Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Leafhopper results were briefly covered at two state meetings by Alan Eaton: at the NH Vegetable/Berry Growers Association Meeting, Boscawen, March 9, 2013, with 85 people attending, and at the the NH Fruit Growers Association Meeting, Concord, March 14, 2013, 55 people attending. Results were also discussed at a meeting in Sicily: for a workshop at the University of Catania, March 13, 2013. Three European leafhopper specialists, two Italian and one German, were in attendance, and we met in a group and in individual meetings where the results of the study were presented. Changes/Problems: The only major problem deals with the taxonomy of one major pest group, the genus Empoasca. This very large genus is being revised and the species-level decisions have been made, but the revision will not be available for at least a year. The revisers report that there are a large number of new species and changes in nomenclature for this group. This genus holds one of the most important pest species in North America, Empoasca fabae. The species can be recognized with practice, and an undergraduate student became proficient in dissecting off male abdomens, clearing, and then placing them to species. About 95% of the specimens set aside as fabae were corrrectly identified, so their pattern of abundance and host associations are recorded. Identification of the remaining Empoasca, a relatively small percentage of the total number of Empoasca collected (the great majority are E. fabae), await publication of the revision before they can be correctly placed to species. This is an estimated 300 specimens, of which none will likely be placed as economically important species. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The PI has been trained in techniques of leafhopper identification, use of the critical references for identification, and on the biology of the species as well as development of a background in vector biology of the pest species. Undergraduate students over three years have been trained in sampling techniques for leafhoppers, the importance of tracking host associations, and the underlying value of taxonomy in working with species that are capable of transmitting diseases. Some of these undergraduates became quite competent at placing leafhoppers to species based on external features, and one undergraduate was trained in the protocol of identifying species using male genitalia after clearing and making slide mounts. After identification the undergraduate students were involved in curation of the collection, placing the specimens in the correct trays, and how to manage a growing collection. Other project participants have become familiar with the suite of pest species typical for New Hampshire, their biology and patterns of abundance, which will be shortly useful for producing pest fact sheets for interested parties in NH and the surrounding region. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Observations and conclusions have been discussed with three leafhopper specialists in Europe, who are particularly interested in sampling protocols, their efficiency, and the results. Preliminary results for the pest species patterns of abundance and vector potential has been presented at two meetings of vegetable and fruit growers in NH. The online database was the first with a large number of North American leafhopper records (7,843 records; 16,123 specimens), and certainly the largest in terms of numbers of species treated. Two papers are in development, one treating the species of NH, their biology and distributions, and another on the sampling protocols and their results in organic/neglected and chemically managed crops. Pest information sheets are being developed for distribution through UNH Cooperative Extension. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Leafhoppers are obligate plant feeders that have been well-known for the problems that their feeding creates for many crops, ornamental shrubs and trees, and flowers, New Hampshire's agricultural basis is rapidly changing in the direction of high value/acreage crops, such as organically-grown crops, stone fruits, grapes, woody ornamentals, and flowers grown outdoors for the retail market. All are known to be attractive to certain leafhoppers, and most of these are susceptible to leafhopper borne diseases, such as Aster yellows or X-disease, or feeding damage via phytotoxic saliva. Particularly exposed are the many organically-grown crops, which comprise the most significant recent growth in agricultural acreage in the state. In a period of decreasing pesticide use and increasing acreage and diversity of organically grown crops, the role of leafhoppers as pests may revert to that of the period when they were considered to be important primary pests. However, information on the leafhoppers present in agricultural crops has not been comprehensively compiled for any region. Based on material taken during the study and in the UNH Insect Collection, 570 species are documented for NH, with an additional 20 species taken in nearby areas of Maine and Massachusetts, for a total of 590 species. These data have been placed in a database, including abundances and are georeferenced, which are currently hosted in a webpage through DiscoverLife. Permission to place photos of many of the species has been graciously given by Tom Murray, a very well-known nature photographer from MA. Host records, diseases for which the species are known vectors, and seasonalities given for adjacent states and Quebec have been captured from the literature and placed in a separate database linked by current species name. Known pests species that occur in NH are identified, and their distribution in the state and abundances documented. Differences in leafhopper communities between organic/neglected crops and chemically managed crops were documented, and the most effective sampling techniques based on color (yellow, red, blue), and type (pan trap, sticky trap, and sweeping) were documented for the leafhopper species involved in transmission of diseases, or for those producing economic damage through their feeding activities. There are an estimated 300 new state records for leafhopper species.
