Progress 02/15/01 to 09/30/05
Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? What does it matter? The interventionist approach of directly killing pest organisms with toxic chemicals has been the prevailing pest control strategy for well over fifty years. However, the bulk of the effort to develop alternatives has been directed toward the use of modern chemistry and molecular biology to replace traditional pesticides with less hazardous chemicals or nontoxic biologically-based products, but still as therapeutics. Thus, the classic treadmill effect in pursuit of remediation of the symptoms persists while tolls due to pests grow higher, and pest management as a component of agricultural systems is not being adequately addressed. We must go beyond replacing toxic chemicals with more sophisticated, biologically based agents and re-examine the entire paradigm surrounding the interventionist approach, to
include how and why those interventions are made. Truly satisfactory and lasting solutions to modern pest problems require a shift to understanding and promoting naturally occurring biological agents and the other inherent strengths as components of total agricultural ecosystems, and designing our cropping systems so that these natural forces keep the pests within acceptable bounds. Development of an integrated farm management program that increases the abundance and effectiveness of natural enemies of pests and takes advantage of the inherent strengths of plants is an essential strategy for conserving and enhancing the efficacy of natural enemies of pests and will result in cost effective and environmentally harmonious technology for reducing losses in agricultural crops from insect pests. The project has five specific goals: 1) to develop perennialized/diverse cropping systems with year-round cover and refugia that foster desirable pest/natural enemy balances and healthy soils, 2)
to determine the influence of overall landscape designs on pest/natural enemy balances, 3) to understand multi-trophic interactions between plants, herbivores and natural enemies and how they influence the foraging efficacy of natural enemies, 4) to develop knowledge about effects of various interventions on natural enemy effectiveness so as to provide for broader decision- making parameters for cost/benefits of interventions, and 5) to develop spin-off benefits emerging from an understanding of natural systems, such as use of trained wasps for chemical biosensors in precision agriculture, food safety, etc. The research fell under National Program-304 - Crop Protection & Quarantine (70%) and addresses goals in Component II, III, and V as described in the National Program Action Plan. 2. List the milestones (indicators of progress) from your Project Plan. Year 1 (FY 2003) 1. Develop perennial and diverse systems Evaluate cover crops --Initiate on-farm study on influence of cover crops
on insects in cotton Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators --Complete study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm --Complete first study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Complete study on documenting dispersal of corn earworm and pirate bugs from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Initiate study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs from corn to sorghum and cotton 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species --Complete feeding trials with selected plants --Initiate field studies testing selected plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production --Initiate on-farm study of naturally regenerated vegetative field borders for potential for biological control 3. Understanding multi-trophic
interactions Herbivore feeding patterns --Initiate development of bioassay for various patch studies of wasp foraging efficacy --Initiate study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with herbivore damaged squares Plant structure --Initiate study of leaf structure on foraging efficacy of a minute wasp Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants --Initiate study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with random distribution of plants Plant signaling --Initiate study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy Nectar and other parasitoid food sources --Initiate study to determine optimum feeding regimes for wasp learning --Initiate field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species Plant mixes and diversity --Initiate development of patch bioassay for testing effects on wasp foraging efficacy Parasitoid learning --Initiate study of pre-release versus in-field learning on foraging efficacy 4. Determine effects of various interventions on natural enemies
Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their natural enemies --Initiate study on susceptibility of the brown stink bug and the spined soldier bug to stink bug insecticides --Initiate study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots --Initiate study of winter clover in-furrow treatments for potential biological control 5. Use of trained wasps as biological sensor Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi --Complete initial study on ability of trained wasps to recognize fungi species and strain --Initiate study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps --Initiate study of optimal handling regime and training protocols --Initiate development of mass training methodology Engineering of container/sampler system
--Initiate development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses Year 2 (FY 2004) 1. Develop perennial and diverse systems Evaluate cover crops --Completed on-farm study on influence of cover crops on insects in cotton Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators --Initiate second study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug at farmscape level Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Continue study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs from corn to sorghum and cotton 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species --Complete field studies testing selected plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production --Continue on-farm study testing naturally regenerated vegetative field borders --Initiate study of patch edge effects on selected insect
species 3. Understanding multi-trophic interactions Herbivore feeding patterns --Complete development of bioassay for various patch studies of wasp foraging efficacy --Complete and publish study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with herbivore damaged squares Plant structure --Complete study of leaf structure on foraging efficacy of a minute wasp Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants --Complete and publish study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with random distribution of plants Plant signaling --Complete and publish study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy Nectar and other parasitoid food sources --Complete and publish study to determine optimum feeding regimes for wasp learning --Complete field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species Plant mixes and diversity --Complete development of patch bioassay for testing effects on wasp foraging efficacy Parasitoid learning --Complete and publish study of pre-release versus in-field
learning on foraging efficacy 4. Determine effects of various interventions on natural enemies-2004 Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their natural enemies --Complete and publish study on susceptibility of the brown stink bug and the spined soldier bug to stink bug insecticides --Continue study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides Evaluate impact of insecticide usage in grain sorghum trap crop --Initiate study on effect of Karate in brown stink bug pheromone traps on brown stink bugs and their predators in the grain sorghum trap crop Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots --Complete study on in-furrow treatments for potential biological control 5. Use of trained wasps as biological sensor Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi --Publish study on ability of trained wasps to recognize fungi species and strain
--Continue study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps --Complete and publish study of optimal handling regime and training protocols --Continue development of mass training methodology Engineering of container/sampler system --Continue development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses --Initiate evaluation and refinement of system Year 3 (FY 2005) 1. Developing perennial and diverse systems Evaluate cover crops on-farm --Publish study on influence of cover crops on-farm Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators --Publish study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm --Publish initial study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug --Continue second study on grain sorghum as trap crop for SGSB on farmscape level Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to
grain sorghum and cotton --Publish study on documenting dispersal of corn earworm and pirate bugs from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Complete study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs from corn to sorghum and cotton 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species --Continue field studies testing alternative plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production --Complete and publish on-farm study testing naturally regenerated vegetative field borders --Complete and publish study of patch edge effects on selected insects --Initiate field study of patch edge effects on other insects 3. Understanding multi-trophic interactions Herbivore feeding patterns --Continue study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with herbivore damaged squares Plant structure --Continue patch studies of plant structure effects on wasp foraging efficacy Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants --Continue patch
studies of wasp foraging efficacy of wasps with various plant spatial distributions Plant signaling --Continue study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy Nectar and other parasitoid food sources --Complete and publish field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species Plant mixes and diversity --Initiate patch study testing effects of various plant mixes on wasp foraging efficacy Parasitoid learning --Continue study of pre-release versus in-field learning on foraging efficacy 4. Determine effects of various interventions on natural enemies-2005 Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their natural enemies --Complete and publish study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides Evaluate impact of insecticide usage in grain sorghum trap crop --Continue study on effect of Karate in brown stink bug pheromone traps on brown stink bugs and their predators in the
grain sorghum trap crop Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots --Publish study on in-furrow treatments for potential biological control 5. Use of trained wasps as biological sensor Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi --Continue study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps --Continue development of mass training methodology Engineering of container/sampler system --Continue development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses --Continue evaluation and refinement of system 3a List the milestones that were scheduled to be addressed in FY 2005. For each milestone, indicate the status: fully met, substantially met, or not met. If not met, why. 1. Developing perennial and diverse systems. - Evaluate cover crops on-farm. --Publish study on influence of cover crops on-farm. - Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap
crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators. --Publish study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm. --Publish initial study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug. --Continue second study on grain sorghum as trap crop for SGSB on farmscape level. - Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to grain sorghum and cotton. --Publish study on documenting dispersal of corn earworm and pirate bugs from corn to grain sorghum and cotton. --Complete study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs from corn to sorghum and cotton. Milestone Fully Met 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances. -Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species. --Continue field studies testing alternative plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production. --Complete and publish on-farm study testing naturally regenerated vegetative field borders. --Complete and publish study of patch edge
effects on selected insects. --Initiate field study of patch edge effects on other insects. Milestone Fully Met 3. Understanding multi-tropic interactions. -Herbivore feeding patterns. --Continue study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with herbivore damaged squares. -Plant structure. --Continue patch studies of plant sturcture effects on wasp foraging efficacy. -Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants. --Continue patch studies of wasp foraging efficacy of wasps with various plant spatial distributions. -Plant signaling. --Continue study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy. -Nectar and other parasitoid food sources. --Complete and publish field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species. -Plant mixes and diversity. --Initiate patch study testing effects of various plant mixes on wasp foraging efficacy. -Parasitoid learning. --Continue study of pre-release versus in-field learning on foraging efficacy. Milestone Fully Met 4. Determine
effects of various interventions on natural enemies-2005. -Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their natural enemies. --Complete and publish study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides. -Evaluate impact of insecticide usage in grain sorghum trap crop. --Continue study on effect of Karate in brown stink bug pheromone traps on brown stink bugs and their predators in the grain sorghum trap crop. -Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots. --Publish study on in-furrow treatments for potential biological control. Milestone Fully Met 5. Use of trained wasps as biological sensor. -Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi. --Continue study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi. -Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps. --Continue development of mass training methodology.
