Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities of this project included conducting field experiments, analyzing data from those experiments and using the information to make advancements in onion thrips management in onion fields in New York and beyond. The project involved mentoring a post-doctoral research associate, a graduate student and an undergraduate student. Information about this project was disseminated to the US onion industry via multiple events. Oral presentations by the research team were given at local, regional and national onion grower-oriented meetings and international scientific meetings. The principal topics included management of onion thrips with selective insecticides applied following sequences and action thresholds to reduce overall insecticide use and mitigate insecticide resistance development, and implications of reducing nitrogen fertilizer at planting to reduce onion thrips populations. One or both of these topics were discussed at Cornell Cooperative Extension meetings held throughout New York State each year and regional vegetable grower meeting EXPOs in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Information about this project was presented at several national and international scientific meetings including the Entomological Society of America annual meetings, the National Allium Research Conference and the Multi-State Project W1008 annual meetings. Detailed handouts or proceedings articles accompanied most of these presentations. Management of onion thrips using selective insecticides and action thresholds was also communicated to the New York onion industry via monthly and weekly regional Cornell Cooperative newsletters and monthly to the US onion industry via the national onion ipmPIPE information platform. Moreover, demonstrations of our research trials combining selective insecticide use with reductions in nitrogen at planting were highlighted at Cornell Cooperative Extension field days and twilight meetings so that growers could see the results. Our research team consulted with two local onion growers to assist them in adopting some or all of the recommendations generated from this research project over a two-year period. 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 one or two of the selective insecticides in NY, WI, MI, OH, CO, ID, OR and WA. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Cynthia Hsu, Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Conducted research involving the impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and cooperated on research involving selective insecticides and action thresholds on onion thrips management. Dr. Stephen Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving nitrogen and onions. 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. Christy Hoepting, Extension Educator, Regional Vegetable Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Albion, NY. Cooperated on research involving the impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations. Carol MacNeil, Extension Educator, Regional Vegetable Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Canandaigua, NY. Cooperated on research involving the impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations. Matt Mortellaro, onion grower, Mortellaro Farms, Elba, NY. Allowed us to conduct research on his farm and helped maintain research plots. Guy Smith, onion grower, Triple-G Farms, Elba, NY. Allowed us to conduct research on his farm and helped maintain research plots. Rick Hall, onion grower, Torrey Farms, Potter, NY. Allowed us to conduct research on his farm and helped maintain research plots. TARGET AUDIENCES: Onion growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agrichemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public were the audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project. 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. Additionally, a peer-reviewed journal article, proceedings of our research results at meetings, extension articles and newsletters and magazine articles were published. Below is a list of efforts in which information generated from this project was presented during the reporting period. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (November 2011). Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA (December 2010). Multi-State Project W-1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (December 2010) 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 2012 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo 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 (Cornell Cooperative Extension published monthly) Mineral and Muck (Cornell Cooperative Extension published monthly) PestMinder (Cornell Cooperative Extension published weekly) American Vegetable Grower Onion World PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Half of the research planned in 2011 was ruined because the onion field in which the research project was initiated flooded in early May, killing all of the onion seeds that were planted. We conducted a modified project in another onion field in mid-May and this project was successful.
