Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: To support the goals and objectives of this project, we continued to screen potential synergistic combinations of chemical and biological control products for the curative control of third instar white grubs. Based on the most promising combinations identified in laboratory and greenhouse trials, we advanced to field trials targeting artificially-infested populations. ACTIVITIES conducted during this activity period included: (1) fully analyzing the results of laboratory experiments to test the interaction of nine biologicals with 1/2 and 1/4 rates of two neonicotinoid insecticides, (2) analyzing the same experiments with respect to variation in the response between Japanese beetle and European chafer larvae, (3) fully analyzing greenhouse experiments to test a subset of combinations for both grub species in small pot trials, (4) conducting and analyzing field experiments to further test the greenhouse combinations against artificial infestations of both grub species in field microplots, (5) writing manuscripts for publication, and (6) mentoring a M.Sc. graduate student. EVENTS conducted during this activity period included transmitting recent information through five extension/scientific programs: (1) Peck, D.C., Biological control: new approaches and opportunities for insect pest management in turf, Winter Lawn Care Conference, University of Massachusetts, Sturbridge, MA, January 2008; (2) Morales, A. and D.C. Peck, Synergistic interactions in white grub control, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY, March 2008; (3) Peck, D.C., Tuning your timing and other considerations for better grub control, Adirondack Regional Conference, New York State Turfgrass Association, Lake Placid, NY, March 2008; (4) Morales, A. and D.C. Peck, Variation in the laboratory susceptibility of four species of turf-infesting white grubs to a series of biorational, biological and chemical control products, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY, November 2008, (5) Morales, A. and D.C. Peck. Variation in the laboratory susceptibility of four species of turf-infesting white grubs to a series of biorational, biological and chemical control products. Entomological Society of America national conference, Reno, NV, November 2008. Over the entire life of this three-year project, the most important outputs and dissemination activities include: (1) successful defense of a M.Sc. thesis based on the work conducted in this projected (Morales, A., 2009, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, Variation in the susceptibility of turf-infesting white grubs to different control agents and opportunities for synergistic combinations of biologicals and neonicotinoids), and (2) information transfer as part of six guest lectures to university courses, (3) three contributed scientific presentations, (4) two Cornell training courses for turf professionals, (5) ten extension presentations and (6) updates at annual meetings of the Cornell Landscape Horticulture Work Team and the Cornell Turf IPM Group. PARTICIPANTS: INDIVIDUALS: Daniel C. Peck, Principal Investigator, coordinated all activities related to this project; Anuar Morales, M.Sc. candidate, conducted all activities related to this project. PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS: New York State Turfgrass Association. COLLABORATORS AND CONTACTS: Daniel Olmstead, Research Support Specialist, Cornell University; Anne Hajek, Professor, Cornell University; Dave Soderlund, Professor, Cornell University. TRAINING OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Anuar Morales, M.Sc.; Erin Jennings, temporary support technician. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include (1) turfgrass managers, (2) extension agents, (3) golf course superintendents, (4) professional lawn care providers, (5) turfgrass entomologists, (6) soil insect ecologists and (7) pest management practitioners. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
This series of controlled laboratory, greenhouse and field studies has identified promising opportunities for the synergistic combination of chemical and biological products for the curative control of turf-infesting white grubs. In a first phase, variation in the laboratory susceptibility of four grub species was studied. A major conclusion is that the magnitude of variation in susceptibility across grub species supports the idea that a single control products will not reliably suppress populations of all taxa in the grub complex and highlights the need for pest management practitioners to diagnose and differentiate among scarab species before intervention. This differential susceptibility could have broader consequences for grub management if a numerically dominant target species is more completely suppressed than a co-occurring species. In a second phase, we studied synergies between biological and neonicotinoid insecticides for the curative control of the two white grub species. A major conclusion is that synergies offer a promising approach for field control of white grub species, but that conditions in the field environment - such as detection and avoidance behavior - may limit the effectiveness of this approach. That the best combinations varied between grub species confirms the idea that a correct diagnosis is critical for tailoring control tactics to the particular grub species of concern. Among the CHANGES IN KNOWLEDGE are (1) novel information for publication in two peer-reviewed scientific journals (one submitted and one in preparation), (2) affirmation that the decision-making process for managing a complex of white grub species in the Northeast should include species-level identification, and (3) documentation of the process of discovery and exploitation of synergistic interactions that will guide the development of biologically based pest management options for soil insect pests in other turfgrass and horticultural systems. Among the CHANGES IN CONDITIONS are (1) incorporation of knowledge into written, oral and web-based extension and educational materials, including Cornell's Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Turfgrass, and (2) training of a M.Sc. level scientist in the management of soil insect pests.
Publications
- Morales, A., A. Ospina and D.C. Peck. 2009 (in review). Variation in the laboratory susceptibility of turf-infesting white grubs to biological, biorational and chemical control products. Pest Management Science.