-Engineering of container/sampler system. --Continue development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses. --Continue evaluation and refinement of system. Milestone Fully Met 3b List the milestones that you expect to address over the next 3 years (FY 2006, 2007, and 2008). What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years under each milestone? This is the final report for this CRIS project and currently we are awaiting approval of a new CRIS project. 4a What was the single most significant accomplishment this past year? Title: Naturally regenerated vegetative field borders for biological control of pests We at the Crop Protection and Management Research Unit, Tifton, GA, sampled select insect species and predation and parasitism rates of insect pest species in a cotton crop and in first and second year successional age naturally regenerated field edge vegetative established for the enhancement of Bobwhite Quail populations as part of
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Bobwhite Quail Initiative. We found that second year naturally regenerated vegetation in the study sites did not correlate with significant pest problems or biological control of pests by beneficial insect species in the adjacent cotton crop when compared to first year naturally regenerated edge vegetation. Analysis of the gut contents of the beneficial parasitoid, M. autographae collected early in the year indicated that individuals feeding in a Cahaba White Vetch plot had sugar levels four times that of controls and those collected from the cotton field edge vegetation, suggesting that this species is food- limited in the set-asides early in the year, which may also apply to other beneficial species. In addition to providing a good food source for M. autographae, we also found that Cahaba White Vetch and a native wildflower mix (nine species) provide copious nectar early in the year, readily reseed each year, and harbor many other
beneficial species. With the addition of select easily managed plant species such as these to naturally regenerated field edge vegetation, there may be an increase in the beneficial to pest insect ratio in the set-asides and the foraging efficacy of predators and parasitoids of pest species in the adjacent field. 4b List other significant accomplishments, if any. Title: Effect of nitrogen level on plant signaling and efficacy of host finding by a parasitoid species Methodology to restructure and manage cropping systems in ways that maximize the presence and effectiveness of beneficial insects and other natural pest control rather than primary reliance on toxic chemical interventions is an essential foundation for sustainable pest management. Herbivore feeding on plants such as cotton and corn emit volatiles that attract their natural enemies, thereby providing a natural source of pest control. Therefore, we examined the potential impact of nitrogen level on attractiveness of natural
enemies to cotton. We found that cotton plants that have too much or too little nitrogen levels are significantly less attractive to natural enemies than the cotton plants with the recommended amount of nitrogen. Thus, proper nutrient management of crops such as cotton is crucial to the plant's ability to recruit natural enemies for biological pest control. Title: Using trained wasps as biological sensors Earlier studies showed that parasitic wasps optimize their pest-finding efficiency by learning and subsequently using chemical and visual cues associated with food and host insect resources. ARS scientists at Tifton and Gainesville, in collaboration with cooperators from Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency/Department of Defense, University of Georgia and Iowa State University, have examined whether the remarkable olfactory and learning abilities of these organisms can be harnessed for military and agricultural intelligence and detection purposes. Under Milestones Objective #5,
use of trained wasps as biological sensor, an invention was filed for a handheld instrument for using containerized trained wasps to monitor and identify chemical indicators of concern (Docket Number 0102. 04). The development and initial demonstration of this methodology greatly advances the feasibility of using insects and other invertebrate organisms as flexible biological sensors and accelerates prospects for transfer of this technology into practical applications. More details are provided in the subordinate project report. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. This project was responsible for investigating and conducting research on developing perennialized/diverse cotton and related row crop systems that foster desirable pest/natural enemies of pests of cotton and related row crops. This research fell under National Program-304 (70%)- Crop Protection & Quarantine and addressed Component II.A.1, III.A.1,
III.B.3, III.B.4, III.C.3, and V.C.2 as described in the National Program Action Plan and under National Program-305 (30%)-Crop Production and addressed Components I.B.3 and I.C as described in the National Program Action Plan. This three-year interim CRIS was developed from an amalgamation of three CRIS projects. Fundamental discoveries by the preceding projects demonstrated the importance plant-herbivore-natural enemy interactions and their interface with landscape design and management regimes. Previous research also demonstrated how various farming practices influenced biology, behavior, ecology and effectiveness of natural enemies. The current CRIS was established to develop ways to integrate the use of natural enemies and biological control into effective, sustainable crop production systems. The major accomplishments over the life of this project for each Milestone Objective are described below. As a result of frequent and intense disturbance, many agricultural systems are
recognized as particularly difficult environments for natural enemies. Conservation tillage and cover crops can help reduce production costs by increasing beneficial insects and improving soil water relationships and long-term soil productivity. Under Milestones Objective #1, ARS scientists of the Crop Protection and Management Research Unit in Tifton, Georgia in cooperation with H. Schomberg, ARS, Watkinsville, Georgia, S. Phatak, University of Georgia, and USDA-SARE conducted on- farm studies in cooperation with cotton farmers associated with the Georgia Conservation Tillage Alliance to assess the benefits of various winter cover crop schemes for fostering natural enemy/pest balances, improvement of soil/water quality, and increase in net profitability. This research fell under National Program-304 - Crop Protection & Quarantine and addressed Component III.C.3 and V.C.2 as described in the National Program Action Plan under National Program-305 - Crop Production and addressed
Components I.B.3 and I.C as described in the National Program Action Plan. The main objective for this research was to develop cover crop systems for conservation tillage cotton that increase beneficial insects. The four cover crop treatments included cereal rye, crimson clover, a mixture of three legumes - balansa clover, crimson clover, and hairy vetch, and a combination of rye in the center of the cotton row with the legume mixture between these centers. Controls were conventionally-tilled cotton fields not planted in winter cover crops. The cotton bollworm and tobacco budworm were the only pests that exceeded their economic threshold. For both years, the number of dates reaching the economic threshold was less for crimson clover and rye cotton than for control cotton largely due to predation by fire ants and the big-eyed bug. In 2001, cotton seed yields were higher for cotton with crimson clover and legume mixture-rye cover crops compared to cotton controls. In 2002, all cover
crop cotton fields, except for the rye fields, had higher seed cotton yields relative to control fields. Therefore, planting a winter cover crop resulted in overall more profitable cotton production compared to leaving a field fallow in the winter. These on-farm cover crop studies have provided cotton producers with ecologically-based, profitable crop production methodology. Trap crop strategies have proven themselves highly effective on tough pests in agricultural crops in recent years and offer the potential to minimize or eliminate the use of insecticides and preserve natural enemies that control pests. Therefore, ARS scientists of the Crop Protection and Management Research Unit in Tifton, Georgia with the support of the Georgia Cotton Commission conducted a 2-year on-farm study to evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, a major pest of cotton. This research fell under National Program-304 - Crop Protection & Quarantine and addressed Component III.B.4 as
described in the National Program Action Plan and under National Program-305 - Crop Production and addressed Components I.B.3 and I.C as described in the National Program Action Plan. Number of plants with corn earworm eggs was much higher in the grain sorghum trap crop than in the cotton for both years demonstrating that corn earworm moths preferred to lay eggs in the grain sorghum trap crop over cotton. The grain sorghum trap crop also helped reduce the need for insecticide applications for this pest for two seasons and enhanced the effectiveness of the parasitoid species for at least one year. These on-farm studies provided cotton producers with an effective trap crop for the corn earworm in cotton. Vegetative buffers in agricultural landscapes are increasingly recognized for their potential as reservoirs of beneficial arthropod species, in addition to providing habitat and food for wildlife, contributing to conservation of native flora, and controlling runoff and pesticide drift.
