Source: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA submitted to NRP
DEVELOPING, DEMONSTRATING AND DISSEMINATING CULTURAL CONTROL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHINCH BUGS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SPECIAL GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0223206
Grant No.
2010-34381-21552
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2010-02650
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2010
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2013
Grant Year
2010
Program Code
[MX]- Pest Management Alternatives
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
G022 MCCARTY HALL
GAINESVILLE,FL 32611
Performing Department
Entomology and Nematology
Non Technical Summary
The southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis, is the most destructive insect pest of St. Augustinegrass from the Gulf Coast states to Texas and California. Its feeding stunts plant growth and kills large turfgrass areas. Populations have become resistant to multiple chemical classes because of frequent insecticide use, improper applications, low spray volumes, lack of thatch management, low treatment thresholds, and the desire for immaculate lawns. Fertilizers are often applied with insecticides, and may affect the amount of turf damage by B. insularis. Thus, the source and rate of nitrogen applications can be manipulated to reduce insect fitness. Implementing a research-based integrated pest management program is essential to minimize the escalating environmental threat to urban landscapes and water resources from mis-use of insecticides. Our overall goal is to reduce the amount and frequency of insecticides used against B. insularis (i.e., reducing fertilization will decrease turfgrass susceptibility to infestations and will delay B. insularis population growth). Our objectives include quantifying the effect of fertilizing susceptible and resistant St. Augustinegrass cultivars with different nitrogen rates and sources on B. insularis development, survival and fecundity; evaluating the association between B. insularis densities and St. Augustinegrass health in home lawns; and demonstrating how thatch management affects turfgrass recovery and B. insularis damage. This problem fits the priorities listed for this opportunity, three of the Southern Region IPM Stakeholder Priorities, the Regional PMSP for Turfgrass, and is a common subject at Southern turfgrass industry meetings.
Animal Health Component
90%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
90%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
21121301130100%
Knowledge Area
211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
2130 - Turf;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology;
Goals / Objectives
Objectives: 1. Quantify the effect of fertilizing susceptible and resistant St. Augustinegrass cultivars with different rates and sources of nitrogen on B. insularis development, survival and fecundity. 2. Evaluate the association between B. insularis population densities and St. Augustinegrass health in home lawns. 3. Demonstrate the impact of thatch management on turfgrass recovery and B. insularis damage. Anticipated Impacts (Deliverables available during the 2 year project period): Three science-based extension publications will be written for the eXtension Urban Integrated Pest Management Community of Practice (Urban IPM CoP) and the UF/IFAS EDIS system, which will outline cultural control recommendations for chinch bugs. One publication will target homeowners, one will target landscape maintenance personnel and pest control operators, and one will focus on issues of importance for sod producers. Research results and recommended practices will be showcased at the May 2012 UF/IFAS North Central Florida Turfgrass Field Day. This event will allow us to demonstrate the potential for commercialization of these practices to target users. This annual event at the G.C. Horn Memorial Turfgrass Field Laboratory in Citra, FL, attracts up to 400 landscape maintenance personnel, pest control operators, golf course superintendents, product and equipment manufacturers and distributors, Master Gardener volunteers, and extension faculty. Recommendations will be delivered on the UF/IFAS Gardening in a Minute website (http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu) and on their statewide (Florida) radio broadcast. Recommendations will also be distributed to Florida County Extension Faculty and Florida Master Gardener Volunteers. A short online video will be produced and made available on the UF/IFAS Entomology and Nematology Department website that shows the impact of chinch bugs on St. Augustinegrass lawns and how the recommended cultural controls can be implemented. At least 2 refereed publications and a trade journal article will be written (e.g., for the Florida Turf Digest), and results will be presented at professional entomology and industry meetings. It is anticipated that at least one article will be submitted by the end of the grant period. Material developed will also be used at the UF/IFAS Pest Management University facility in Apopka, FL. A new one day Pest Control Operator training will be developed that focuses on the newly developed recommendations for culturally controlling chinch bugs and the identification and use of biological control. Attend PMAP Project Directors workshop and deliver project results focusing on results and publications with widespread applicability.
