Source: CLEMSON UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF ARTHROPOD PESTS AND WEEDS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1017633
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
S-OLD 1073
Project Start Date
Oct 23, 2018
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2023
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
CLEMSON,SC 29634
Performing Department
Plant & Environmental Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Biological control is an effective and functioning pest management approach. The adoption and study of biological control programs in the agricultural systems of the southern U.S. still require additional improvements and adoption. This project expands on thenovel pest management technologies developed in the previous Southern Region biological control projects. Specifically, this project seeks to achieve three objectives: 1) to characterize and evaluate the impact of native and introduced agents, 2) to develop augmentation and conservation biological control tactics; and 3) to develop integrated pest management programs that have a biological control component. This portion of the overall S-1073 project covers several research and outreach activities in South Carolina. Three research projects will be conducted in the urban landscapes and greenhouses of South Carolina: 1) to document the diversity and impacts of native and exotic natural enemies of scale insects in urban landscapes; 2) to assess the compatibility of entomopathogenic fungi with the predatory miteAmblyseius swirskiithrough contact and residual toxicity experiments; and 3) to evaluate the efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes in reducing the numbers of western flower thrips pupae. Results of the study will be disseminated to stakeholders,which include but are not limited to growers, landscape care professioanls, arborists, ground managers and extension personnel, through printed materials (peer-reviewed publications and IPM guides) and outreach activities (presentations). The outcomes of this projects areto increase stakeholders'understanding, desire to adopt and actual adoptionof biological control andintegrated pest management (IPM), to reduce the frequency of insecticide application, and to reduce losses suffered by stakeholders' due to pest damage. Graduate students and visiting scientist will be mentored through this project.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
21121101130100%
Knowledge Area
211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
2110 - Ornamental trees and shrubs;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology;
Goals / Objectives
To develop integrated pest management programs that have a biological control component To characterize and evaluate the impact of native and introduced agents To develop augmentation and conservation biological control tactics, especially to improve the quality of agricultural habitats for pollinators
Project Methods
Objective 2: To chracterize and evaluate the impact of native and introduced agentsThe diversity and impacts of native and exotic natural enemies of selected scale insect species in South Carolinawill be documented. Samples of the scale insect populations will be collected and isolated frequently throughout the project from urban landscape sites located in South Carolina. The isolated samples will be kept in the laboratory until adult parasitoids and predators emerge. Additional predator samples will also be collected by beat sheet method. Parasitoids and predators will be identify to genus(and to species whenever possible). The parasitism rates of the collected samples will be determined by dividing the numbers of mummies by the total number of scale insects in a sample.Objective 3: To develop augmentation and conservation biological control tactics.The objective will be achieved in two studies. The first study will evaluate the compatibility of selected entomopathogenic fungi (Beauveria bassiana,Metarhizium anisopliaeandIsaria fumosorosea) with the commonly used predatory mite,Amblysieus swirskii, by, first, evaluate the contact toxicity of the fungal suspensions and, second, evaluate the 1-to-7-day residual toxicity of the fungal suspensions against the predatory mite in laboratory and greenhouse. Abbott-corrected mortality of each treatment will be calculated. The second study will evaluate the efficacy of selected entomopathogenic fungi (above) and nematode (Steinernema feltiae) against pupating western flower thrips by applying the biological control agents to the potting medium before the thrips pupate and after the thrips have pupated. The efficacy of the biological control will be assessed by the numbers of adult thrips successfully emerge from the treated potting medium.Objective 4: To develop integrated pest management programs that have a biological control components.IPM guides will be developed to outline best pest management practices that incorporate chemical, biological and cultural management tactices for common pests of ornamental plant systems.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of this project includes ornamental plant producers, landscape care professionals, arborists, municipal ground managers, athletic facility and ground managers, students, extension personnel, Master Gardeners and general public. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One PhD (Cory Tanner) and one MS student (Annie Borlik) are currently working to accomplish objectives set out in the project. These students were trained in scientific methodology, scientific and extension writing, and oral and written communication skills. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of this project were disseminated mainly through my biweekly, internationalnewsletter, PestTalks, as well as presentations at scientific meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Efforts will continue to collect and identify natural enemies of thrips, whiteflies and spider mites in the tomato and squash fields in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida (Objective 1). Project to document the diversity and impact of natural enemies of muhly grass mealybug will also continue (Objective 1). Manuscript reporting on the compatibility of Group 9 insecticides with minute pirate bugs (Objective 3) will be published. Additional studies will be conducted to determine the compatibility between pest-resistant tomato lines with pests and biological control agents, as well as compatibility of OMRI-listed insecticides with common biological control used in augmentation biological control programs in vegetable production (Objective 3 and 4).

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 2. To characterize and evaluate the impact of native and introduced biocontrol agents Juang Chong and Cory Tanner (PhD student) conducted an on-going study to document predator and parasitoid species of the muhly grass mealybug, Stemmatomerinx acircula.This is a new mealybug species (likely native to North America) on muhly grasses in South Carolina. To date, an egg predatory wasp have been collected but identification is on-going. Objective 3. To develop integrated pest management programs that have a biological component Juang Chong and Annie Borlik (MS student) have completed an evaluation of the compatibility of IRAC Group 9 insecticides (chordotonal organ TRPV channel modulators) with the minute pirate bug, Orius insidiosus, which is an important predator of thrips and other soft-bodied insects in the fields and greenhouses. Group 9 insecticides are being used by growers as replacements or alternatives to neonicotinoids. The insecticides tested include Endeavor (pymetrozine; IRAC Group 9A), Rycar (pyrifluquinazon; 9A) and Ventigra (afidopyropen; 9D). Safari (dinotefuran, a neonicotinoid; 4A) is the negative control and was extremely toxic to Orius in this study, causing 100% mortality within 3 hours of exposure in both direct contact and residual toxicity bioassays. Study results suggested that Group 9 insecticides are compatible with Orius (i.e. causing less than 25% mortality), except for Ventigra applied as immersion at high application rate. Group 9 insecticides also have minimal impacts on the fecundity and survival of Orius.

Publications

  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2020. Soft scale crawlers, Bt and herbicide crop safety summaries. PestTalks 8 May 2020.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2019. Nematodes vs flea beetles; Boxwod health workshop and hemp pesticides. 26 December 2019.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2019. Sugarberry decline; Ventigra and downy mildew summaries; Mealybug management. 9 December 2019.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2019. Tomato virus, hemp pesticides, biological control course and support FWMA. PestTalks 26 November 2019.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2019. Crapemyrtle bark scale in SC; gloomy scale; drone for beneficials; wage and benefit surveys. PestTalks 23 September 2019.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2020 Citation: Borlik, A. 2020. Compatibility of chordotonal organ modulator insecticides with minute pirate bug, Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). Poster Presentation. South Carolina Entomological Society Annual Meeting.


Progress 10/23/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences of this project include nursery and greenhouse growers, landscape care professionals, arborists, municipal ground managers, extension personnel and scientists. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided training opportunity to 1 PhD and 1 MS student. The students were trained conducting scientific research on documenting natural enemy diversity and screening for compatibility of insecticides with biological control agents. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of this project have been disseminated to the communities of interests mainly through extension workshops and presentations, as well as extension articles in trade journals and newsletters. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Studies on the diversity of natural enemies of thrips, whiteflies, spider mites and mealybugs, as well as the study investigating the compatibility of the minute pirate bug with insecticides, will be continued. The MS project on compatibility will be completed in the next period. A thesis, a peer-reviewed publication, and several scientific and extension presentations based on this study will be produced in the next reporting period.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 2. To characterize and evaluate the impact of native and introduced biocontrol agents Carmen Blubaugh conducted a collaborative multi-state study to document the diversity of natural enemies of thrips, whiteflies and spider mites in tomato and squash fields in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. A number of certified organic farms in the three states were visited and samples of pests and natural enemies have been collected in the 2018-2019 season. Big-eyed bugs (Georcoris spp.) and minute pirate bugs (Orius spp.) were commonly found in the samples. Endemic predatory mites and other natural enemies are still being sorted and identified. Juang Chong and his PhD student (Cory Tanner) has initiated a new study to characterize the diversity and impact of natural enemies of a newly detected mealybug species (a member of the scale insect superfamily), Stemmatomerinx acircula, on muhly grasses in South Carolina. This mealybug species is a new state record for South Carolina. The survey was initiated in the spring of 2019 and it is currently on-going. To date, an egg predatory wasp have been collected but identification is on-going. Objective 3. To develop integrated pest management programs that have a biological component Juang Chong and a MS student (Annie Borlik) are currently evaluating the compatibility of IRAC Group 9 insecticides (chordotonal organ modulators) with the minute pirate bug, Orius insidiosus. Group 9 insecticides are being used by growers as a replacement or alternative to neonicotinoids. The insecticides tested include Endeavor (pymetrozine; IRAC Group 9A), Rycar (pyrifluquinazon; 9A) and Ventigra (afidopyropen; 9D), with Safari (dinotefuran, a neonicotinoid; 4A) serving as the negative control. Preliminary results suggested that Safari is extremely toxic to Orius, which is expected. The results also suggested that Group 9 insecticides are generally compatible with Orius, with immersion and forced feeding causing less than 25% mortality and minimal impacts on the fecundity and survival of the treated insects.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Robayo Camacho, E., J.-H. Chong, S. K. Braman, S. D. Frank, and P. B. Schultz. 2018. Natural enemy communities and biological control of Parthenolecanium spp. (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in the southeastern United States. Journal of Economic Entomology 111: 1558-1568.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Research says mealybugs can be managed. GrowerTalks. January 2018, pp. 78, 80, 82.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Chong, J.-H. 2018. Bees, bees and more bees!! PestTalks 20 February 2018.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Solutions for scale insects and waterborne diseases. PestTalks 9 May 2018.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2018. Extra-floral nectaries; pests of poinsettia cuttings; presentations at Farwest Show. PestTalks 7 August 2018.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2018. Observations from cut flower farms in Rionegro, Colombia. PestTalks 8 October 2018.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2018. Native vs, nativar; GrowerTalks webinar; Bugs are pretty! PestTalks 8 November 2018.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2018. Pesticide guide; EcoSwing; EAB story map; Nematode webinar and SCRI stakeholder panel. PestTalks 10 December 2018.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2019 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2019. Greenhouse evaluation of the compatibility of cyflumetofen with Amblyseius swirskii and Phytoseiulus persimilis. Annual Meeting of the Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America (SEB-ESA).
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Chong, J. H. 2018. Management of scale insects and the diversity of elm bark beetles in South Carolina. NCERA-224 Working Group Meeting.