic and economic trade-offs associated with alternative insect management strategies. This will likely lead to the more widespread adoption of alternatives, especially the use of scouting as a decision making tool, due to the ability of this project to demonstrate economic incentives for these activities with little or no aesthetic down side. Lastly, this project has provided a conceptual model that will allow other researchers to frame related research questions in an appropriate context. Specifically, this new conceptual model creates a linkage between insect behavioral response to fungal endophytes and resulting changes in herbivore vulnerability to natural enemies. It also supports the more general idea that the form of insect response to plant defenses may, in part, predict the outcome of insect-natural enemy interactions.
Publications
- Baldauf, M.W. and D.S. Richmond. 2010 Endophyte-mediated resistance to black cutworm as a function of endophyte strain in tall fescue. Environmental Entomology (Accepted).
- Caceres, V.A., C.A. Bigelow and D.S. Richmond. 2010. Aesthetic and economic trade-offs associated with four different lawn management programs. Hort. Technology (Accepted).
- Richmond, D.S. and C.A. Bigelow. 2009. Variation in endophyte-plant associations influences interactions between black cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Environmental Entomology 38: 996-1004.
- Alumai, A., S.O. Salminen, D.S. Richmond, J. Cardina and P.S. Grewal. 2009. Comparative evaluation of aesthetic, biological, and economic effectiveness of different lawn management programs. Urban Ecosystems 12: 127-144.
- Cheng, Z., D.S. Richmond, S.O. Salminen, and P.S. Grewal. 2008. Ecology of urban lawns under three common management programs. Urban Ecosystems 11: 177-195.
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: At this time, experimental aspects of the entire project are 90% complete. For project objective #1 (Identify and prioritize the arthropod pests and their natural enemies associated with turfgrass in Indiana and clarify how management practices influence the abundance and diversity of these arthropods), on site surveys of home lawns and surveys of lawn care operators and golf course superintendents have provided clear insight into the identity of major pests associated with turfgrass in Indiana. Not surprisingly, these insects include the billbug complex, white grub complex, black cutworm and the sod webworm complex in that order. Additionally, our survey efforts have identified three new white grub species that have gained a toe-hold in the state; Asiatic garden beetle, European chafer, and oriental beetle. One or more of these insects are likely to present serious problems for turfgrass managers state-wide in the near future. As a result of our findings, we have concluded that billbugs, white grubs and sod webworms are high priorities for developing and improving management programs in lawn and golf course turf whereas the black cutworm is a priority only on golf course turf. Results have been disseminated through various extension outlets including annual field days, grower conferences and symposia. For project objective #2,(Investigate and describe how interactions between soil fertility and endophyte-mediated resistance influence the efficacy of biological/biorational controls for turfgrass arthropod pests)our research has identified endophyte strains that produce alkaloids that are active against sod webworms and black cutworms while remaining safe for grazing wildlife and livestock. Furthermore, our efforts have demonstrated that nitrogen fertility inputs can dramatically influence levels of defensive compounds associated with endophyte-mediated plant resistance and that these inputs can alter interactions between black cutworms and entomopathogenic nematodes. Results of this work have been disseminated through various extension outlets including annual field days, grower conferences and symposia, international symposia, trade journals and refereed scientific publications. For project objective #3, two field seasons have now provided data indicating that there is a strong potential for integrating fertility and endophyte-mediated resistance in order to manage key turfgrass pests. Additional value may be gained by incorporating biorational controls such as insect parasitic nematodes and spinosad. These results will be disseminated mainly through the scientific literature, trade publications and extension outlets. PARTICIPANTS: Cale A. Bigelow, Department of Agronomy, Purdue University. Major collaborator providing expertise in turfgrass fertility Timothy J. Gibb, Department of Entomology, Purdue University. Collaborator providing aid in the collection of survey information Cliff Sadof, Department of Entomology, Purdue University. Collaborator providing aid in the collection of survey information and design of the survey. Midwest Regional Turf Foundation, partner organization providing partial financial support for the project. Indiana Golf COurse Superintendents Association, partner organization providing partial financial support for the project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences served by his project include golf course superintendents, lawn care professionals, athletic field and grounds managers, parks and recreation personnel, master gardeners, and property owners (homeowners) who manage turfgrass and ornamental plants. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Because of this work, turfgrass managers in Indiana are much more keenly aware of the spectrum of pest damaging turf in the State. This is particularly true of the billbug complex which, prior to this investigation, was almost completely overlooked and misunderstood, its damage being incorrectly attributed to many different common turfgrass ailments. As a result, there has been elevated interest in extension programming focusing on billbugs. Because of our research focusing on the integration of fertility inputs, host-plant resistance and biological controls, we have clarified the endophyte mediated-alkaloids that are most effective against the black cutworm and sod webworms. As a result, endophyte strains have been identified for commercialization that will effectively resist these insects, while remaining safe for wildlife and grazing animals. Furthermore, we have been able to build a conceptual framework for addressing larger questions surrounding the integration of insect parasitic nematodes with fungal endophytes.