We sampled select insect species and predation and parasitism rates of insect pest species in a cotton crop and in first and second year successional age naturally regenerated field edge vegetative established for the enhancement of Bobwhite Quail populations as part of The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Bobwhite Quail Initiative. The project fell under National Program-304 - Crop Protection & Quarantine and addressed Components III.A.1 and III.B.3 as described in the National Program Action Plan. We found that second year naturally regenerated vegetation in the study sites did not correlate with significant pest problems or biological control of pests by beneficial insect species in the adjacent cotton crop when compared to first year naturally regenerated edge vegetation. Analysis of the gut contents of the beneficial parasitoid, M. autographae collected early in the year indicated that individuals feeding in a Cahaba White Vetch plot had sugar levels four times that of
controls and those collected from the cotton field edge vegetation, suggesting that this species is food-limited in the set-asides early in the year, which may also apply to other beneficial species. In addition to providing a good food source for M. autographae, we also found that Cahaba White Vetch and a native wildflower mix (nine species) provide copious nectar early in the year, readily reseed each year, and harbor many other beneficial species. With the addition of select easily managed plant species such as these to naturally regenerated field edge vegetation, there may be an increase in the beneficial to pest insect ratio in the set-asides and the foraging efficacy of predators and parasitoids of pest species in the adjacent field. Herbivore feeding on plants such as cotton and corn emit volatiles that attract their natural enemies, thereby providing a natural source of pest control. Therefore, we examined the potential impact of nitrogen level on attractiveness of natural
enemies to cotton. We found that cotton plants that have too much or too little nitrogen levels are significantly less attractive to natural enemies than the cotton plants with the recommended amount of nitrogen. Thus, proper nutrient management of crops such as cotton is crucial to the plant's ability to recruit natural enemies for biological pest control. An ethogram has been established that enables rapid and efficient assays of insect foraging behavior relative to various treatments in studies of tri-trophic system interactions. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the foraging behavior of natural enemy species allows us to manage agricultural systems for more effective biological control of pests. We have established the importance of the extrafloral nectarines in cotton for early season provisioning of an adult parasitoid food source near to where their hosts are found which vastly improved their host foraging efficacy in cotton. This research fell under National Program-304
- Crop Protection & Quarantine and addressed Components II.A.1 and III.A.1 as described in the National Program Action Plan. Stink bugs continue to be responsible for millions of dollars in costs associated with crop loss and insecticide costs across the US. Since resurgence of key pests and outbreaks of secondary pests can occur with treatments that destroy natural enemies, insecticide selectivity is an important issue in integrated pest management. Thus, ARS scientists with the support of the Georgia Cotton Commission and DuPont Crop Protection conducted tests to compare the toxicity of stink bug insecticides to two pest sting bugs, the brown stink bug and the southern green stink, and two natural enemies of stink bugs, the spined soldier bug and a fly parasite, when exposed to dried residues of these insecticides and when feeding on these insecticides. Bidrin, Vydate, and Scout were equally toxic to brown stink bug and spined soldier bug. In addition, spined soldier bug was more
susceptible than brown stink bug to residues of Baythroid and to feeding on indoxacarb-covered food. Generally, Bidrin, Vydate, Baythroid, and Centric were highly toxic to both the southern green stink bug and the parasitic fly. Feeding on food contaminated with Steward was basically non-toxic to the southern green stink bug, but highly toxic to its natural enemy. Cotton producers have been made aware that since none of these insecticides were selective to the natural enemies, chemical interventions with these insecticides should be applied only when this pest reaches economic threshold in cotton to conserve this natural enemies of stink bugs in cotton fields. Placing pesticides in the soil at planting (= in-furrow application) for the control of thrips and nematodes is a widely practiced management strategy in many crops, but these pesticides have been shown to have lethal and sub-lethal effects on non-target organisms. Therefore, two USDA scientists and a University of Georgia
cooperator carried out a study to determine if conservation tillage (= strip tillage) along with a winter leguminous cover crop and an in-furrow fertilizer treatment could control thrips numbers and cotton seedling damage as well as conventional fields (full tillage with no cover) and in-furrow pesticides because of potential increases in soil nutrients and thus seedling vigor in conservation systems. The reduced tillage along with cover crops alone reduced thrips and thrips seedling damage compared to conventional fields, and that in-furrow fertilizer treatments in the conservation fields further decreased thrips seedling damage compared to the no-in-furrow treatment plots and were not different from the thrips seedling damage found in the in-furrow pesticide treatments, and that nematode populations were low and remained low throughout the two-year study. Thus, conservation tillage with a winter leguminous cover that is not favorable to nematodes and an in-furrow application of a
fertilizer may be a viable alternative to in-furrow pesticide use in cotton. Both of the above research projects fell under National Program-305 - Crop Production and addressed Component I.B.3 as described in the National Program Action Plan. ARS scientists at Tifton and Gainesville, in collaboration with cooperators from Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency/Department of Defense, University of Georgia and Iowa State University, have examined whether the remarkable olfactory and learning abilities of parasitic wasps can be harnessed for military and agricultural intelligence and detection purposes. A biological sensor system was developed, evaluated, and a patent filed (Docket Number 0102.04) for use in chemical detection. The development and initial demonstration of this methodology greatly advances the feasibility of using insects and other invertebrate organisms as flexible biological sensors and accelerates prospects for transfer of this technology into practical
applications. This research fell under National Program-304- Crop Protection & Quarantine and addressed Component II.A.1 as described in the National Program Action Plan. 6. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end- user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? The CRIS research is in a transitional stage evaluating on-farm insect management strategies which could lead to more sustainable systems. The potential for greater technology transfer will be in the next phase of research. Information on the effectiveness of sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug was transferred to producers, other scientists, industry and consumer organizations at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in New Orleans, LA. Participation and presentation of cover crop research at the ARS Organic Research
Workshop in Austin, TX with ARS scientists of many other disciplines and organic producers, marketers, and consumers was an important step toward developing a coordinated ARS effort to address the needs of ARS organic agriculture research efforts. 7. List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). Cover Crops Lure Beneficial Insects, Improve Bottom Line in Cotton. SARE Annual Report. April 2005. Dolittles's Raiders: Like the good doctor, scientists are communicating with critters - but this time it's to detect explosives. By David Stipp. Fortune Magazine. May 2, 2005. Olson, D. M., Takasu, K., Lewis, W. J. 2005. Food needs of adult parasitoids: Behavioral adaptations and consequences. In: Wackers, F. L., Van Rijn, P.C.J., Bruin, J., editors. Plant-Provided Food for Carnivorous Insects: A Protective Mutualism and Its Application. United
Kingdom: University Press, Cambridge. p. 137-147.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Tertuliano, M., Tomberlin, J. K., Jurjevic, Z., Wilson, D., Rains, G. C., Lewis, W. J. 2005. The ability of conditioned Microplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to distinguish between odors of aflatoxigenic and non-aflatoxigenic fungal strains. Chemoecology. 15:89-95.
- Tillman, P.G., Mullinix, Jr., B.G. 2004. Grain sorghum as a trap crop for corn earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in cotton. Environmental Entomology. 33(5):1371-1380.
- Tillman, P. G., Schomberg, H. H, Phatak, S., Mullinix, B., Timper, P., Lachnicht, S. L., Olson, D. M. 2004. Influence of cover crops on insect pests and predators in conservation-tillage cotton. Journal of Economic Entomology. 97:1217-1232.
- Shellhorn, N. A., Lane, C., Olson, D. M. 2005. The co-occurrence of an introduced biological control agent (Coleoptera: Coccinella septempunctata) and an endangered butterfly (Lepidoptera: Lycaeides melissa samuelis). Journal of Insect Conservation. 9(1):41-47.
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? What does it matter? The interventionist approach of directly killing pest organisms with toxic chemicals has been the prevailing pest control strategy for well over fifty years. However, the bulk of the effort to develop alternatives has been directed toward the use of modern chemistry and molecular biology to replace traditional pesticides with less hazardous chemicals or nontoxic biologically-based products, but still as therapeutics. Thus, the classic treadmill effect in pursuit of remediation of the symptoms persists while tolls due to pests grow higher, and pest management as a component of agricultural systems is not being adequately addressed. We must go beyond replacing toxic chemicals with more sophisticated, biologically based agents and re-examine the entire paradigm surrounding the interventionist approach, to
include how and why those interventions are made. Truly satisfactory and lasting solutions to modern pest problems require a shift to understanding and promoting naturally occurring biological agents and the other inherent strengths as components of total agricultural ecosystems, and designing our cropping systems so that these natural forces keep the pests within acceptable bounds. Development of an integrated farm management program that increases the abundance and effectiveness of natural enemies of pests and takes advantage of the inherent strengths of plants is an essential strategy for conserving and enhancing the efficacy of natural enemies of pests and will result in cost effective and environmentally harmonious technology for reducing losses in agricultural crops from insect pests. The project has five specific goals: 1) to develop perennialized/diverse cropping systems with year-round cover and refugia that foster desirable pest/natural enemy balances and healthy soils, 2)
to determine the influence of overall landscape designs on pest/natural enemy balances, 3) to understand multi-trophic interactions between plants, herbivores and natural enemies and how they influence the foraging efficacy of natural enemies, 4) to develop knowledge about effects of various interventions on natural enemy effectiveness so as to provide for broader decision- making parameters for cost/benefits of interventions, and 5) to develop spin-off benefits emerging from an understanding of natural systems, such as use of trained wasps for chemical biosensors in precision agriculture, food safety, etc. The research to be undertaken falls under National Program-304 - Crop Protection & Quarantine (70%) and addresses goals in Component II, III, and V as described in the National Program Action Plan. Specifically these are: II.A.1 Develop an understanding of the organismal biology, behavior, chemical ecology, genetics and bionomics of major, minor, occasional and potential crop pests
and their natural enemies. III.A.1 Increase knowledge of plant-pest-natural enemy (multi-trophic) interactions among the principal biotic components of agricultural production systems in a variety of protected and open field environments. III.B.3 Characterize population dynamics of arthropod species in the context of multiple interactions with other species, both within and between crops or other habitats. III.B.4 Determine the effects of manipulating crop phenology or plant/pest synchrony on pest and beneficial arthropod population dynamics. III.C.3 Through a better understanding of multi-trophic interactions, develop organic and reduced-input production systems that require fewer pesticides, are more environmentally benign, and are more stable and sustainable. V.C.2 Develop management strategies based on complementary tactics to improve compatibility with agronomic or economic goals and maximize impact on insect and mite complexes. The research to be undertaken also falls under
National Program-305 - Crop Production (30%) and addresses goals in Component I as described in the National Program Action Plan. Specifically these are: I.B.3 Develop alternative pest control measures and holistic management systems to help minimize crop damage while maximizing human safety, environmental compatibility, and economic returns. I.C.1 Improve understanding of the effects of management practices and their interaction on crop productivity and quality. I.C. Integrate pest control, soil-water-nutrient management, and mechanization into economically and environmentally sound cropping systems. 2. List the milestones (indicators of progress) from your Project Plan. Year 1 (FY 2003) 1. Develop perennial and diverse systems Evaluate cover crops --Initiate on-farm study on influence of cover crops on insects in cotton Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators --Complete study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm --Complete
first study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Complete study on documenting dispersal of corn earworm and pirate bugs from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Initiate study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs from corn to sorghum and cotton 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species --Complete feeding trials with selected plants --Initiate field studies testing selected plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production --Initiate on-farm study of naturally regenerated vegetative field borders for potential for biological control 3. Understanding multi-trophic interactions Herbivore feeding patterns --Initiate development of bioassay for various patch studies of wasp foraging efficacy --Initiate study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with