Project Methods
Objective 1: Quantify the effect of fertilizing susceptible and resistant St. Augustinegrass cultivars with different rates and sources of N on B. insularis development, survival and fecundity. Experimental Design (Objective 1): (a) Insect Collections and Rearing. We will establish a laboratory colony of B. insularis from north-central Florida in 2010 (Year 1). Chinch bugs will originate from at least five collection points within distinct geographic areas, without regard to any history of pesticide resistance. (b) Turfgrass. Floratam St. Augustinegrass will be grown in the greenhouse and/or field (plots: 2X2 m). (c) Effect of N Rate and Source on B. insularis Survival and Development. Thirty B. insularis eggs will be collected from the laboratory colony and randomly placed on cores of either Floratam or Captiva St. Augustinegrass inside a rearing container. Data will be examined using MANOVA (SAS Institute 2001). (d) Effect of N Fertilization on the Clutch Size of Reared Chinch Bugs. Total number of eggs laid per female and length of adult survival will be examined using MANOVA (SAS Institute 2001). (e) Determine B. insularis Preference for St. Augustinegrass Grown Under Different N Rates and Sources. Objective 2: Evaluate the association between B. insularis population densities and St. Augustinegrass health in home lawns. Experimental Design (Objective 2): (a) Selection of Test Lawns. At least 100 St. Augustinegrass lawns in Alachua and/or Marion counties, Florida, will be selected . Debris will be examined on site for the presence of B. insularis. It is expected that a subset of the lawns will have at least one B. insularis present. Multiple regression analysis will be used to determine any relationships between the lawn parameters and B. insularis density. (b) Arthropod Population Densities. The subset of lawns infested with B. insularis will continue to be monitored weekly in July and August. (c) Turfgrass Health and Lawn Parameters. Grass plant density, chlorophyll index, and total N tissue concentration will be measured in three areas of each study lawn as indicators of turfgrass health. We will measure turf quality and density on a 1-9 scale this is standard for turf evaluations. (d) Demonstrate an IPM Program. To demonstrate the effectiveness of an IPM program to suppress chinch bug populations, we will either work on the same lawns used to assess arthropod population densities and basic lawn parameters, or partner with reputable lawn care companies in Year 2. At least four home lawns within a neighborhood will be managed under a modified fertilization program (based on the results of the previous tests) and four others in the same neighborhood will be managed under the company's typical fertilization and pesticide program. Objective 3. Demonstrate the impact of thatch management on turfgrass recovery and B. insularis damage.

Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Our efforts reached the following target audiences: commercial pest management companies, turfgrass managers, homeowners, Master Gardeners, sod growers, county Extension faculty, and Florida regulators (FDACS). These groups are a mix of ethnic and socioeconomic statuses. Changes/Problems: No major changes occurred under Objective 1. However, under Objective 2, we faced the challenge of working with homeowners directly and when they were told that they had chinch bugs, many of them wanted to apply an insecticide. If they did (they didn't always tell us), it may have affected Navneet's sampling data or the yard was removed from further sampling.We were unable to accomplish the demonstration of an IPM program for the southern chinch bug underObjective 4d due to time constraints and lack of participants. A new objective was developed to evaluate the effect of two plant growth regulators on St. Augustinegrass health and subsequent damage by the southern chinch bug. We examined the impact of using mefluidide and trinexapac-ethyl on turf health and fitness of Blissus insularis Barber in St. Augustinegrass in laboratory and field tests. In addition, preliminary data were collected with Y-tube olfactometer bioassays regarding the southern chinch bug's preference for fertilized vs. unfertilized St. Augustinegrass cultivars 'Captiva' and 'Floratam'. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? A Ph.D. student was trained and is graduating in December 2013.She attendedsix regional and/or nationalprofessional entomology conferences and presented research and Extension results at each one. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results from this researchhas been incorporated into the UF/IFAS Pest Management University Lawn and Ornamentaltraining programs led by EA Buss and heldin Apopka, FL (https://pmu.ifas.ufl.edu/courses). A separate 8-hour (one-day) Pest Control Operator training was developed and delivered to 62 attendees and broadcast to four participating locations on 17 May 2012. The program focused on the integrated pest management of the southern chinch bug.The PI's presentations were: Buss, EA.2012. Biology and management of southern chinch bugs and other key turf pests. Basics of Turfgrass Pest Management-Chinch Bug Edition. Statewide Polycom Training for Florida Turfgrass Pest Managers. Presentation at the Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville, FL. Gillett-Kaufman, JL. 2012. Lawn health - chinch bugs cause weeds?Basics of Turfgrass Pest Management-Chinch Bug Edition. Statewide Polycom Training for Florida Turfgrass Pest Managers.Presentation at the Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida/IFAS, Gainesville, FL. Three science-based extension publications were written as part of this project: - Kaur N, Buss EA, Gillett-Kaufman JL. 2013. General Lawn Pests: Chinch Bugs. National eXtension Website, Urban Integrated Pest Management. http://www.extension.org/pages/70039/general-lawn-pests:-chinch-bugs - Buss, EA. 2013. Frequently asked questions (FAQs): Southern chinch bugs. Pest Pro 9(5): 18-19. - Kaur, N., Buss, EA, andGillett-Kaufman, JL. 2012. Management changes in St. Augustinegrass to minimize damage by the southern chinch bug. Florida Pest Pro 8 (7): 12, 13, 15. Project updates were also disseminated by N. Kaur verbally and with handouts during the 2012 and 2013 Northcentral Turfgrass Field Days, held at the University of Florida Plant Science Unit in Citra, FL. This publication will be updated in early 2014: Buss, EA. 2014. Southern chinch bug management on St. Augustinegrass. University of Florida/IFAS, EDIS Extension Fact Sheet ENY-325. 4 pgs. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/LH/LH03600.pdf Ten FAQs were submitted to the National eXtension Website "Ask an Expert" section in summer 2013, and are still pending editorial approval. https://ask.extension.org/. In addition, at least three peer-reviewed research manuscripts will be submitted based on the chapters written in the UF dissertation by Navneet Kaur. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Greater B. insularis survival, faster development rate, and increased fecundity were observed when nymphs were reared on ‘Captiva’ (tolerant) and ‘Floratam’ (susceptible) St. Augustinegrass treated with nitrogen fertilizer used at 400 and 300 kg ha-1 yr-1 rate compared to unfertilized plants, regardless of fertilizer sources (ammonium sulfate or sulfur coated urea). Highly fertilized plants were preferred by B. insularis in choice tests compared to unfertilized control plants. 2. Periodic lawn sampling indicated that light intensity, thatch thickness, and mowing height were positively associated with B. insularis densities. Lawns under regimes of no fertilizer and no pesticide inputs had fewer B. insularis than lawns under both a fertilizer and pesticide maintenance program. 3. Higher densities of B. insularis were present in the St. Augustinegrass plots fertilized using 300 kg ha-1 yr-1 rate than in unfertilized plots during field experiments, confirming our laboratory studies. Significantly fewer B. insularis occurred in field plots maintained at mowing heights of 7.5 cm than in plots mowed at 10 cm. The decline in thatch layer thickness and subsequent B. insularis densities following two verticutting events indicated the significance of thatch management. Application of plant growth regulators to St. Augustinegrass reduced B. insularis survival in laboratory bioassays, however no toxicity was observed in a contact bioassay. Significant declines in B. insularis densities were observed in plots treated with either Primo Maxx® or Embark® compared to control field plots.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2011 Citation: Kaur, N., L. Trenholm, J. Gillett-Kaufman, and E. A. Buss. 2011. Association between B. insularis population densities and St. Augustinegrass health in home lawns (poster). National Entomological Society of America Meeting, Reno, NV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2011 Citation: Kaur, N., and E. A. Buss. 2011. Effect of different N rates and sources on population dynamics and fecundity of Blissus insularis (Barber) when reared on Captiva and Floratam St. Augustinegrass. (poster). Entomological Society of America Southeastern Branch Meeting. Knoxville, TN.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Kaur, N. 2013. Manipulating maintenance practices to reduce the susceptibility of two St. Augustinegrass cultivars to Blissus insularis Barber (Hemiptera: Blissidae). University of Florida/IFAS Ph.D. dissertation. Gainesville, FL. 136 pp.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2011 Citation: Kaur, N, Gillett-Kaufman J, and Buss, EA. 2011. Association between southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber (Hemiptera: Blissidae) density and St. Augustinegrass parameters. Poster. National Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Reno, NV.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2013 Citation: Kaur, N and Buss, EA. 2013. Manipulation of cultural practices to reduce Blissus insularis Barber (Hemiptera: Blissidae) densities in St. Augustinegrass. Oral Paper. National Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Buss, E. A., F. P. Baxendale,T. M. Heng-Moss, and J. A. Reinert. 2012. Chinch Bugs. pp. 22-24, In R. Brandenburg and M. Villani (eds.), Handbook of Turfgrass Insect Pests.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2012 Citation: Kaur, N. and E. A. Buss. Effect of mowing and thatch on populations of the southern chinch bug. National Entomological Society of America Meeting, Knoxville, TN. 11/13/12. 15 min talk.


Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities from 9/1/10 to 8/31/11 included obtaining the addresses and permission to survey the lawns of more than 100 people in Alachua and Marion Counties. A member of each property completed an online survey. The front yard of each property that was primarily St. Augustinegrass was sampled in May and June 2011 to determine the number of southern chinch bugs, and attempt to associate chinch bug density with soil moisture and temperature, soil pH, thatch thickness, grass height and density, chlorophyll content, grass color, weed density, and big eyed bug density. A subset of these lawns were sampled again in July and August 2011. In another test at the UF Plant Science Unit, plots were periodically treated with varying rates of nitrogen fertilizer to promote thatch development and determine if chinch bug numbers varied based on the treatments. A field day presentation on the research being conducted on the southern chinch bug was given in May 2011. Two presentations were given in spring 2011 (in Orlando and Tampa) on the management of insecticide resistance in the southern chinch bug. The audiences consisted of lawn care professionals and county extension faculty. Additional information about this project and resistance management was provided at the 2011 National Turfgrass Entomology Workshop in Boise, ID, in July. Attendees at this meeting included university entomology faculty and pesticide manufacturer representatives. PARTICIPANTS: Ms. Navneet Kaur was hired as a Ph.D. student on this project. She and a technician maintained the laboratory colonies for lab and greenhouse experiments. She worked closely with Dr. Gillett-Kaufman on the online survey and lawn sampling in 2011. Navneet participated in a grant-writing workshop in the spring of 2011. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Navneet's lawn sampling resulted in a massive database of information, so she continues to analyze the results. She learned more about statistical design and analysis, how to interact with homeowners about the southern chinch bug, and she learned how to operate several new pieces of equipment. Her results are expected to help lawn care professionals and homeowners better understand where chinch bugs live and feed in St. Augustinegrass, which may help homeowners reduce the susceptibility of those areas and promote more targeted applications by lawn care companies. Fewer applications and less land being treated is expected to reduce problems with insecticide resistance and groundwater contamination.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period