Progress 04/15/18 to 04/14/20
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached by my efforts during this reporting period included: 1) potato growers and pest management professionals in Northwestern and Midwestern USA, 2) cooperative Extension agents and research entomologists throughout the USA, and 3) high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, and post-docs, including those from underrepresented groups in the USA. • Extension: Our support of potato growers and pest management professionals involved personal farm visits, speaking at extension/grower conferences, and reporting to cooperating grower associations. We communicated with the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers about our research at their annual Research Conference in August 2018. • Research: We continue to engage with the community of researchers investigating insect pest evolution, and have communicated research findings through regular meetings with collaborators in Vermont and Maryland, and through the Entomological Society of America annual meeting. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has provided training and professional development opportunities for Dr. Michael Crossley (Ph.D. 2019). Michael attended conferences to present his research on this project (see below), and has since moved to a postdoctoral position at the University of Georgia. During the project, the fellow mentored two high school students, three undergraduate students, and one graduate student in laboratory techniques, data analysis methods, and broadly engaging in the process of science. The fellow took a course called "The International Agricultural Economy", increasing his proficiency in linking crop protection actions with economic drivers and consequences. The fellow also completed a WISCIENCE Scientific Teaching Fellowship, which provided the opportunity to design and teach a course geared toward 1st-year students considering majoring in biology, and enrolling a large number of students from underrepresented groups and 1st-generation college students. The fellow traveled and presented research findings at scientific meetings (Entomological Society of America meeting in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and the University of Wisconsin Extension and Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association conference in Stevens Point, WI), and lead a collaborative effort to publish a manuscript in a scientific journal based on the findings of this project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We communicated with the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers about our research at their annual Research Conference in August 2018. Michael Crossley presented the results of his research at the Entomological Society of America annual meeting in November, 2019, in Vancouver, Canada. We published three peer-reviewed papers and have one book chapter accepted, as well as one book chapter that is in revision. -Dively, G.P., M.S. Crossley, S.D. Schoville, N. Steinhauer, N., and D. J. Hawthorne.2020. Regional differences in gene regulation may underlie patterns of sensitivity to novel insecticides in Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Pest Management Science -Crossley, M.S., S. Rondon, and S.D. Schoville. 2019. Effects of contemporary agricultural land cover on Colorado potato beetle genetic differentiation in the Columbia Basin and Central Sands. Ecology and Evolution 9(16):9385-9394. -Crossley, M., S.I. Rondon, and S.D. Schoville. 2019. Patterns of genetic differentiation in Colorado potato beetle correlate with contemporary, not historic, potato land cover. Evolutionary Applications 12: 804-814. -Accepted, 2020: Crossley, M.S., Z. Cohen*, B. Pélissié*, S. Rondon, Y. Chen, A. Alyokhin, D. Hawthorne, and S.D. Schoville. "Limiting a superpest: Ecological and evolutionary factors mitigating Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) adaptation to insecticides." In: A. Alyokhin, editor. Insect Pests of Potato, 2nd ed. -In Revision, 2020. Schoville, S.D., Z. Cohen, and M.S. Crossley. Population genomic insights into insecticide resistance in the Colorado potato beetle. In: J. Dupuis and O. Rajora, editors. Population Genomics: Insects What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project improved potato producers' and pest management scientists' knowledge about the causes of insecticide resistance in Colorado potato beetle, a major pest of potatoes worldwide. The project generated direct collaboration among two land grant universities (Oregon State University, University of Wisconsin) and over 10 commercial potato producers in Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, where a combined total of approximately 272,000 acres of potatoes are grown, at a value of $1.3 billion. Actions that could emerge from this project include modifications of crop rotation schemes, insecticide use, and management of marginal crop land, all of which can improve crop production efficiency and environmental health. In addition to knowledge gained, research activities initiated during this project enabled the hands-on training of two high school students, three undergraduate students, and one graduate student, and learner-centered teaching of 100 first-year undergraduate students, including members of underrepresented groups in biological sciences and the US and first-generation college students. Finally, funding for this project enabled completion of the USDA-NIFA fellow's PhD, and the addition of one skilled and passionate agricultural pest management professional to the US workforce. Five publications were generated as a result of this fellowship. Objective 1. Quantify underlying genetic variability, or standing genetic variation, among L. decemlineata populations in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. I compared DNA sequence variation among Colorado potato beetles in Northwestern and Midwestern USA, to test if the maintenance of susceptibility to insecticides in Northwestern populations could be due to reduced genetic variation (and potential to adapt). I found that levels of genome-wide genetic diversity were indeed lower (by 25%), but that specific genes known to be involved in insecticide resistance exhibited similar levels of diversity. These findings suggest that Colorado potato beetles in the Northwest possess the genetic variation needed to adapt to insecticides, and that Northwestern potato growers should strongly consider reducing insecticide use in potato to avoid generating severe insecticide resistance issues in Colorado potato beetle akin to what is encountered by Midwestern and Eastern potato growers. Objective 2. Compare landscape composition and