herbivore damaged squares Plant structure --Initiate study of leaf structure on foraging efficacy of a minute wasp Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants --Initiate study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with random distribution of plants Plant signaling --Initiate study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy Nectar and other parasitoid food sources --Initiate study to determine optimum feeding regimes for wasp learning --Initiate field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species Plant mixes and diversity --Initiate development of patch bioassay for testing effects on wasp foraging efficacy Parasitoid learning --Initiate study of pre-release versus in-field learning on foraging efficacy 4. Determine effects of various interventions on natural enemies Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their natural enemies --Initiate study on susceptibility of the brown stink bug and the spined soldier bug to
stink bug insecticides --Initiate study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots --Initiate study of winter clover in-furrow treatments for potential biological control 5. Use of trained wasps as biological sensor Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi --Complete initial study on ability of trained wasps to recognize fungi species and strain --Initiate study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps --Initiate study of optimal handling regime and training protocols --Initiate development of mass training methodology Engineering of container/sampler system --Initiate development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses Year 2 (FY 2004) 1. Develop perennial and diverse systems Evaluate cover crops --Completed on-farm
study on influence of cover crops on insects in cotton Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators --Initiate second study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug at farmscape level Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Continue study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs from corn to sorghum and cotton 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species --Complete field studies testing selected plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production --Continue on-farm study testing naturally regenerated vegetative field borders --Initiate study of patch edge effects on selected insect species 3. Understanding multi-trophic interactions Herbivore feeding patterns --Complete development of bioassay for various patch studies of wasp foraging efficacy --Complete and publish
study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with herbivore damaged squares Plant structure --Complete study of leaf structure on foraging efficacy of a minute wasp Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants --Complete and publish study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with random distribution of plants Plant signaling --Complete and publish study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy Nectar and other parasitoid food sources --Complete and publish study to determine optimum feeding regimes for wasp learning --Complete field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species Plant mixes and diversity --Complete development of patch bioassay for testing effects on wasp foraging efficacy Parasitoid learning --Complete and publish study of pre-release versus in-field learning on foraging efficacy 4. Determine effects of various interventions on natural enemies-2004 Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their
natural enemies --Complete and publish study on susceptibility of the brown stink bug and the spined soldier bug to stink bug insecticides --Continue study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides Evaluate impact of insecticide usage in grain sorghum trap crop --Initiate study on effect of Karate in brown stink bug pheromone traps on brown stink bugs and their predators in the grain sorghum trap crop Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots --Complete study on in-furrow treatments for potential biological control 5. Use of trained wasps as biological sensor Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi --Publish study on ability of trained wasps to recognize fungi species and strain --Continue study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps --Complete and publish study of optimal handling
regime and training protocols --Continue development of mass training methodology Engineering of container/sampler system --Continue development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses --Initiate evaluation and refinement of system Year 3 (FY 2005) 1. Developing perennial and diverse systems Evaluate cover crops on-farm --Publish study on influence of cover crops on-farm Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators --Publish study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm --Publish initial study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug --Continue second study on grain sorghum as trap crop for SGSB on farmscape level Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Publish study on documenting dispersal of corn earworm and pirate bugs from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Complete study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs
from corn to sorghum and cotton 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species --Continue field studies testing alternative plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production --Complete and publish on-farm study testing naturally regenerated vegetative field borders --Complete and publish study of patch edge effects on selected insects --Initiate field study of patch edge effects on other insects 3. Understanding multi-trophic interactions Herbivore feeding patterns --Continue study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with herbivore damaged squares Plant structure --Continue patch studies of plant structure effects on wasp foraging efficacy Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants --Continue patch studies of wasp foraging efficacy of wasps with various plant spatial distributions Plant signaling --Continue study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy Nectar and other
parasitoid food sources --Complete and publish field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species Plant mixes and diversity --Initiate patch study testing effects of various plant mixes on wasp foraging efficacy Parasitoid learning --Continue study of pre-release versus in-field learning on foraging efficacy 4. Determine effects of various interventions on natural enemies-2005 Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their natural enemies --Complete and publish study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides Evaluate impact of insecticide usage in grain sorghum trap crop --Continue study on effect of Karate in brown stink bug pheromone traps on brown stink bugs and their predators in the grain sorghum trap crop Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots --Publish study on in-furrow treatments for potential biological control 5. Use of trained wasps as
biological sensor Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi --Continue study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps --Continue development of mass training methodology Engineering of container/sampler system --Continue development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses --Continue evaluation and refinement of system 3. Milestones: A. List the milestones (from the list in Question #2) that were scheduled to be addressed in FY 2004. How many milestones did you fully or substantially meet in FY 2004 and indicate which ones were not fully or substantially met, briefly explain why not, and your plans to do so. 1. Develop perennial and diverse systems Evaluate cover crops --Completed on-farm study on influence of cover crops on insects in cotton Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators
--Initiate second study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug at farmscape level Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Continue study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs from corn to sorghum and cotton 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species --Complete field studies testing selected plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production --Continue on-farm study testing naturally regenerated vegetative field borders --Initiate study of patch edge effects on selected insect species 3. Understanding multi-trophic interactions Herbivore feeding patterns --Complete development of bioassay for various patch studies of wasp foraging efficacy --Complete and publish study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with herbivore damaged squares Plant structure --Complete study of leaf structure on foraging
efficacy of a minute wasp Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants --Complete and publish study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with random distribution of plants Plant signaling --Complete and publish study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy Nectar and other parasitoid food sources --Complete and publish study to determine optimum feeding regimes for wasp learning --Complete field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species Plant mixes and diversity --Complete development of patch bioassay for testing effects on wasp foraging efficacy Parasitoid learning --Complete and publish study of pre-release versus in-field learning on foraging efficacy 4. Determine effects of various interventions on natural enemies-2004 Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their natural enemies --Complete and publish study on susceptibility of the brown stink bug and the spined soldier bug to stink bug insecticides
--Continue study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides Evaluate impact of insecticide usage in grain sorghum trap crop --Initiate study on effect of Karate in brown stink bug pheromone traps on brown stink bugs and their predators in the grain sorghum trap crop Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots --Complete study on in-furrow treatments for potential biological control 5. Use of trained wasps as biological sensor Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi --Publish study on ability of trained wasps to recognize fungi species and strain --Continue study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps --Complete and publish study of optimal handling regime and training protocols --Continue development of mass training methodology Engineering of container/sampler system --Continue
development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses --Initiate evaluation and refinement of system All of these milestones were fully or substantially met. B. List the milestones (from the list in Question #2) that you expect to address over the next 3 years (FY 2005, 2006, & 2007). What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years under each milestone? This Project is currently operating in the second year of a 30 month Ad Hoc review plan that covers 6 months of FY 2005. NBTherefore, plans for the next 3 years are being developed as part of the new five year plan currently underway. NBShown below are the FY2005 milestones from the interim Project Plan which will be incorporated into the new Project Plan. NB 1. Developing perennial and diverse systems Evaluate cover crops on-farm --Publish study on influence of cover crops on-farm Evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators --Publish study on
grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm --Publish initial study on grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug --Continue second study on grain sorghum as trap crop for SGSB on farmscape level Document dispersal of the corn earworm, stink bugs and predators from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Publish study on documenting dispersal of corn earworm and pirate bugs from corn to grain sorghum and cotton --Complete study on documenting dispersal of stink bugs from corn to sorghum and cotton 2. Overall landscape effects on pest/natural enemy balances Potential use of various plant species for conservation of beneficial species --Continue field studies testing alternative plants for growth, reseeding and nectar production --Complete and publish on-farm study testing naturally regenerated vegetative field borders --Complete and publish study of patch edge effects on selected insects --Initiate field study of patch edge effects on other insects 3. Understanding
multi-trophic interactions Herbivore feeding patterns --Continue study of foraging efficacy of wasps in a patch with herbivore damaged squares Plant structure -- Continue patch studies of plant structure effects on wasp foraging efficacy Distribution of damaged and undamaged plants --Continue patch studies of wasp foraging efficacy of wasps with various plant spatial distributions Plant signaling --Continue study of effect of plant signaling on foraging efficacy Nectar and other parasitoid food sources --Complete and publish field study of sugar feeding on selected plants by two wasp species Plant mixes and diversity --Initiate patch study testing effects of various plant mixes on wasp foraging efficacy Parasitoid learning --Continue study of pre-release versus in-field learning on foraging efficacy 4. Determine effects of various interventions on natural enemies-2005 Evaluate topical, residual and oral activity of new insecticides on stink bugs and their natural enemies --Complete
and publish study on susceptibility of the southern green stink bug and Trichopoda pennipes to stink bug insecticides Evaluate impact of insecticide usage in grain sorghum trap crop --Continue study on effect of Karate in brown stink bug pheromone traps on brown stink bugs and their predators in the grain sorghum trap crop Evaluate effect of Temik on natural enemies in small plots --Publish study on in-furrow treatments for potential biological control 5. Use of trained wasps as biological sensor Potential use of wasps for detection and monitoring for aflatoxin- producing fungi --Continue study of volatile chemicals detected by wasps that indicate presence of fungi Develop training protocols and regimes for the wasps --Continue development of mass training methodology Engineering of container/sampler system --Continue development of prototype system for holding wasps and analyses of their responses --Continue evaluation and refinement of system 4. What were the most significant