Publications
- Cheng, Z., D.S. Richmond, S.O. Salminen, and P.S. Grewal. 2008. Ecology of urban lawns under three common management programs. Urban Ecosystems 11: 177-195.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: To date, objetive 1 has nearly been completed, This objective is to Identify and prioritize the arthropod pests and their natural enemies associated with turfgrass in Indiana and clarify how management practices (fertility inputs, turfgrass species and endophyte infection, irrigation, pesticide use) influence the abundance and diversity of these arthropods. Several talks at field days, annual conferences and professional venues including the following: 1)Caceres, V.A. and D.S. Richmond. 2006. Effects of turf pests management on lawns. MRTF Annual Field Day, West Lafayette, IN, July 18, 2006. 2) Economic, Aesthtic and boological trade-offs associated with four divergent lawn management strategies. MRTF annual Field Day, July 17, 2007, West Lafayette, IN 3) Caceres, V.A. and D.S. Richmond 2007. Lawn Pest Control: Traditional, IPM or Organics. Indiana Lawn and Landscape Association, Carmel, IN, Aug. 22, 2007. 4) Richmond, D.S. 2006. Lawn pest control: traditional, IPM or
organics. MRTF Turf & Ornamental Seminar, West Lafayette, IN, Nov. 15, 2006. 5) V.A. Caceres and D.S. Richmond. 2006. Addressing barriers to IPM adoption in turfgrass. 19th annual meeting of the Ohio Valley Entomological Association (OVEA), Northern Kentucky University, Newport, KY, Nov. 17, 2006. 7) Caceres, V.A and D.S. Richmond. 2007. Addressing barriers to IPM adoption in turfgrass. Purdue University Department of Entomology Seminar Series, West Lafayette, IN, January 18, 2007. 8) V.A. Caceres, D.S. Richmond and C. Sadof. 2006. Japanese beetle adult damage and larval infestations in landscapes managed using divergent management approaches. National Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Indianapolis, IN, Dec. 10, 2006. A masters thesis has also been produced from this objective: Caceres, V.A. 2007. Biological Aesthetic and Economic Trade-off associated with four different lawn management programs. Additional manuscripts are in preparation. Objective 2, Investigating and
describe how interactions between soil fertility and endophyte-mediated resistance influence the efficacy of biological/biorational controls for turfgrass arthropod pests, is approximately 1/3rd complete and several talks, and poster presentations have resulted 1)Richmond, D.S. 2006. Endophyte-enhanced turfgrasses and fertility: getting the most out of plant resistance. The Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Annual Conference and Show. Columbus, OH, December 5, 2006. 2)M.W. Baldauf and D.S. Richmond. 2006. Influence of nitrogen fertility on endophyte mediation of insect-natural enemy interactions. 19th annual meeting of the Ohio Valley Entomological Association (OVEA), Northern Kentucky University, Newport, KY, Nov. 17, 2006. 3) Richmond, D.S. 2007. Mediation of herbivore-natural enemy interactions by Neotyphodium endophytes: the role of insect behavioral response. Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Fungal Endophytes of Grasses. Cristchurch, New Zealand, March 25-28, 2007.
