Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
P. O. BOX 9000
MAYAGUEZ,PR 00681
Performing Department
Crops and Agroenvironmental Sciences
Non Technical Summary
The avocado lace bug (ALB) is an economically important and `invasive' pest of avocado in the Caribbean. In Puerto Rico, we estimate losses to be between $200,000 to $1 million dollars per year. Higher estimates are probable in the Dominican Republic and Cuba, where the pest is equally damaging. There is an urgent need to address the losses caused by this `invasive species' in Puerto Rico and in the wider Caribbean, and work in our proposal is designed to drastically reduce its economic impact. We propose to address control needs of this important pest by: (1) increasing our knowledge of this pest's biology and behavior; (2) using population management tactics that use of natural enemy conservation, host phenology, and `reduced risk'; (3) introducing new natural enemies from Florida in an effort at classical bio-control; and (4) researching the effect of host plant characteristics on the avocado lace bug's survival and attack intensity. Field and laboratory experiments
are described to determine the effects of three varieties of different parentage, and their leaf-flushing phenology on ALB's life-history parameters. We also propose to determine the identity and importance of natural enemies, and the existence of maternal `guarding' behavior. Further, we propose to search, ship, and introduce key parasitoids from Florida, and evaluate their introduction. Finally, we propose to investigate possible correlations between light intensity at the center of the canopy, and tree architecture to ALB population density and to predation by key natural enemies.
Animal Health Component
75%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
25%
Applied
75%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
(1) Study ALB's life cycle, reproductive behavior, natural enemies, and adaptations to herbivory on avocado .(2) Determine efficiency of registered, and 'reduced risk' pesticides in controlling ALB and their impact on natural enemy populations; (3) Determine importance of components of host plant texture on ALB abundance.
Project Methods
(1) Objective I: This objective seeks to answer several questions about host-plant and trophic interactions. Past research has hinted at ALB's preference for different avocado varieties, and a preference for specific leaf ages and traits. We propose to study the effects of three varieties of different parentage (i.e., subspecific lineage Guatemalan and West Indian), and their leaf-flushing phenology on ALB's life-history parameters. We also propose to determine the identity and likely importance of natural enemies in ALB population dynamics, and the existence of maternal 'guarding' behavior on ALB's survivorship. (2) Objective II: This objective seeks to determine the effects of widely used pesticides on ALB's natural enemies. Current knowledge does not answer this important IPM question for ALB. A comparison on the killing effectiveness of 'reduced risk' pesticides: imidacloprid (0.4kg a.i./a), spinosad (45 ml/acre formulated), and azadirachtin (350 ml/a formulated),
plus other more traditional pesticides [permethrin 3.2EC 8 oz/acre, pyrethrins (Pirellin) EC 2 pints/acre], on ALB and its natural enemies will be established in field experiments. Objective III: This objective proposes to investigate possible correlations between light intensity at the center of the canopy, and tree architecture (as determined by apical dominance and acrotony) with ALB population density, and to predation. The hypothesis we test is that ALB populations will be most abundant on trees with lower light intensities at their center, as determined by weak apical dominance and weak acrotony.