Impacts
An important outcome that this project has had on the US onion industry is increased knowledge about onion thrips ecology and their management. Specifically, onion growers have a better understanding of the principles of insecticide resistance management and integrated pest management. Rather than using the same insecticide every week during the season simply because it might be inexpensive, which in the past has resulted in the development of insecticide resistance and economically damaging infestations, onion growers understand the rationale and importance of using sequences of insecticide products belonging to different classes and timing sprays based on action thresholds. This change in knowledge should result in season-long management of onion thrips in a manner that mitigates the development of resistance to novel, selective insecticides. Onion growers also have increased their knowledge about the benefits of reducing levels of nitrogen applied at planting such as reducing levels of nitrogen without sacrificing marketable bulb yield, reducing onion thrips populations, reducing the risk of post-harvest bacterial rots and perhaps reducing excess nitrogen in the environment. Information 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 small-plot and large-scale research trials in commercial fields from 2010-2012, growers did not need to spray every week to effectively manage thrips infestations. The reduction in numbers of applications ranged from 25 to over 50 percent. In cases where bulb yield was measured comparing the standard weekly spray schedule and the new approach, no differences existed. Discussions with onion growers, Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators and those in the agricultural chemicals business revealed that onion growers are generally using only selective products and are following at least some of the new recommendations we have made based on this project's results. In small-plot and large-scale research trials, reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to onions reduced onion thrips populations without sacrificing marketable yield. Bulb yield was equivalent between onion plantings that received 75 lbs and 150 lbs of nitrogen per acre. Yet, thrips densities were reduced by approximately 25 percent. An economic analysis also showed that growers will save money when reducing current levels of nitrogen fertilizer to 90 lbs per acre and applying selective insecticides only when thrips populations reach action thresholds. Information from this project also was used as supporting evidence in a recently federally funded grant proposal by a colleague who proposed to investigate reductions in nitrogen levels at planting to reduce bacterial rot of onions.
Publications
- 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.
- 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. 2012. Onion thrips control in onion, 2011. Arthropod Management Tests, 2012. (in press).
- Nault, B.A., and Hessney, M.L. 2011. Onion thrips control in onion Trial I, 2010. Arthropod Management Tests, 2010. 36: E51.
- Nault, B.A., and Hessney, M.L. 2011. Onion thrips control in onion Trial II, 2010. Arthropod Management Tests, 2010. 36: E52.
- Nault, B.A., and Hessney, M.L. 2010. Onion thrips control in onion, 2009. Arthropod Management Tests, 2009. 35: E13.
- Nault, B.A., Shelton, A.M., Hsu, C.L. Hsu, and Hoepting, C.A. 2012. How to win the battle against onion thrips. 6 pp. Proc. of the 2012 Empire State Fruit and Veg. EXPO. 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 pp. Proc. of the 2012 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable EXPO. Syracuse, NY.
- Hsu, C.L., Hoepting, C.A., Reiners, S., and Nault, B.A. 2010. Impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and implications for management. Page 114 to 120 in Proc. of the 2010 Empire State Fruit and Veg. EXPO. Syracuse, NY.
- Nault, B.A. 2009. Onion thrips control in New York. Proc. of the 2009 Great Lakes Fruit, Veg. and Farm Market EXPO. Grand Rapids, MI.
- 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.
- Nault, B.A., Hsu, C.L. Hsu, and Hoepting, C.A. 2011. Maximizing performance of new insecticides for managing onion thrips in onion. 4 pp. Proc. of the 2011 Wis. Potato and Onion Meeting. Stevens Point, WI.
- Nault, B.A., Hsu, C.L., and Hoepting, C.A. 2011. Maximizing the level of onion thrips control using insecticides. 4 pp. Proc. of the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Veg. Convention. Hershey, PA.
- Hsu, C.L., Reiners, S., Hoepting, C.A., and Nault, B.A. 2011. Relationship between nitrogen rate, thrips and yield in New York. 3 pp. Proc. of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Veg. Expo. Syracuse, NY.
- Nault, B. A., Hsu, C.L., and Hoepting, C.A. 2010. Impact of tank mixing insecticides, penetrating surfactants and fungicides on onion thrips control in onion. 5 pp. Proc. of the 2010 National Allium Res. Conference. Reno, NV.
- Hsu, C.L., Reiners, S., Hoepting, C.A., and Nault, B.A. 2010. Impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and implications for management. 3 pp. Proc. of the 2010 National Allium Res. Conference. Reno, NV.
- 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. Page 113 to 117 in Proc. of the 2010 Empire State Fruit and Veg. EXPO. Syracuse, NY.
- Nault, B.A., and Shelton, A.M. 2012. Guidelines for managing onion thrips on onion. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange Co. Muck and Mineral June 2012: 1-5.
- Nault, B.A., and Shelton, A.M. 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., 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., Shelton, A.M., Hsu, C.L. Hsu, and Hoepting, C.A. 2012. How to win the battle against onion thrips Onion World. March/April 2012. pp. 14-17.
