DEVELOPING CLASSICAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL METHODS FOR THE TARNISHED PLANT BUG ON CROPS IN NY STATE

Goals / Objectives
Develop methods to accurately measure fruit damage, to determine if Peristenus digoneutis (a parasite established by Newark)is reducing tarnished plant bug damage to fruit in New York State.

Project Methods
The tarnished plant bug is a major pest of fruit, vegetables, seed, fiber, and nursery crops over most of the U.S. This project focuses on strawberries, because they are grown in many states, are a high-value crop per acre, are a perennial crop, and are significantly damaged by the TPB ($200-300 per acre in N.H.). If the parasite will significantly reduce TPB damage in strawberries, it will lower production costs and insecticide use, and will also encourage similar biocontrol research on other important fruit crops damaged by the TPB in the northeast. Initial research by USDA Newark established PERISTENUS DIGONEUTIS, a European parasite, in NE U.S., determined that it reduced TB numbers in alfalfa by 65%, and had spread into New York and other states. Subsequent cooperative studies at Cornell discovered this parasite in 7 new counties, and demonstrated that it will parasitize significant percentages of TPB's in strawberries, rye, chickweed and Erigeron. Cornell also developed DNA/PCR methods that will accurately identify P. digoneutis and 2 other parasite species.

Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05

Outputs
4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and Cornell University. Additional details for this research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 1926-22000-018-00D entitled Classicial Biological Control of Insect Pests of Crops in the Northeastern U.S. The impact of the introduced European parasitoid of tarnished plant bugs (TPB) was inactive during most of this and the preceding FY due to a staff vacancy at Cornell. A new graduate student was hired at the start of FY 2005 to resume the research and field work. Research plans were formulated over the winter months and field work again was planned to begin again during the late spring of 2005. Research on this project has shifted from past years emphasis on demonstrating the parasite's impact in strawberry crops to a demonstration of its role in apple crops. Damage to commercial apples by TPB in New Hampshire has declined since 1990, coinciding with the establishment and spread of the European parasite of TPB, and we wish to document the sequence of events as they occur in New York. This project is being replaced by a new agreement to facilitate progression of research.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 09/01/00 to 08/31/05

Outputs
Progress Report 4d Progress report. This report documents the termination of a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and Cornell University for research conducted on the impact of an introduced European parasitoid of tarnished plant bugs (TPB). Due to a change in personnel at Cornell the project was inactive during the past several years and was terminated on 31 August 2005. Project research has been resumed under a follow-on agreement, No. 1926-22000-018- 02S. Additional details are in the report for the parent CRIS 1926-22000- 018-00D Classical Biological Control of Insect Pests of Crops.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? D. Progress Report: This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and Cornell University. The position of Research Assistant at Cornell has been vacant for 2 1/2 years, so no experiments have been performed, and there are no FY 2004 research results to report. A research paper has been written on the earlier work, and submitted to a Journal; when it is published, it will be reported here. A new graduate student was recently hired (Sept. 2004). Additional information on the primary ARS research is listed under Project 1926-22000-015-00D, Classical Biological Control of Insect Pests of Crops.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications