| For 2020 and newer grants, please go to https://grants.ipmcenters.org/ |
|---|
|
|
| Home Current RFAs PD User Guide Projects Login |
|
Funded Project |
|
Funding Program:
Regional IPM Grants (S-RIPM) |
|
Project Title:
Farmscape ecology of stink bugs and the development of environmentally friendly control strategies |
Project Directors (PDs):
|
|
Lead State: SC Lead Organization: Clemson University |
|
Cooperating State(s):
Georgia |
| Research Funding: $153,946 |
|
Start Date: Jul-15-2009 End Date: Jul-14-2012 |
|
Pests Involved: stink bugs |
|
Site/Commodity: cotton |
|
Area of Emphasis: reducing insecticide use |
|
Summary:
This work will (1) provide key information on the ecology of the main stink bug pests and their natural enemies in the Southeast, and (2) evaluate a method for substantially reducing insecticide use to manage stink bugs in cotton, a major susceptible crop in the Southeast United States. The management of stink bugs on all field crops currently relies on scouting and the use of insecticides. Frequency of insecticide applications to manage sucking bugs (stink bugs and plant bugs) in cotton has increased from 1/ha in 1992 to 3/ha in 2005. To reverse this trend in cotton and other crops, improved control strategies of stink bugs are needed, which require a better understanding of the ecology of the main stink bug species.
To determine the qualitative and quantitative changes in populations at the spatial scale of the farmscape, both stink bugs and their natural enemies will be sampled on their main crop hosts (cotton, soybeans, corn, peanuts and wheat) and alternate host plants. A holistic approach to stink bug management is needed, as these insects develop on a sequence of hosts and crops throughout the season. The spatial and temporal dynamics of stink bugs and their natural enemies across the farmscape in both South Carolina and Georgia will be studied (objective 1), which will lead to improved sampling as a function of within field location and surrounding vegetation. GPS coordinates of fields and sampling locations will allow the use of geostatistical methods. A major concept of studying stink bugs at the farmscape scale is to consider simultaneously the source and sink effects of a variety of habitats and crops. The second objective will evaluate in-field border applications of insecticide in cotton to manage stink bugs. We know that stink bugs infest cotton fields from the edge first, and then move towards the interior of the field. Rather than applying insecticides over the entire field, applications will be made only for border populations upon first signs of damage, which may prevent the need to treat the entire field. Stink bug densities and associated injury to cotton bolls will be recorded throughout the season. The pesticide savings would be important from the perspective of reducing active ingredient applications, reduced time to make applications, and finally conserving natural enemies by not treating the entire field. The cost effectiveness of this management strategy will be assessed. This project will address two priority areas defined by the Southern Region Information Exchange Group for IPM (SERA003-IPM) in April 2007: (1) Managing sucking bugs using ecological approaches, (2) Development of decision aids for management of pests for all crops. The objectives of this multistate proposal with an integrated approach fit well with the goal of the National IPM Program as presented in the IPM Road Map: to improve the economic benefits of adopting IPM practices and to reduce potential risks to human health and the environment caused by the pests themselves or by the use of pest management practices. Our proposed research addresses specific research priorities identified at the Georgia/South Carolina cotton PMSP workshop held at Tifton during the last week in January 2008. Stink bugs were also identified as a major pest complex of cotton in the Mid-South (Pest Management Strategic Plan for Cotton in the Mid-South, 2003) and in Texas where boll eradication has been successful and Bt cotton is planted (Pest Management Strategic Plan for Cotton Production in the Texas, 2003). Objectives: Objective 1. Study the spatial and temporal dynamics of stink bugs and their natural enemies across the farmscape. Impact: the first research need listed in the IPM Road Map is the need to clarify pest biology and host/pest/climate interactions to identify vulnerable cropping systems and vulnerable stages in the pest life cycle. Our first objective will provide information that addresses this need on key pests in the southern region. The changes in both pest and beneficial insects will be spatially quantified across multiple commodities and habitats throughout the season. This will lead to the identification of key areas within the farmscape where the buildup of stink bugs and/or their natural enemies occur. Objective 2. Evaluate in-field border sprays to mitigate whole field stink bug infestations in cotton. Impact: this objective will address the following need listed in the IPM Road Map: Improve the efficiency of suppression tactics and demonstrate least-cost options and pest management alternatives. This work will evaluate an approach to reduce substantially the amount of insecticides applied to control one of the key pests in the southern region on the most vulnerable field crop (cotton) to this pest. The economic benefit of applying insecticides along the border of cotton fields before stink bugs colonize the entire field will be assessed. |