Publications
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
http://pick18.pick.uga.edu/mp/20q?guide=Hemiptera_New_Hampshire
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Leafhopper sampling was conducted in apple, peach, and cherry orchards, and in vegetable and blueberry plots in south-central New Hampshire, involving both organic, neglected, and managed farms. Comparison of leafhopper abundances and diversity were determined over two months using different sampling techniques. These data were captured in a spreadsheet, and voucher specimens placed into the insect collection. Two students were trained in leafhopper sampling, biology, and identification during the summer, and two others conducted independent research projects on the specimens taken during fall semester. Data from the previous (2011) summer were presented via reports to the participating growers, and briefly as "research in progress" to spring grower meetings. The research and the conclusions for 2011 were presented as part of seminar to incoming zoology freshmen to the University. PARTICIPANTS: PI Donald Chandler organized and supervised the sampling program, the identifications, and the analyses. PI Alan Eaton contacted growers about participation, discussed sampling protocols, and provided the reports to the growers and information about progress at grower meetings. Two undergraduate field assistants were involved during the summer conducting sampling, sorting, and mounting/labeling, as well as some identifiction of species. Two undergraduate collection technicians were involved with data entry into the insect collection database, and in specimen preparation. KGA Hamilton, a leafhopper specialist at Agriculture Canada in Ottawa, has functioned as a partner in assisting with or performing identifications, and hosting PI Chandler yearly in Ottawa to discuss leafhopper biology and perform identifications. Two undergraduate students have analyzed specimen collections, each specializing in a different trapping technique, as independent research projects. One will present her study at the UNH Undergraduate Research Conference as part of her senior honors project. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary target audience are growers in this and surrounding states. Participating farmers have received an end-of-the-year report that includes statements on the abundances of leafhopper disease-vectors, and any anomalies in terms of species present. These formal reports routed via PI Eaton are supplimented by his brief comments (as ongoing research) at grower meetings. The findings of this study will be eventually made available through extension online postings, and treatments and photos of the pest species. Synopses of the research have been presented at freshmen seminars, and during an Insect Biology class. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The only problem has been in working with pan traps in blueberries. In both years the farmers heavily mulched the area below the blueberries, where both pan and sticky traps are placed. The pans hold water, salt and a little detergent. The mulch is an excellent hiding place for slugs, which crawl out at night and into the pans where they drown and begin to rot. The rotting odor attracts burying beetles (Nicrophorus spp.), which drown and add their nauseating bacterial odors also. The blueberry row then smells like rotting flesh for some distance, and none of the farm managers are happy, particularly those with pick-your-own farms. Either the managers or customers dump the worst pans and much of the data from this trapping technique in this crop was lost for 2012.
Impacts
Different collecting techniques were again shown to be differentially effective depending on target leafhopper species. Sticky traps have proven to be very effective for monitoring levels of aster-yellows phytoplasma vectors, as long as they are placed near the ground. Yellow sticky traps are very effective for monitoring potato leafhopper levels, as long as they are suspended in trees and not on the ground. Potato leafhoppers are present whether farms are managed with chemicals or not, possibly due to immigration from peripheral areas, but can quickly become a major problem in organic farms. Without cultivation or lack of herbicide strips, the vectors of aster-yellows phytoplasma can become extremely abundant, providing a serious threat to crops susceptible to this phytoplasma. Growers with crops susceptible to aster-yellows will need to maintain cultivated bare strips around their crops to decrease visits by these leafhoppers.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Ten farms were surveyed for leafhoppers in southeastern New Hampshire from June to August utilizing three techniques, sweeping, 3-4 colors of pan-traps, and 3 colors of sticky traps. The farms encompassed organic growers (vegetables, alfalfa), nearly organic (blueberry), unmanaged (apple, peach/cherry, cut flowers), and managed for pests and diseases (apple/peach/cherry, grapes, cut flowers). Additional sampling was done on small areas with wild or neglected apple, grape, and cherry. These sample data have been entered into a spreadsheet, and data from the voucher specimens have been captured into a separate spreadsheet in a format appropriate for placing the data in an online searchable database. Nearly all of the 20,000 specimens taken have been identified to species or genus, representing 126 species or genera, and approximately 1500 specimens will be placed in the UNH Insect Collection. An additional 2000 specimens have been produced by focused targeting individual plant