4)Baldauf, M. W. and Richmond, D.S., 2007. Interactions between fungal endophytes and biological/biorational controls. Purdue University Department of Entomology Seminar Series, West Lafayette, IN, January 25, 2007.
PARTICIPANTS: Cale Bigelow, Assistant Professor, Agronomy, Purdue University has collaborated on aspects of the project involving fertility and endophytes.
TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for most of the projects efforts include lawn care professionals, golf course superintendents, parks and recreation personnel, property managers and homeowners. Information was delivered in formal classroom settings, large exposition settings, small training workshops, field days and symposia.
Impacts
Resources available to address objective provided the following results: 1) Reduction of pesticide use - Through the elimination of calendar driven applications in favor of well timed pesticide applications, based on actual pest presence, reduced pesticide inputs can easily be accomplished by incorporating scouting activities. 2) Reduced maintenance costs - although scouting represents about 13% of total turfgrass maintenance costs, it can reduce the cost of inputs by up to 54% annually. These results could provide an economic incentive for homeowners and lawn care professionals to incorporate scouting as an informative activity rather than assume that it is not cost effective. Property owners may also be encouraged to pay for scouting as a service with the knowledge that it may provide an economic payoff in the long-term. 3)Good aesthetic quality - Implementation of IPM and alternative turfgrass management approaches are not necessarily associated with reduced
turfgrass quality. Although available organic products such as corn gluten meal do not perform well against pre-existing weed infestations, they are capable of reducing future weed invasion by providing good pre-emergent control. They also allow turfgrasses to grow and compete more vigorously and provide a high level of greenness by serving as a source of organic nitrogen. Although synthetic herbicides may be needed initially to remove weeds from turfgrass lawns, they could be replaced by organic products once the level of weed infestation has been reduced to acceptable levels. Although the organic products such as corn gluten meal tend to be more expensive than synthetic herbicides, it is important to have in mind that these products serve as both pre-emergent weed controls and as sources of nitrogen fertility. 4)Research and development needs - There is indeed a need of alternative/organic post-emergent weed management options that provide results comparable to those obtained by
conventional pesticides. Research focusing on the discovery and development of herbicides would help fill a critical gap in the arsenal of alternative lawn management products and approaches. Less expensive biological insect control alternatives would also benefit IPM adoption by substantially reducing the cost of insect control. Resources devoted to addressing Objective 2 duuring the past year have provided the following new results/outcomes: 1)Nitrogen fertility increased alkaloid production in endophyte-infected plants and insects feeding on endophyte-infected plants were less susceptible to EPN's than those feeding on uninfected plants, but only when plants were fertilized. No difference in insect susceptibility to the nematodes was observed between insects feeding on endophyte-infected and uninfected plants when plants were unfertilized indicating that tritrophic interactions involving fungal endophytes may hinge on soil fertility. Therefore, when integrating endophyte-mediated
resistance and biological controls into IPM programs, N-fertility may be an important consideration. 2) Black cutworms feeding on endophyte infected tall fescue were less susceptible to Bacillus thuringiensis
Publications
- Richmond, D.S. 2007. Mediation of herbivore-natural enemy interactions by Neotyphodium endophytes: the role of insect behavioral response. Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Fungal Endophytes of Grasses. Christchurch, New Zealand, March 25-28, 2007. From Lab to Farm. Grassland Research and Practice Series No. 13.
- Richmond, D.S., J. Cardina, and P.S. Grewal. 2006. Influence of grass species and endophyte infection on weed populations during establishment of low maintenance lawns. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 115:27-33.
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