accomplishments this past year? A. Single most significant accomplishment during FY 2004 (one per Research (OOD) Project): Stink bugs have emerged as important pests in cotton as use of broad- spectrum insecticides have diminished due to successful eradication of the boll weevil, control of worm pests with Bt cotton (a type of cotton genetically modified with transgenic technology), and development of new insecticides which target specific pests. In a corn-cotton farmscape, the southern green stink bug can move mid to late season from corn into cotton. Therefore, an ARS scientist at Tifton conducted a test to determine if a strip of grain sorghum planted between a corn and cotton field could attract this pest stink bug. It was determined that the addition of grain sorghum at the right time and place in the corn-cotton farmscape effectively trapped southern green stink bugs and prevented them from moving into the cotton field and that parasitization of adults of this pest by a fly was
high in sorghum where these pests congregated. Producers using grain sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug could effectively control these pests in cotton while reducing the economic and environmental costs of using insecticide interventions. B. Other significant accomplishment(s), if any. Agricultural landscapes often lack appropriate habitats necessary for the year-round conservation and enhancement of natural enemies of crop pests. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Bob White Quail Initiative program (BQI) which pays growers to set aside crop borders for conservation of quail provides an opportunity to examine the benefits of these set asides for provisioning of appropriate habitat and enhancement of beneficial arthropod species and pest control in the adjacent crop. Thus, an ARS scientist conducted a first year study that showed that two major predators were more abundant in the less frequently disturbed (2nd versus 1st year) set asides and this
translated into more predators within the adjacent fields, whereas several pests species were more abundant in 1st than 2nd year set asides. These results indicate that longer term (less disturbed) set asides can enhance the conservation of both bob white quail and other beneficial species for pest control. Placing pesticides in the soil at planting (= in-furrow application) for the control of thrips and nematodes is a widely practiced management strategy in many crops, but these pesticides have been shown to have lethal and sub-lethal effects on non-target organisms. Therefore, two USDA scientists and a University of Georgia cooperator carried out a study to determine if conservation tillage (= strip tillage) along with a winter leguminous cover crop and an in-furrow fertilizer treatment could control thrips numbers and cotton seedling damage as well as conventional fields (full tillage with no cover) and in-furrow pesticides because of potential increases in soil nutrients and thus
seedling vigor in conservation systems. The reduced tillage along with cover crops alone reduced thrips and thrips seedling damage compared to conventional fields, and that in-furrow fertilizer treatments in the conservation fields further decreased thrips seedling damage compared to the no-in-furrow treatment plots and were not different from the thrips seedling damage found in the in-furrow pesticide treatments, and that nematode populations were low and remained low throughout the two-year study. Thus, conservation tillage with a winter leguminous cover that is not favorable to nematodes and an in-furrow application of a fertilizer may be a viable alternative to in-furrow pesticide use in cotton. C. Significant activities that support special target populations. None D. Progress Report--opportunity to submit additional programmatic information to your Area Office and NPS (optional for all in-house ("D") projects and the projects listed in Appendix A; mandatory for all other
subordinate projects). None 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. The big-eyed bug effectively preys on a variety of insect pests in cotton, but this predator also feeds on cotton plants. So, the effect of prey quality and prey size on cotton plant feeding behavior by big-eyed bug females was determined for three treatments: 1) corn earworm eggs (small high quality food), 2) adult cotton aphids (low quality food), and 3) young corn earworm worms (large high quality food). More plant feeding occurred when big-eyed bugs were provided less suitable prey (cotton aphids). Nevertheless, plant feeding occurred on cotton regardless of prey species or prey size even with unlimited high quality prey. This research demonstrated for the first time that plant feeding is an integral part of the feeding behavior of a predator, and the effect of plant feeding needs to be assessed when determining susceptibility of predators to
insecticides. Providing healthy cotton to these predators, reducing systemic insecticides that can harm the big-eyed bug, and providing other quality plant food could help in the conservation of these predators increasing their effectiveness as natural enemies of pests in cotton. Stink bugs are responsible for millions of dollars in costs associated with crop loss and insecticide costs in cotton production across the US. Since resurgence of key pests and outbreaks of secondary pests can occur with treatments that destroy natural enemies, insecticide selectivity is an important issue in integrated pest management. Thus, the objective of this research was to compare the toxicity of the insecticides Baythroid, Bidrin, Steward, Vydate, and Scout to a pest stink bug, the brown stink bug (BSB), and a predatory stink bug, the spined soldier bug, when exposed to dried residues of these insecticides and when feeding on these insecticides. Bidrin, Vydate, and Scout were equally toxic to the BSB
and the spined soldier bug. In addition, the spined soldier bug was more susceptible than the BSB to residues of Baythroid and to feeding on indoxacarb-covered food. Thus, chemical interventions with each of these five insecticides should be applied only when this pest reaches economic threshold in cotton to conserve SSB and other natural enemies in cotton fields. Research scientists and others in the agricultural community have been made aware of the importance of insect behavior in selectivity to insecticides and the need for examining toxicity of insecticides to natural enemies feeding on residues of these toxicants. It can no longer be assumed that an insecticide that has only feeding activity against a pest will be non-toxic to natural enemies. As a result of frequent and intense disturbance, many agricultural systems are recognized as particularly difficult environments for natural enemies. Conservation tillage and cover crops can help reduce production costs by increasing
beneficial insects and improving soil water relationships and long-term soil productivity. An on-farm sustainable agricultural research project was established for cotton in South Georgia and conducted for two years. The main objective for this project was to develop cover crop systems for conservation tillage cotton that increase beneficial insects. The four cover crop treatments included cereal rye, crimson clover, a mixture of three legumes - balansa clover, crimson clover, and hairy vetch, and a combination of rye in the center of the cotton row with the legume mixture between these centers. Controls were conventionally-tilled cotton fields not planted in winter cover crops. Heliothine predators and aphidophagous lady beetles occurred in cover crops and cotton during both years of the experiment. The big-eyed bug, the pirate bug, and red imported fire ants were the most abundant heliothine predators. The data indicate that intercropping cotton in live strips of cover crop was
probably responsible for the relay of G. punctipes onto cotton in these crimson clover fields. Conservation of the habitat of fire ants during planting probably was responsible for the higher density of red imported fire ants observed in all conservation- tillage cotton fields relative to control cotton fields. Reduction in the number of times in which economic thresholds for heliothines were exceeded in crimson clover and rye compared to control fields indicated that the build up of predaceous fire ants and G. punctipes in these cover crops subsequently resulted in reduction in the level of heliothines in conservation-tillage cotton with these cover crops compared to conventional-tillage cotton without cover crops. For the first year of the test, cotton seed yields were higher for cotton with crimson clover and legume mixture-rye cover crops compared to cotton controls. In the second year, all cover crop cotton fields, except for the rye fields, had higher seed cotton yields relative
to control fields. Therefore, planting a winter cover crop resulted in overall more profitable cotton production compared to leaving a field fallow in the winter. Populations of corn earworms can reach economically damaging levels in cotton. Trap crop strategies have proven themselves highly effective on tough pests in agricultural crops in recent years and offer the potential to minimize or eliminate the use of insecticides and preserve natural enemies that control pests. The idea is simple, intercept the insect with a plant that is more attractive to the pest than the main crop. Thus, a 3- year on-farm study was designed to evaluate grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm. Number of plants with corn earworm eggs was much higher in the grain sorghum trap crop than in the cotton for all three years demonstrating that corn earworm moths preferred to lay eggs in the grain sorghum trap crop over cotton. The grain sorghum trap crop also helped reduce the need for insecticide
applications for this pest for two seasons and enhanced the effectiveness of the parasitoid species for at least one year. We conclude that grain sorghum served as an effective trap crop for the corn earworm in cotton. Earlier studies showed that parasitic wasps optimize their pest-finding efficiency by learning and subsequently using chemical and visual cues associated with food and host insect resources. ARS scientists at Tifton and Gainesville, in collaboration with cooperators from Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency/Department of Defense, University of Georgia and Iowa State University, are exploring whether the remarkable olfactory and learning abilities of these organisms can be harnessed for military and agricultural intelligence and detection purposes. A training protocol was described whereby wasps are trained to associate, with food or hosts, a wide range of chemical types and structures at very low dosages, and a prototype method was developed whereby they can be
employed to monitor candidate air samples and report detection of the subject chemicals via distinct 'host attack' or 'food searching' behaviors. These findings open immense prospects for using these organisms directly, or through derived information of their governing mechanisms, for development of novel and highly effective detection/intelligence systems. 6. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end- user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? Information on the positive influence of cover crops on natural enemies in cotton was transferred to producers, other scientists, industry and consumer organizations during the Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition Field Day in Moultrie, GA, at the Conservation Tillage meeting at North Carolina State University, and at the Conservation Tillage School in
Douglas, GA. The influence of various leguminious cover species on nematode was transferred to producers at the county field day in Louisville, GA, and the in-furrow treatments and cover crop effects on thrips and thrips damage was transferred to other scientists through a presentation at the Annual Entomological Society of America Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Information on the effectiveness of sorghum as a trap crop for the southern green stink bug was transferred to producers, other scientists, industry and consumer organizations at the Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio, TX and at the Southeastern Branch Entomological Society of America meeting in Charleston, SC. Information and technology on safer, more profitable and sustainable pest management systems was transferred to growers, consultants, extension specialists and scientists at the Mississippi Agricultural Pest Management Associations' Annual Meeting in an invited presentation on "Eco-Profitable Pest Management:
Leveraging Nature's Strengths for a Healthier Environment and Sustained Bottom Line", as part of the theme "Pest Ecology in A Changing World", Greenville, MS, February, 2004. 7. List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. Invitational presentation on "Influence of Cover Crops and Conservation Tillage on Natural Enemies of Pest Insects", Conservation Tillage School, Douglas, GA, February 2004. "Influence of Cover Crops and Conservation Tillage on Natural Enemies in Cotton" in Proceedings of the Southern Conservation Tillage Conference, Raleigh, NC, June 2004. Invitational lecture on "Tritrophic Interactions of Plants, Herbivores, and Natural Enemies," and "Systems-Based Principles as Applied to Sustainable Agriculture: Need for a Fundamental Shift", Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan, November 2003. Invitational lecture on "Tritrophic Interactions of Plants, Herbivores, and Natural Enemies:
Importance to Sustainable Agriculture", Saga University, Saga, Japan, November 2003. Invitational lecture on "Tritrophic Interactions of Plants, Herbivores, and Natural Enemies and Need for Shift to Systems-Based for Achieving Sustainable Agriculture", University of Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan, November 2003. Invitational presentation on "Intrinsic-Based Education: Excellence Through Leveraging The Power Within", Superintendent Board of Controls, Coastal Plains Regional Education Support Agency, Annual Meeting, St. Simons, GA, June 2004. Lachnicht, S.L., Schomberg, H.H., Tillman, P.G. 2002. "Soil microarthropods: Bioindicators of conservation management practices." Annual Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture. Lachnicht, S.L., Schomberg, H.H., Tillman, P.G. 2003. "Differences in the soil microarthropod community under two winter cover crops in strip- tilled cotton." Soil Ecology Society Conference.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Olson, D.M., Hodges, T.A., Lewis, W.J. 2003. Foraging efficacy of a larval parasitoid in a cotton patch: Influence of chemical cues and learning. Journal of Insect Behavior. 16(5):613-624.