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Information about this project was disseminated to the US onion industry via oral presentations at local onion grower-oriented meetings to international professional meetings. Management of onion thrips with selective insecticides applied following sequences and action thresholds to reduce overall insecticide use and mitigate insecticide resistance development was discussed at several local Cornell Cooperative Extension Meetings held throughout New York State and regional vegetable grower meeting EXPOs in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Detailed handouts or proceedings accompanied most of the presentations. This information also was presented at the National Allium Research Conference and the Entomological Society of America Annual meeting in December 2010 and again in November 2011. Management of onion thrips using selective insecticides and thresholds was also communicated to the onion industry via monthly and weekly regional Cornell Cooperative newsletters. The implications of reducing nitrogen fertilizer at planting on onion thrips populations and bulb yield were presented at a regional onion grower meeting and a national professional meeting. Written summaries accompanied these presentations. 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 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, a postdoctoral research associate participated on portions of this project and presented talks at professional and commodity meetings. PARTICIPANTS: Mary Lou Hessney, Field research assistant, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Coordinated labor and materials needed to conduct research on all aspects of this project. Dr. Stephen Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving nitrogen and onions. Dr. Cynthia Hsu, Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Conducted research involving the impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and cooperated on research involving selective insecticides and action thresholds on onion thrips management. Christy Hoepting, Extension Educator, Regional Vegetable Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Albion, NY. Cooperated on research involving the impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations. Carol MacNeil, Extension Educator, Regional Vegetable Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Canandaigua, NY. Cooperated on research involving the impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations. Matt Mortellaro, onion grower, Mortellaro Farms, Elba, NY. Allowed us to conduct research on his farm and helped maintain research plots. Guy Smith, onion grower, Triple-G Farms, Elba, NY. Allowed us to conduct research on his farm and helped maintain research plots. Rick Hall, onion grower, Torrey Farms, Potter, NY. Allowed us to conduct research on his farm and helped maintain research plots. TARGET AUDIENCES: Onion growers, University extension educators and faculty, professional crop consultants, agri-chemical company representatives, vegetable seed company representatives and the public were the audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project. 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. Additionally, proceedings of our research results at meetings, extension articles and newsletters and magazine articles were published. Below is a list of efforts in which information generated from this project was presented during the reporting period. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (November 2011). Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, San Diego, CA (December 2010). Multi-State Project W-1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting, Reno, NV (December 2010) 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 American Vegetable Grower Onion World PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Half of the research planned in 2011 was ruined because the onion field in which the research project was initiated flooded in early May, killing all of the onion seeds that were planted. We conducted a modified project in another onion field in mid-May and this project was successful.
Impacts
This project has increased knowledge of those in the US onion industry about onion thrips ecology and their management. Onion growers have a better understanding of how to manage onion thrips using insecticides. 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 insecticide products 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. Discussions with onion growers, Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators and those in the agri-chemical business revealed that onion growers are following at least some of the new recommendations for managing onion thrips with selective insecticides and that fewer applications have been used than in past years. In research trials in commercial fields in 2011, growers did not need to spray every week to manage thrips infestations. The reduction in numbers of applications ranged from 25 to 50%. Reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied to onions reduced onion thrips populations without sacrificing marketable yeild. Bulb yield was equivalent between onion plantings that received 75 lbs and 150 lbs of nitrogen per acre. Yet, thrips densities were reduced by approximately 25%. This information will be presented to the US onion industry beginning in December 2011. An economic analysis will be conducted in the near future to determine the savings growers should expect with this level of nitrogen fertilizer reduction.
Publications
- Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2011. Maximizing performance of new insecticides for managing onion thrips in onion, 4 pp. Proceedings of the 2011 Wisconsin Potato and Onion Meeting. Stevens Point, WI. Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association.
- Nault, B. A., C. L. Hsu and C. Hoepting. 2011. Maximizing the level of onion thrips control using insecticides, 4 pp. Proceedings of the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention. Hershey, PA. Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association.