- Morales, A., D. Olmstead and D.C. Peck. 2009 (in review). Preventive control of Japanese beetle with imidacloprid and Milky spore under artificial and natural infestations. Arthropod Management Tests.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: To support the goals and objectives of this project, we continued to screen potential synergistic combinations of chemical and biological control products for the curative control of third instar white grubs in the laboratory, and to advance the most promising combinations through small pot trials in the greenhouse and to field trials targeting natural and artificially-infested populations. ACTIVITIES conducted during this activity period included: (1) conducting and analyzing laboratory experiments to test the interaction of nine biologicals with 1/2 and 1/4 rates of both imidacloprid and clothianidin, (2) analyzing the same experiments with respect to variation in the response between Japanese beetle and European chafer larvae, (3) conducting and analyzing greenhouse experiments to test a subset of combinations for both species of grubs in small pot trials, (4) conducting field experiments to test another subset of combinations against natural populations (both species)
and artificial infestations (Japanese beetle), and (5) mentoring a M.Sc. graduate student. EVENTS conducted during this activity period included transmitting recent information through three extension/scientific programs: (1) Morales, A. & D.C. Peck. 2007. Synergistic interactions in white grub control. Society for Invertebrate Pathology, Quebec City. Aug 2007, (2) Peck, D.C. 2007. Biological control: new approaches and opportunities. Cornell Golf Pest Management Short Course, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. 01/24/07, (3) Peck, D.C. 2007. Biological control of soil insect pests 39th Annual Professional Turf and Landscape Conference and Trade Show, White Plains, NY. 01/10/07.
PARTICIPANTS: Individuals: Daniel C. Peck, Principal Investigator, coordinated all activities related to this project; Anuar Morales, M.Sc. candidate, conducted all activities related to this project. Collaborators and contacts: Daniel Olmstead, Research Support Specialist, Cornell University; Anne Hajek, Professor, Cornell University; Dave Soderlund, Professor, Cornell University. Training or professional development: Anuar Morales, M.Sc.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include (1) turfgrass managers, (2) extension agents, (3) golf course superintendents, (4) professional lawn care providers, (5) turfgrass entomologists, and (6) soil insect ecologists.
Impacts
This series of controlled laboratory and greenhouse studies has identified promising combinations of chemical and biological products for the control of white grubs. Results show that the best combinations depend on the species, indicating that this approach will have to be tailored to the species of interest, and at the same time confirming the importance of diagnosing and differentiating among species in pest management. Results also show a decrease in efficacy from small laboratory bioassay cups to larger pot trials, and support the idea that orientation away from soil antagonists may play a role in behavioral defense of white grubs against a wide array of soil-borne enemies. These insects are the most widespread and damaging pests of turfgrass in the Northeast and their management would profit immensely from curative controls that are less toxic than current options. A subset of combinations that feature sublethal rates of least-toxic insecticides with biological
controls is now available. Alone, each is ineffective against large late-season grubs, but together they operate synergistically to kill a majority of grubs. Ongoing and future field tests will test prospects for incorporation into white grub IPM programs. Documenting the process of discovery and exploitation of synergistic interactions will guide the development of biologically based pest management options for soil insect pests in other turfgrass and horticultural systems.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
We conducted bioassays under controlled laboratory conditions to screen combinations of control products and select a subgroup for advancement to greenhouse and field trials. We sought synergistic combinations of sublethal rates of chemical insecticides in tandem with biological controls, which would be effective as a curative control option against large late-season (third instar) white grub pests of turfgrass. In the first study, 15 products were tested individually for efficacy against three grub species. Results revealed the degree of variation in efficacy across grub species and over 10, 20 and 30 days after treatment. For instance, chlorpyrifos and trichlorfon had full efficacy against Oriental beetle within 10 days, but not until 20 days for Asiatic garden beetle and European chafer. Based on these results, we selected a subset of products for combined applications in the second study. The potential chemical synergists were two neonicotinoid insecticides
(imidacloprid and clothianidin), each at two sublethal rates (half and quarter recommended field rates). These were paired with each of nine biological products, which represented three strains of entomopathogenic nematodes, three strains of entomopathogenic fungi, two Bt products, and one product based on the virus that causes milky disease. Because the product combinations were simultaneously evaluated together as well as individually, each pair could be identified as synergistic, additive or antagonistic. For European chafer, both imidacloprid and clothianidin were synergistic with one strain of entomopathogenic nematode. For Japanese beetle, there were synergisms between both of the neonicotinoids and fungal entomopathogens, but antagonism with one strain of Bt. For oriental beetle, no synergisms were detected, but there were antagonisms with one strain of Bt and two strains of fungal entomopathogens. Based on these results, the most promising combinations for advancement are
varying sublethal rates of neonicotinoids (half, quarter and lower rates) in combination with different strains of entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi. Given the variation across grub species, however, the combinations may have to be tailored to each pest species. Laboratory evaluations are currently being repeated with the European chafer to confirm our findings. Based on these results, this approach will be scaled out through pot trials in the greenhouse, microplot field trials with artificially infested populations, and small plot field trials with natural populations. Documenting the process of discovery and exploitation of synergistic interactions will guide the development of biologically based pest management options for soil insect pests in other turfgrass and horticultural systems.
Impacts
This series of controlled laboratory studies has identified promising combinations of chemical and biological products for the control of white grubs. These insects are the most widespread and damaging pests of turfgrass in the Northeast and their management would profit immensely from curative controls that are less toxic than current options. Results have identified a subset of combinations that feature sublethal rates of least-toxic insecticides with biological controls. Alone, each is ineffective against large late-season grubs, but together they operate synergistically to kill a majority of grubs. These select combinations are now available for further testing in greenhouse and field trials, and ultimately on their way to incorporation into white grub IPM programs.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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