- Olson, D.M., Rains, G.C., Meiners, T., Takasu, K., Tertuliano, M., Tumlinson, J.H., Wackers, F.L., Lewis, W.J. 2003. Parasitic wasps learn and report diverse chemicals with unique conditionable behaviors. Chemical Senses. 28:545-549.
- Rains, G.C., Lewis, W.J. 2004. Sustainable agriculture: definition and goals. Encyclopedia of Plant and Crop Science, Agropedia, Marcel Dekker, NY. p.1187-1190.
- Takasu, K., Lewis, W.J. 2003. Learning of host searching cues by the larval parasitoid Microplitis croceipes. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 108:77-86.
- Tertuliano, M., Olson, D.M., Rains, G.C., Lewis, W.J. 2004. Influence of handling and conditioning protocol on learning and memory of Microplitis croceipes. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 110:165-172.
- Tillman, P.G. 2004. Comparison of susceptibility of pest Euschistus servus and predator Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) to selected insecticides. Journal of Economic Entomology. 97(3):800-806.
- Tillman, P.G., Mullinix, Jr., B.G. 2003. Comparison of host-searching and ovipositional behavior of Cardiochiles nigriceps viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in tobacco and cotton. Journal of Insect Behavior. 16(4):555- 569.
- Tillman, P.G., Mullinix, Jr., B. 2003. Effect of prey species and size on plant feeding behavior by the big-eyed bug, Geocoris punctipes (Say) (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae), on cotton. Environmental Entomology. 32(6):1399- 1403.
- Tillman, P.G., Styer, E.L., Hamm, J.J. 2004. Transmission of an Ascovirus from Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by three parasitoids and effects of the virus on survival of the parasitoid, Cardiochiles nigriceps (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Environmental Entomology. 33(3):633-643.
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? There is a pressing need for more permanent, cost effective and environmentally harmonious technology for reducing losses in agricultural crops from insect pests. Improved use of biological control with beneficial insects (parasitoids and predators) is at the forefront of alternatives for addressing these needs. Development of an integrated farm management program that increases the abundance and effectiveness of natural enemies of pests and takes advantage of the inherent strengths of plants is an essential strategy for conserving and enhancing the efficacy of natural enemies of pests. Knowledge of the processes and mechanisms governing the plant, herbivore, and natural enemy interactions and their interplay with other management practices is an essential foundation for developing such an ecologically based system. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? The interventionist
approach of directly killing pest organisms with toxic chemicals has been the prevailing pest control strategy for well over fifty years. However, the bulk of the effort to develop alternatives has been directed toward the use of modern chemistry and molecular biology to replace traditional pesticides with less hazardous chemicals or nontoxic biologically-based products, but still as therapeutics. Thus, the classic treadmill effect in pursuit of remediation of the symptoms persists while tolls due to pests grow higher, and pest management as a component of agricultural systems is not being adequately addressed. We must go beyond replacing toxic chemicals with more sophisticated, biologically based agents and re-examine the entire paradigm surrounding the interventionist approach, to include how and why those interventions are made. Truly satisfactory and lasting solutions to modern pest problems will require a shift to understanding and promoting naturally occurring biological agents
and the other inherent strengths as components of total agricultural ecosystems, and designing our cropping systems so that these natural forces keep the pests within acceptable bounds. Recent discoveries in multitrophic interactions together with renewed emphasis on broader based ecosystem management indicate powerful prospects for this direction. However, an increased knowledge base of factors governing inherent strengths and their interplay with other components of agricultural ecosystems is crucial to harnessing these potential benefits. 3. How does it relate to the National Program(s) and National Program Component(s) to which it has been assigned? National Program 304, Crop Protection and Quarantine (70%). This research is directed to determining the key natural enemies (parasitoids, predators, and pathogens) of cropping systems and how various farming practices influence their biology, behavior, ecology and effectiveness as biological control agents. This knowledge is used to
develop ways to conserve and enhance the natural enemies as part of an ecologically based and economically competitive farming system. National Program 305, Crop Production (30%). This research is directed toward deciphering how natural enemies interact with farming landscapes, plants and plant pests as part of agro- ecosystems and how various agronomic practices influence these interactions. This information is used to develop ways to integrate the use of natural enemies and biological control into effective, sustainable crop production systems. 4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? A. Single Most Significant Accomplishment during FY 2003: Methodology to restructure and manage cropping systems in ways that maximize the presence and effectiveness of beneficial insects and other natural pest control rather than primary reliance on toxic chemical interventions is an essential foundation for sustainable pest management. ARS scientists of the Crop Protection
and Management Research Unit in Tifton, Georgia in cooperation with the University of Georgia, examined an alternative to routine use of the systemic pesticide, Temik, as the primary control practice for thrips and nematodes in cotton. The study demonstrated that a combination of a leguminous cover crop, conservation tillage and an in-furrow treatment of diammonium phosphate fertilizer compensates for thrips damage in cotton, and nematode populations were low and did not increase through the season. These results suggest that this system provides an alternative to Temik use for thrips and nematode control in cotton, giving producers reduced input costs while reducing the use of a potentially harmful chemical. B. Other Significant Accomplishment(s), if any: An understanding of the effect of agricultural landscape on the populations of pest and beneficial insects is an essential foundation for sustainable pest management. ARS scientists of the Crop Protection and Management Research
Unit in Tifton, Georgia intensively monitored all corn, cotton, and peanuts within a square mile in a typical agricultural area and found that corn is the major source of not only corn earworms, but also brown and southern green stinkbugs in cotton and peanuts. First year results on tests using a dye to mark insects in corn demonstrate that both corn earworms and a predator, the pirate bug, disperse from corn into cotton. Ecologically-based management practices such as trap cropping need to be incorporated to prevent dispersal of the pests into cotton and at the same time enhance natural enemies in this crop. Earlier studies showed that parasitic wasps optimize their pest- finding efficiency by learning and subsequently using chemical and visual cues associated with food and host insect resources. ARS scientists at Tifton and Gainesville, in collaboration with cooperators from Defense Advanced Research Programs Agency/Department of Defense, University of Georgia and Iowa State
University, are exploring whether the remarkable olfactory and learning abilities of these organisms can be harnessed for military and agricultural intelligence and detection purposes. A training protocol was described whereby wasps are trained to associate, with food or hosts, a wide range of chemical types and structures at very low dosages, and a prototype method was developed whereby they can be employed to monitor candidate air samples and report detection of the subject chemicals via distinct 'host attack' or 'food searching' behaviors. These findings open immense prospects for using these organisms directly, or through derived information of their governing mechanisms, for development of novel and highly effective detection/intelligence systems. C. Significant Activities that support Special Target Populations: None. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. This CRIS project was developed last year. 6.