- 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. Proceedings of the 2011 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo. 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. Proceedings of the 2010 National Allium Research Conference. Reno, NV.
- 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. Proceedings of the 2010 National Allium Research Conference. Reno, NV.
- 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. 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.
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Information from this project was disseminated to the US onion industry via oral presentations at local, regional and national meetings, a field day for onion growers in NY, extension newsletters and a video. Management of onion thrips with selective insecticides applied following sequences and action thresholds to reduce overall insecticide use and mitigate insecticide resistance development was discussed at multiple Cornell Cooperative Extension Meetings held throughout New York State and the Empire State Fruit and Vegetable EXPO in 2010 and at the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable, and Farm Market EXPO in 2009. Detailed handouts accompanied most of the presentations and some of the results can be viewed on the website of the Principal Investigator. This information also will be presented at the National Allium Research Conference and the Entomological Society of America Annual meeting in December 2010. Management of onion thrips using selective insecticides and thresholds was also communicated to the onion industry via monthly and weekly regional Cornell Cooperative newsletters. A video presentation covering this topic was produced with the editor of the American Vegetable Grower about this information http://www.growingproduce.com/gptv/vid=216. The impact that varying amounts of nitrogen had on onion thrips populations was demonstrated in large field plots during a field day in western NY in August 2010. Preliminary results were presented at the Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting in 2009 and results from the 2010 season will be presented at the National Allium Research Conference in December 2010. 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 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, 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. Coordinated labor and materials needed to conduct research on all aspects of this project. Dr. Stephen Reiners, Associate Professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Cooperated on research involving nitrogen and onions. Dr. Cynthia Hsu, Research Associate, Department of Entomology, NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY. Conducted research involving the impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations and cooperated on research involving selective insecticides and action thresholds on onion thrips management. Christy Hoepting, Extension Educator, Regional Vegetable Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Albion, NY. Cooperated on research involving the impact of nitrogen on onion thrips populations. Onion Growers: Lucian Sacheli, Potter, NY; Matt Mortellaro, Elba, NY; Guy Smith, Elba, NY. These growers allowed us to conduct research on their farms. TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences targeted to receive information generated from this project have included onion 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 during the reporting period. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN. Multi-State Project W-1008 Onion IYSV and Thrips Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. 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. Goshen, 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. Journal of Economic Entomology Proceedings of the 2010 Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Educational Program Abstracts from the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO Veg Edge Mineral and Muck PestMinder American Vegetable Grower Onion World PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Research on this project was not initiated until May 2010 to coincide with onion planting. No major changes were made to the objectives or methods.
Impacts
This project has increased knowledge of those in the US onion industry about onion thrips ecology and insecticide resistance management. Based on this information, onion growers have a better understanding of how to manage onion thrips using insecticides. 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 insecticide products belonging to different classes and timing sprays based on action 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. Discussions with onion growers, Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators and those in the agri-chemical business indicated that many growers are following the new recommendations for managing onion thrips with selective insecticides and that fewer applications were used than in past years. In the second year of the project (2011), the number and types of insecticides used to manage thrips following the conventional onion thrips management program and the new one will be compared. The use of nitrogen in onion production was shown to impact onion thrips populations. In general, there was a positive linear relationship between the amount of nitrogen added to the crop and the density of onion thrips. This information will be presented to the US onion industry beginning in December 2010, so no outcomes from this portion of the project can be reported. In the second year of the project (2011), thrips densities and onion bulb yield in fields in which a conventional onion production and onion thrips management program is followed and one that uses less nitrogen and the new approach to managing onion thrips with insecticides will be compared and an economic analysis will be conducted.
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., 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.
- 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.
- Nault, B.A. 2009. Onion thrips control in New York. In Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO. Educational Program Abstracts. December 7-8, 2009. Grand Rapids, MI. Michigan State University Extension. http://www.glexpo.com/abstracts/2009abstracts/Onion.pdf
- Nault, B.A., and Hessney, M.L. 2010. Onion thrips control in onion, 2009. Arthropod Management Tests, 2009. 35: E13.
- 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.
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