configuration in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, by quantifying a) the effect of land cover types on gene flow among L. decemlineata populations, and b) differences in connectivity among potato fields over space and time. I compared landscape composition and configuration in the Northwest and Midwest, and found that crop rotation schemes in both regions resulted in similar levels of potential connectivity for Colorado potato beetle populations (fields were rotated on average < 1 km away from the previous year's potato). However, I found a greater effect of non-potato land cover on genetic connectivity in the Northwest than Midwest, likely due to the absence of forest cover (which can enhance winter survival) in Northwestern agricultural landscapes. An important implication of this result for potato growers is that forested field margins should no longer be considered a barrier to Colorado potato beetle dispersal; if anything, they should be seen as a feature of the landscape that enhances connectivity. Objective 3. Measure within- and between-region variation in the intensity and diversity of insecticide applications to potato in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. I assessed the level of variation on a farm-to-farm basis of insecticide management intensity by comparing the frequency and composition of insecticide sprays among cooperating growers in Wisconsin and Oregon. I also compared statewide trends over the last two decades using USDA-NASS Chemical Survey data. I found significant variation in insecticide management strategies among farms, but similarly high insecticide coverage of potato crops at the state-level. This result suggests that the reduced evolution of insecticide resistance among Colorado potato beetle populations in the Northwest is unlikely due to reduced insecticide use. When combined with results from Objective 1, results underscore the need for a change in management practices in the Northwest if resistance problems are to be avoided in the future. Objective 4. Evaluate the role climate in reducing L. decemlineata population size in the Pacific Northwest, but assessing evidence for physiological adaptation to low humidity. I used data from weather station networks and in-field weather-monitoring stations to quantify regional differences in climate, and found that the Northwestern climate is significantly drier than the Midwest, whereas temperature did not differ in a biologically meaningful way. I conducted an experiment to measure the effect of dry climate on water loss rates in Colorado potato beetle, and found that Colorado potato beetles possess mechanisms of reducing water loss, and that Northwestern beetles are more adept and regulating water loss than Midwestern beetles. These results suggest that climate could be an important factor limiting Colorado potato beetle populations in the Northwest, but that these effects need to be precisely quantified due to the potential for improved water balance among Northwestern populations.
Publications
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M.S. 2019. Colorado potato beetle adaptation to changing agricultural landscapes and management practices. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Dively, G.P., M.S. Crossley, S.D. Schoville, N. Steinhauer, N., and D. J. Hawthorne.2020. Regional differences in gene regulation may underlie patterns of sensitivity to novel insecticides in Leptinotarsa decemlineata. Pest Management Science.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M.S., S. Rondon, and S.D. Schoville. 2019. Effects of contemporary agricultural land cover on Colorado potato beetle genetic differentiation in the Columbia Basin and Central Sands. Ecology and Evolution 9(16):9385-9394.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M., S.I. Rondon, and S.D. Schoville. 2019. Patterns of genetic differentiation in Colorado potato beetle correlate with contemporary, not historic, potato land cover. Evolutionary Applications 12: 804-814.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
Accepted, 2020: Crossley, M.S., Z. Cohen*, B. P�lissi�*, S. Rondon, Y. Chen, A. Alyokhin, D. Hawthorne, and S.D. Schoville. Limiting a superpest: Ecological and evolutionary factors mitigating Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) adaptation to insecticides. In: A. Alyokhin, editor. Insect Pests of Potato, 2nd ed.
- Type:
Book Chapters
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2020
Citation:
In Revision, 2020. Schoville, S.D., Z. Cohen, and M.S. Crossley. Population genomic insights into insecticide resistance in the Colorado potato beetle. In: J. Dupuis and O. Rajora, editors. Population Genomics: Insects
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Progress 04/15/18 to 04/14/19
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the project, the fellow mentored two high school students, three undergraduate students, and one graduate student in laboratory techniques, data analysis methods, and broadly engaging in the process of science. The fellow took a course called "The International Agricultural Economy", increasing his proficiency in linking crop protection actions with economic drivers and consequences. The fellow also completed a WISCIENCE Scientific Teaching Fellowship, which provided the opportunity to design and teach a course geared toward 1st-year students considering majoring in biology, and enrolling a large number of students from underrepresented groups and 1st-generation college students. The fellow traveled and presented research findings at scientific meetings (Entomological Society of America meeting in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and the University of Wisconsin Extension and Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association conference in Stevens Point, WI), and lead a collaborative effort to publish a manuscript in a scientific journal based on the findings of this project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results from this project have been communicated with growers through in-person meetings and a presentation at an Extension-grower conference. Results have been communicated to entomologists and pest management professionals through peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and a presentation at the annual Entomological Society of America meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We have requested an extension. Work that remains is to complete the publication and continue presenting findings at potato grower and entomology conferences.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