What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? The central focus of this CRIS is to further advance our knowledge of the factors governing the abundance and efficacy of natural enemies. This research will follow three basic avenues during the next three years: 1) How various winter cover crops affect the abundance of natural enemies and their interactions with pest outbreaks; 2) The influence of overall landscape designs on pest/natural enemy balances; 3) Factors influencing the foraging efficacy of natural enemies. These research lines will be directed toward a collective integration with other agronomic knowledge and sustainable agricultural practices, using on-farm cotton production with grower cooperators as a model system. The expected outcome within the next 3-5 years is an ecologically-based cotton production system with minimal fertilizer, pesticide, tillage inputs and maximum inherent strength. Specific year by year outcomes expected are: FY 2004:
Candidate plants for cover crops and associated landscape enhancement identified. Completion of small-plot evaluation of candidate cover crops. Completion of feeding trials for plants selected for landscape enhancement of pest/natural enemy balances. FY 2005: Completion of greenhouse and small-plot assessment of selected candidate plant mixes on landscape enhancement as related to pest oviposition and feeding behaviors, and parasitoid/predator pest- finding and attack efficacy. Completion of evaluation of grain sorghum as a trap crop for corn earworms and stinkbugs as related to cotton and corn production. FY 2006: Completion of selection of cover crop and landscape enhancement combination and regime for on-farm evaluations. Completion of study on effect of various plant structural diversity layouts and prior in-field learning experiences on the pest control efficacies of certain parasitoids. 7. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the
science and/or technology likely to become available to the end- user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? A central barrier to effective and reliable biological control with natural enemies is lack of knowledge of the key factors governing their abundance and efficiency as pest control agents. Recent fundamental discoveries by the preceding projects demonstrating the importance plant- herbivore-natural enemy interactions and their interface with landscape design and management regimes have been transferred to other scientists and institutions throughout the world with major influence of the basic direction and progress of biological control research. Our model for using these discoveries together with emerging information on ecosystems management to implement a fundamental shift to a systems approach to sustainable pest management has been adopted by policymakers, extension, and industry
leaders as a guide for redirecting farming practices. For example, the model has been used by USDA/Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education as a guide for their funding initiatives and for developing a brochure on sustainable agriculture practices. The major constraint to further expansion and adoption of these principles is an understanding of how these processes interplay and integrate with other ecologically-based farm management practices such as conservation tillage and cultural management regimes toward a year-round farm management system. To advance these needs, the following specific technology transfer activities occurred during FY 2003: Transferred technology concerning grain sorghum as a trap crop to growers, county agents, other research scientists, and industry by presenting poster, "Grain sorghum as a trap crop for Southern green stinkbugs", Beltwide Cotton Conferences, January, 2003, an invited oral presentation on the same subject at the ARS Heliothis Workshop in
March, 2003, and hosted a field day at research plots in August, 2003. Transferred technology concerning conserving and enhancing beneficial insects with the use of cover crops in cotton production to growers, extension agents, research consultants and industry (approximately 160 people) on Field Day, July 15, 2003 at Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition, and as an invitational participant in an Organic Roundtable discussion organized by Georgia Organics, Inc., February, 2003. Transferred technology concerning ecologically-based pest management and other sustainable agricultural principles, along with the application of these ecological-based principles to sustainable community practices to: An invitational lecture, "Intrinsic-Based Education: Excellence Through Leveraging The Power Within", Fourth Annual Cornerstones of Superintendency Conference with theme on "Schools Improvement And Schools Within Rural Communities", Cordele, GA, September 18-19, 2002. A week-long special training
program for teachers and other educators sponsored by Moultrie Technical College, June, 2003. An invitational presentation, "Applying Ecologically-Based Principles In Your Community" to a locally organized citizens group, Tallapoosa, GA, February, 2003. Transferred technology on fundamental discoveries of tritrophic interactions of plants, herbivores, and natural enemies and its significance to understanding mechanisms governing ecosystems to faculty of various colleges and universities of Georgia via three invitational presentations: "The Tritrophic Interplay of Plants, Herbivores and Natural Enemies: A Case Study", "Olfactory and Behavioral Plasticity of a Wasp" and "Putting Nature to Work: The Wasp vs. the Machine", Annual SOTAB (State of the Art in Biology) Conference, Athens, GA, January, 2003. 8. List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: This does not replace your peer-reviewed
publications listed below). Lewis, W.J. "Trained wasps as chemical detectors: Application for aflatoxin related issues." Invited Presentation, Special Session On Novel Technologies, Aflatoxin/Fumoninsin Elimination and Fungal Genomics Workshop, San Antonio, TX, October, 2002. Lewis, W.J. "Training wasps to be chemical detectors." Radio Interview, The Todd Mundt Show, NPR Radio, Great Lakes, Radio Consortium, MI, November, 2002. Lewis, W.J. "Parasitoid learning/food safety application: Background and overview." Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, November, 2002. Olson, D.M., Phatak, S.C., Davis, R. "Tillage, cover crop, and in-furrow treatment effects on thrips, thrips damage, root-knot nematodes and yield in dry-land cotton." Presentation, Annual Meeting of Entomological Society of America, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, November, 2002. Tillman, P.G. "Comparison of insecticide susceptibility between the pest, the brown stinkbug, and the predator, the
spined soldier bug." SE Branch Entomological Society of America, Baton Rouge, LA, March, 2003.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Meiners, T., Wackers, F., Lewis, W.J. 2002. The effect of molecule structure on the olfactory discrimination by the parasitoid Microplitis croceipes. Chemical Senses. 27:811-816.
- Schomberg, H.H., Lewis, W.J., Tillman, P.G., Olson, D.M., Timper, P., Wauchope, R.D., Phatak, P., Jay, M. 2003. Conceptual model for sustainable cropping systems in the southeast: cotton system. Journal of Crop Production.
- Tillman, P.G., Mulrooney, J.E., Snodgrass, G.L. Comparison of susceptibility of Geocoris punctipes and Lygus lineolarlis to insecticides for control of the tarnished plant bug. Southwestern Entomologist. 2003. v. 28. p. 47-54.
- Tillman, P.G., Schomberg, H., Phatak, S., Timper, P., Olson, D. 2002. Enhancing sustainability in cotton with reduced chemical inputs, cover crops, and conservation tillage. In:Proceedings of the 25th Annual Southern Conservation Tillage Conference for Sustainable Agriculture, June 24-26, 2002, Auburn, Alabama. Special Report No. 1, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and Auburn University, Alabama. p.366-368.
- Wackers, F., Bonifay, C., Lewis, W.J. 2002. Conditioning of appetitive behavior in the hymenopteran parasitoid Microplitis croceipes. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. 103(2):135-138.
- Meiners, T. Wackers, F., Lewis, W.J. 2003. Associative learning of complex odours in parasitoid host location. Chemical Senses. 28:231-236.
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Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02
Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? There is a pressing need for more permanent, cost effective and environmentally harmonious technology for reducing losses in agricultural crops from insect pests. Improved use of biological control with beneficial insects (parasitoids and predators) is at the forefront of alternatives for addressing these needs. Development of an integrated farm management program that increases the abundance and effectiveness of natural enemies of pests and takes advantage of the inherent strengths of plants is an essential strategy for conserving and enhancing the efficacy of natural enemies of pests. Knowledge of the processes and mechanisms governing the plant, herbivore, and natural enemy interactions and their interplay with other management practices is an essential foundation for developing such an ecologically based system. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? The interventionist
approach of directly killing pest organisms with toxic chemicals has been the prevailing pest control strategy for well over fifty years. However, the bulk of the effort to develop alternatives has been directed toward the use of modern chemistry and molecular biology to replace traditional pesticides with less hazardous chemicals or nontoxic biologically-based products, but still as therapeutics. Thus, the classic treadmill effect in pursuit of remediation of the symptoms persists while tolls due to pests grow higher, and pest management as a component of agricultural systems is not being adequately addressed. We must go beyond replacing toxic chemicals with more sophisticated, biologically based agents and re-examine the entire paradigm surrounding the interventionist approach, to include how and why those interventions are made. Truly satisfactory and lasting solutions to modern pest problems will require a shift to understanding and promoting naturally occurring biological agents
and the other "built-in" strengths of our cropping systems so that these natural forces keep the pests within acceptable bounds. Recent discoveries around plant/herbivore/natural enemy interactions together with renewed emphasis on broader based ecosystem management indicate powerful prospects for this direction. However, an increased knowledge base of factors governing inherent strengths and their interplay with other components of agricultural ecosystems is crucial to harnessing these potential benefits. 3. How does it relate to the national Program(s) and National Program Component(s) to which it has been assigned? National Program 304, Crop Protection and Quarantine (70%). This research is directed to determining the key natural enemies (parasitoids, predators, and pathogens) of cropping systems and how various farming practices influence their biology, behavior, ecology and effectiveness as biological control agents. This knowledge is used to develop ways to conserve and enhance
the natural enemies as part of an ecologically based and economically competitive farming system. National Program 305, Crop Production (30%). This research is directed toward deciphering how natural enemies interact with farming landscapes, plants and plant pests as part of agro- ecosystems and how various agronomic practices influence these interactions. This information is used to develop ways to integrate the use of natural enemies and biological control into effective, sustainable crop production systems. 4. What was your most significant accomplishment this past year? A. Single Most Significant Accomplishment during FY 2002: Methodology to restructure and manage cropping systems in ways that maximize the presence and effectiveness of beneficial insects and other natural pest control is an essential foundation for sustainable pest management. ARS scientists of the Crop Protection and Management Research Unit in Tifton, Georgia in cooperation with H. Schomberg, ARS, Watkinsville,