|
Final Report: |
|
Results From report submitted by the PI to USDA CRIS report system PROGRESS: 2010/07 TO 2011/07 OUTPUTS: An invited academic presentation was made on farmscape dynamics of stink bugs and natural enemies in a symposium (Biology, Ecology and Management of Native and Invasive Stink Bugs) at the national meeting of the Entomological Society of America in San Diego, CA. The farmscape sampling data and the border application of insecticides data were also presented in an invited seminar at the School of Agricultural, Forest, and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University. Graduate student Grant Pilkay, who is currently compiling data and preparing manuscripts, also gave a presentation on farmscape dynamics of stink bugs at the annual meeting of the South Carolina Entomological Society in Georgetown, SC. PARTICIPANTS: PIs Francis Reay-Jones, Jeremy Greene and Mike Toews with graduate student Grant Pilkay led the on-farm sampling work on stink bugs. Temporary summer workers were hired to assist with on-farm and on-station sampling of stink bugs and cotton boll injury. We conducted research for this project on commercial farms with growers in South Carolina and Georgia. TARGET AUDIENCES: Results of studies were presented at the national Entomological Society of America meeting, the annual meeting of the South Carolina Entomological Society, and in a seminar in the School of Agricultural, Forest, and Environmental Sciences at Clemson University. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. IMPACT: 2010/07 TO 2011/07 Projects funded by this grant were initiated in 2009 to (1) assess farmscape dynamics of stink bugs and beneficial insects and (2) exploit the edge effect previously demonstrated by evaluating border applications of insecticides. Graduate student Grant Pilkay and PIs are currently processing data to quantify pest and beneficial insect spatial dynamics across multiple crops and habitats throughout the season using traditional and geostatistical methods. In 2011, we continued to record higher densities of stink bugs along the edge of many of the wheat, soybean and cotton fields, as was the case in previous years. This work will lead to the identification of key areas within farmscapes in South Carolina and Georgia where the buildup of stink bugs and/or their natural enemies occur. Stink bug infestations were generally low across the southeast in 2011, and infestations in cotton were often below thresholds. This made the assessment of border applications challenging, although data are currently being compiled and analyzed. The potential pesticide savings would be important from the perspective of reducing active ingredient applications, reduced time to make applications, and finally conserving natural enemies by not treating the entire field. |
|
Outcomes N/A |
|
Impacts From report submitted by the PI to USDA CRIS report system Projects funded by this grant were initiated in 2009 to (1) assess farmscape dynamics of stink bugs and beneficial insects and (2) exploit the edge effect previously demonstrated by evaluating border applications of insecticides. Graduate student Grant Pilkay and PIs are currently processing data to quantify pest and beneficial insect spatial dynamics across multiple crops and habitats throughout the season using traditional and geostatistical methods. In 2011, we continued to record higher densities of stink bugs along the edge of many of the wheat, soybean and cotton fields, as was the case in previous years. This work will lead to the identification of key areas within farmscapes in South Carolina and Georgia where the buildup of stink bugs and/or their natural enemies occur. Stink bug infestations were generally low across the southeast in 2011, and infestations in cotton were often below thresholds. This made the assessment of border applications challenging, although data are currently being compiled and analyzed. The potential pesticide savings would be important from the perspective of reducing active ingredient applications, reduced time to make applications, and finally conserving natural enemies by not treating the entire field. |
| Close Window |
|
Southern IPM Center North Carolina State University 1730 Varsity Drive, Suite 110 Raleigh, NC 27606 p. 919.513.1432 f. 919.513.1114 |
 |
Developed by the Center for IPM © Copyright CIPM 2004-2025 |
|