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Funded Project |
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Funding Program:
IPM Enhancement Grants |
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Project Title:
Fact-finding and early research for regionally-specific IPM for plant bug in Southeastern US Cotton |
Project Director (PD):
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Lead State: VA Lead Organization: Virginia Polytechnic and State University |
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Cooperating State(s):
North Carolina |
| Undesignated Funding: $30,000 |
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Start Date: Mar-01-2017 End Date: Feb-28-2018 |
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Pests Involved: Tarnished plant bug |
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Site/Commodity: cotton |
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Area of Emphasis: IPM for Southeastern US |
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Summary:
Plant bug infestations have become a yearly occurrence in Virginia and North Carolina cotton causing insecticide use to rise dramatically in response. There is a definite need for funding to improve cotton IPM in these states. The timing and extent of plant bug infestations in this region, and their damage-causing potential, is poorly understood. However, new management plans cannot be formed without a more fundamental understanding of the problem. The proposed research will take the first steps to characterize the location, timing, and yield-damaging potential of plant bug infestations in Southeastern cotton. In the process, we will develop valuable and readily applicable insights that will inform future IPM strategies.
Objectives: (1) Determine how cotton producers and crop advisors perceive the plant bug problem and their current management practices (2) Determine the geographical distribution of plant bugs in cotton-growing regions of Virginia and North Carolina. (3) Determine the effect of plant bug infestations, and infestation timing, on cotton grown in Virginia and North Carolina. (4) Evaluate the efficacy of different spray timings to control plant bugs. |
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Final Report: |
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Outputs 1. Activities -Made presentations at two professional conferences, five producer meetings, and one field day. -Surveyed VA cotton growers in 2017 and 2018 on awareness of the problem and pest management practices. -Conducted surveys of Virginia cotton growing counties to determine pest distribution. -Conducted experiments in NC and VA to determine optimal spray timings and refine thresholds. -Conducted experiment in VA to determine the effects of infestation timing on plant injury. 2. Publications -Two professional conference oral presentations. -One peer-refereed manuscript in submission. 3. Other products/services (i.e., scientific discoveries) -Tarnished plant bug infests cotton in all VA cotton growing counties. Infestations peak in Jul-Aug and are more abundant in eastern counties. -Sprays for tarnished plant bug are best timed during the first two weeks of bloom or at current recommended threshold. All insecticide sprays yielded more lint than unsprayed cotton. -Infestations of tarnished plant bug caused the most plant injury during pre-bloom period and early bloom. 4. Publicity -Virginia Ag Pest and Crop Advisory Blog -Agfax -Southeastern Farm Press 5. Funding secured -Cotton Inc. regional grant -Virginia Cotton Board 6. Unsecured funding -AFRI Foundational 2018. 7. Incomplete objectives -Follow up surveys of consultants in NC. |
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Outcomes 1. Learning -There was an increased awareness of the problem and correct identification of the pest more than doubled. 2. Action -There was an increase in targeted insecticide applications and threshold use. 3. Condition -Tarnished plant bug infestations will continue, but growers will have resources available to help manage this pest. -Improved profitability and sustainability of VA cotton production. |
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