species that are typically found along the periphery of the farms for their often host specific faunas, with these data being placed in the spreadsheet for online access, and the specimens placed in UNH Insect collection. In a separate activity, over 1400 leafhopper host/habitat records have been captured from all older publications and placed in a separate spreadsheet. Five undergraduate students have worked on the project, either conducting field work, or in processing and databasing the specimens. One of these students is graduating, and wishes to continue research in this area. Summaries of the findings concerning the targeted known virus vector leafhopper species, their abundances, and the most productive techniques/colors for detecting their presence are now ready to present to growers groups for their winter meetings. Extension specialist Alan Eaton reported on the initiation of this project to: April 20, 2011 Tree Fruit grower meeting, Merrill Farm, No. Londonderry [29 attendees]; July 18 2011 Vegetable & small fruit twilight mtg, J & F farm, Derry [32 attendees], and the July 25, 2011 Small Fruit Workshop in Northhampton, MA [attended by 14 extension workers from the Northeast states]. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. K.A.G. Hamilton, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa ON traveled to Durham to participate in some of the sampling, and to identify some of the specimens. In a visit to Ottawa by DSC in June, databasing of NH material in the Canadian National Collection (Agriculture Canada) was performed, and additional work on species identifications was pursued. He has been consulted regularly on the identification and biology of the species taken. Dr. Alan T. Eaton has been involved in meeting with growers who provided access to their properties for sampling, and will be the lead individual in transmitting new information to the growers at extension meetings during the winter and spring. Collaborating NH farms have been: Giff Burnap, Butternut Farm, Farmington; John Wakefield, Shagbark Farm, Rochester; Carolyn Ramsbotham, Ramsbotham Farm, Madbury; Tina & Eric Sawtelle, Pinewoods Yankee Farm, Lee; Frank Reinhold, Flag Hill Winery, Lee; Ron Laurance, Blueberry Bay Farm, Stratham; Don Chandler, Chandler Farm, Dover; and three UNH properties, Burleigh-Demeritt Farm (Trent Schreifer), Woodman Horticultural Farm, and Kingman Farm (both John MacLean). Teresa Losapio provided access to her neglected grapevines in Dover. Undergraduate students involved in sampling, processing, identification, and databasing have been Danielle Poirier, Emily Malkauskas, Jonas Insinga, Russell Warnock, and Morgan Dube. Morgan Dube has been involved in all aspects of the running the study, and this has inspired her to pursue graduate work in entomology upon her graduation. TARGET AUDIENCES: Extension faculty and farmers in the Northeastern United States. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
This preliminary study has documented that the vectors of X-disease occur in and around farms that are growing peaches, nectarines, and cherries, but at low abundances. Frequent management for other pests seems to eliminate populations that would be sustained by feeding on ground cover. Bright yellow pan traps on the ground attracted the largest numbers of specimens, in comparison with sweeping, pantraps of other colors (red, blue, whitish-yellow), and sticky traps that were bright yellow, greenish-yellow, or white. Aster-yellows vectors are similarly found at most farms, generally in low numbers, but were abundant at an organic vegetable farm, and frequent at an unmanaged cut-flower farm, where aster-yellows was a known problem. Bright yellow pan traps were generally the best approach for sampling these groups, though the best-known vector of AYV, the six-spotted leafhopper, is best surveyed by sweeping. The potato leafhopper and white apple leafhopper were commonly found using all techniques, but yellow sticky traps seemed to be very effective in attracting these species. The pantraps and sticky traps are effective since they are present in the field for two weeks at a time, and are exposed to the leafhoppers at all periods when they may be active. Active collecting by sweeping produced much fewer specimens, but similar species numbers were produced for each farm site, and multiple fields can be sampled within a single day. It is clear that some techniques are better than others for certain species. The X-disease vector Paraphlepsius irroratus was not taken by sweeping, yet was common in bright yellow pan traps, while the six-spotted leafhopper was best taken by sweeping. Depending on the crops involved, the information developed here will lead to the most effective means of sampling for presence and abundances of these pest species. Impacts. This study will develop the awareness and knowledge of farmers in the seacoast area of the definite presence of pest leafhoppers, and the diseases they may transmit. This information is ready to be presented at relevant twilight meetings during the winter, targeting farmers that produce stone fruit crops, vegetables, and flowers. The knowledge on the best techniques for survey of these pests can be promoted by the extension workers involved in developing management plans for these crops, and those that desire an effective monitoring system for the seasonal appearance of the potato leafhopper will be interested in approaches tested for the most productive techniques for survey of these pest species.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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