Georgia, S. Phatak, University of Georgia, and USDA-SARE initiated on-farm studies in cooperation with cotton farmers associated with the Georgia Conservation Tillage Alliance to assess the benefits of various winter cover crop schemes for fostering natural enemy/pest balances, improvement of soil/water quality, and increase in net profitability. The first-year results demonstrated that, as winter covers, several of the legume blends, crimson clover and legume/rye mixes fostered increased beneficial numbers and reduced the need for pesticide interventions without reductions in yield. These on-farm cover crop studies will continue in partnership with other landscape studies and sustainable management evaluations so as to provide farmers with ecologically-based, profitable crop production methodology. B. Other Significant Accomplishment(s), if any. Earlier studies showed that parasitic wasps optimize their foraging efficiency by learning and subsequently use chemical and visual cues
associated with food and host insect resources. ARS scientists at Tifton and Gainesville, in collaboration with cooperators from DARPA/DOD, University of Georgia and Iowa State University, are exploring whether the remarkable olfactory and learning abilities of these organisms can be harnessed for military and agricultural intelligence and detection purposes, such as monitoring for food safety concerns. A training protocol was developed, whereby wasps conditioned to associate odors of fungi with food effectively learned, and subsequently distinguished among different species of aflatoxin-producing fungi, including toxin-versus nontoxin-producing strains. This demonstrated keen ability of wasps to learn specific odors associated fungi and to subsequently reliably distinguish them is an important step toward their use as biological sensors in monitoring for aflatoxin or other materials of concern - similar to the use of dogs. Methodology to restructure and manage landscapes surrounding
cropping systems in ways that maximize the presence and effectiveness of beneficial insects and other natural pest control is an essential foundation for sustainable pest management. The landscape ecology project of the Crop Protection and Management Research Unit, Tifton, GA conducted weekly surveys on six farms in three counties (Tift, Berrien, and Irwin) over the growing season to determine how various landscape design factors affected pest/natural enemy densities and distribution. Tree edges versus weed edges together with the perimeter-to-area ratio of fields significantly affected the types of pest/natural enemy mixes as well as their dispersion gradients from the edge to center of field. The knowledge that significant natural enemy species are coming from edge vegetation, that the type of edge vegetation is important for particular species, and that they are not reaching the center of larger fields during the growing season allows us to design edges (e.g. increasing density of
selected vegetation) to increase their densities and potential for greater dispersion throughout the crop. C. Significant Accomplishments/Activities that Support Special Target Populations: None. 5. Describe your major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact? Based on the previous discoveries of the project and associated programs, and using cotton production as a model example, a conceptual base was formulated for a fundamental shift to a total system approach to sustainable pest management involving the use of ecosystem management, crop attributes/multi-trophic level interactions, and minimal use of therapeutics. Despite major efforts toward alternatives to conventional pesticides, pest management science has continued by-and-large to regress to a continued array of new therapeutic intervention tools and failed to make a mainstream shift to understanding and redesigning cropping systems so that natural and renewable strengths keep
pests within acceptable bounds on a sustained basis. These concepts, approaches, and demonstrations are having major impact on overall crop management philosophy and practices at consultant and grower levels, research directions, and funding and policy decisions. The year-round use of cover crops and other habitat management procedures together with conservation tillage was found to increase the early season abundance and effectiveness of natural enemies as well as decrease soil erosion and promote soil and water quality. These comprehensive sustainable agricultural practices are being piloted directly on-farm with grower and extension/consultant cooperators with highly encouraging results. Earlier studies had shown that plants, in response to herbivore injury, emit volatile signals which are used by parasitic wasps to locate and attack the herbivore. Recent findings demonstrated further that, these plant signals can be distinct for each herbivore and that the parasitoid can exploit
these differences to quickly distinguish host versus non-host infestations and, thereby, greatly improve their foraging efficiency. An understanding of this sophisticated mutually beneficial process by which plants provide and natural enemies use chemical signals will greatly advance the ability to design effective and reliable biological control programs. The extrafloral nectar of plants were found to play an important role in providing for food needs of foraging parasitic wasps. In the absence of such food their foraging efficacy significantly decreased. Also, parasitoids were shown to separately learn and use odors associated with competing host and food needs. Little was previously known about the importance of adult food for parasitoids, the role of plants in providing the food, nor how learning, hunger state and previous feeding experiences influenced the parasitoid foraging behavior. These findings fill major gaps in understanding past failures and insuring future reliability
of biological control agents. 6. What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? This research will follow three basic avenues during the next three years: 1) How various winter cover crops affect the abundance of natural enemies and their interactions with pest outbreaks; 2) The influence of overall landscape designs on pest/natural enemy balances; 3) Factors influencing the foraging efficacy of natural enemies. These research lines will be directed toward a collective integration with other agronomic knowledge and sustainable agricultural practices, using on-farm cotton production with grower cooperators as a model system. The expected outcome within the next 3-5 years toward an ecologically-based cotton production system with minimal fertilizer, pesticide, tillage inputs and maximum inherent strength is expected as follows: FY 2003 - Initial comparative information on performance of several candidate landscape designs, winter cover crops, and management
regimes, with emphasis on yields, net profit and renewable pest/natural enemy balances and soil/water quality. FY 2004 - Expanded and refined comparative information on performance of candidate landscape designs, winter cover crops, and management regimes of the more promising systems, with emphasis on compatibility of the cover crop and management requirements with other farming practices. FY 2005 - Initial results from pilot demonstration of optimal system, including full incorporation of pest management, soil and water, health, and educational outreach components. 7. What technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the technology likely to become available to the end user (industry, farmer other scientist)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption durability of the technology? A central barrier to effective and reliable biological control with natural enemies is lack of knowledge of the key factors governing their abundance and efficiency as pest control
agents. Recent fundamental discoveries by the preceding projects demonstrating the importance plant- herbivore-natural enemy interactions and their interface with landscape design and management regimes have been transferred to other scientists and institutions throughout the world with major influence of the basic direction and progress of biological control research. Our model for using these discoveries together with emerging information on ecosystems management to implement a fundamental shift to a systems approach to sustainable pest management has been adopted by policymakers, extension, and industry leaders as a guide for redirecting farming practices. For example, the model has been used by SARE as a guide for their funding initiatives and for developing a brochure on sustainable agriculture practices. The major constraint to further development and wider adoption of these principles is the development of an understanding of how these processes interplay and integrate with
other ecologically-based farm management practices such as conservation tillage, cultural management regimes toward a year-round farm management system. The development and implementation of these strategies are critical to the achievement ecologically-based pest management as a component of sustainable agriculture based on the renewable inherent strengths of ecosystems. 8. List your most important publications and presentations, and articles written about your work (NOTE: this does not replace your review publications which are listed below) Lewis, W.J. "Understanding and harnessing nature's tools: From the cotton patch to the high-tech." Invited Presentation, Regional Educators Staff Development, Sponsored by Coastal Plains Regional Educational Support Agency, Tifton, GA, October, 2001. Lewis, W.J. "Ecologically based communities: From the farm house to city hall." Keynote Address, Annual Farm-City Harvest Dinner, Sponsored by the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce Agri-business
Committee, Carrollton, GA, November, 2001. Lewis, W.J. "Insect sentinel technologies: Trained behavioral responses." Invited Presentation, Bio-Inspired Technologies Conference, Sponsored by DARPA/DOD, San Antonio, TX, November 2001. Lewis, W.J. "Parasitoids as chemical biosensors: Background and overview. " Presentation, Annual Meeting of Entomological Society of America, San Diego, CA, December 2001. Lewis, W.J. "Integrated pest management - Row crop practices that foster the natural strengths of our agro-ecosystems." Invited Presentation, 13th Annual Southern Sustainable Agricultural Working Group, Chattanooga, TN, January, 2002. Lewis, W.J. "Ecologically-based communities: From school house to farm house." Keynote Address, 13th Annual Southern Sustainable Agricultural Working Group, Chattanooga, TN, January, 2002. Lewis, W.J. "Biological control as a component of sustainable agriculture. " Invited Presentation, Virginia Biological Farming Conference, Front Royal, VA, February,
2002. Olson, D.M. "Foraging efficacy of a larval parasitoid: influence of chemical cues and learning." Presentation, National Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, San Diego, CA, December 2001. Tillman, P.G. "Grain sorghum as a trap crop for the corn earworm in cotton." Presentation, Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Atlanta, GA, January 2002. Tillman, P.G. "Measurement and analysis of searching and ovipositional behavior of a natural enemy." Presentation, Fourth International Conference on Methods and Techniques in Behavioral Research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, August 2002.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Olson, D.M., Andow, D.A. Inheritance of oviposition behavior by an egg parasitoid. Heredity. 2002. v.88.p.437-443.
- Rains, G.C., Olson, D.M., Lewis, W.J., Tumlinson, J.H. Systems management. Pimental, D., editor. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY. Encyclopedia of Pest Management. 2002. p.826-828.
- Tillman, P.G., Mulrooney, J.E. Effect of malathion on beneficial insects. Southwestern Entomologist Supplement. 2001. v.24.p.13-21.
- Tillman, P.G., Hammes, G.G., Sacher, M., Connair, M., Brady, E.A., Wing, K. Toxicity of a formulation of the insecticide indoxacarb to the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris (Hemiptera: Miridae), and the big-eyed bug, Geocoris punctipes (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Pest Management Science. 2001. v.58.p.92-100.
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