This project improved potato producers' and pest management scientists' knowledge about the causes of insecticide resistance in Colorado potato beetle, a major pest of potatoes worldwide. The project generated direct collaboration among two land grant universities (Oregon State University, University of Wisconsin) and over 10 commercial potato producers in Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin, where a combined total of approximately 272,000 acres of potatoes are grown, at a value of $1.3 billion. Actions that could emerge from this project include modifications of crop rotation schemes, insecticide use, and management of marginal crop land, all of which can improve crop production efficiency and environmental health. In addition to knowledge gained, research activities initiated during this project enabled the hands-on training of two high school students, three undergraduate students, and one graduate student, and learner-centered teaching of 100 first-year undergraduate students,including members of underrepresented groups in biological sciences and the US and first-generation college students. Finally, funding for this project enabled completion of the USDA-NIFA fellow's PhD, and the addition of one skilled and passionate agricultural pest management professional to the US workforce. Objective 1. I compared DNA sequence variation among Colorado potato beetles in Northwestern and Midwestern USA, to test if the maintenance of susceptibility to insecticides in Northwestern populations could be due to reduced genetic variation (and potential to adapt). I found that levels of genome-wide genetic diversity were indeed lower (by 25%), but that specific genes known to be involved in insecticide resistance exhibited similar levels of diversity. These findings suggest that Colorado potato beetles in the Northwest possess the genetic variation needed to adapt to insecticides, and that Northwestern potato growers should strongly consider reducing insecticide use in potato to avoid generating severe insecticide resistance issues in Colorado potato beetle akin to what is encountered by Midwestern and Eastern potato growers. Objective 2. I compared landscape composition and configuration in the Northwest and Midwest, and found that crop rotation schemes in both regions resulted in similar levels of potential connectivity for Colorado potato beetle populations (fields were rotated on average < 1 km away from the previous year's potato). However, I found a greater effect of non-potato land cover on genetic connectivity in the Northwest than Midwest, likely due to the absence of forest cover (which can enhance winter survival) in Northwestern agricultural landscapes. An important implication of this result for potato growers is that forested field margins should no longer be considered a barrier to Colorado potato beetle dispersal; if anything, they should be seen as a feature of the landscape that enhances connectivity. Objective 3. I assessed the level of variation on a farm-to-farm basis of insecticide management intensity by comparing the frequency and composition of insecticide sprays among cooperating growers in Wisconsin and Oregon. I also compared statewide trends over the last two decades using USDA-NASS Chemical Survey data. I found significant variation in insecticide management strategies among farms, but similarly high insecticide coverage of potato crops at the state-level. This result suggests that the reduced evolution of insecticide resistance among Colorado potato beetle populations in the Northwest is unlikely due to reduced insecticide use. When combined with results from Objective 1, results underscore the need for a change in management practices in the Northwest if resistance problems are to be avoided in the future. Objective 4. I used data from weather station networks and in-field weather-monitoring stations to quantify regional differences in climate, and found that the Northwestern climate is significantly drier than the Midwest, whereas temperature did not differ in a biologically meaningful way. I conducted an experiment to measure the effect of dry climate on water loss rates in Colorado potato beetle, and found that Colorado potato beetles possess mechanisms of reducing water loss, and that Northwestern beetles are more adept at regulating water loss than Midwestern beetles. These results suggest that climate could be an important factor limiting Colorado potato beetle populations in the Northwest, but that these effects need to be precisely quantified due to the potential for improved water balance among Northwestern populations.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Crossley, M.S., Cohen, Z., Pelissie, B., Rondon, S.I., Hawthorne, D.J., Chen, Y.H., Alyokhin, A., and Schoville, S.D. 2018. When a superpest fails: Ecological and evolutionary factors mitigating Colorado potato beetle adaptation to insecticides. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M.S. and Schoville, S.D. 2019. The role of nightshades and natural enemies in Colorado potato beetle management. University of Wisconsin Extension and Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association annual conference, Stevens Point, WI.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M.S., S.I. Rondon, S.D. Schoville. 2019. Patterns of genetic differentiation in Colorado potato beetle correlate with contemporary, not historic, potato land cover. Evolutionary Applications 12:804-814. https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12757
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M.S., S.I. Rondon, S.D. Schoville. Effects of contemporary agricultural land cover on Colorado potato beetle genetic differentiation in the Columbia Basin and Central Sands. Ecology and Evolution (in review).
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M.S., B. P�lissi�, Z. Cohen, S.I. Rondon, D. Hawthorne, Y.H. Chen, A. Alyokhin, S.D. Schoville. Limiting a superpest: Ecological and evolutionary factors mitigating Colorado potato beetle adaptation to insecticides. (in preparation to become a chapter in the 2nd edition of "Insect Pests of Potato").
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M.S., Rondon, S.I., and Schoville, S.D. 2019. Patterns of genetic differentiation in Colorado potato beetle correlate with contemporary, not historic, potato land cover. Evolutionary Applications (Accepted)
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2019
Citation:
Crossley, M.S., Cohen, Z., Pelissie, B., Rondon, S.I., Hawthorne, D.J., Chen, Y.H., Alyokhin, A., and Schoville, S.D. 2019. When a superpest fails: Ecological and evolutionary factors mitigating Colorado potato beetle adaptation to insecticides. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. (In Review)
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