harnessing the power of pheromones for insect pest monitoring · harnessing the power of pheromones...

Boyd Mori, PhD

Assistant ProfessorAgricultural & Ecological Entomology Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science

Photo: R. Batallas

Harnessing the power of pheromones for insect pest monitoring

Decision Support Tools

Monitoring & Forecasts

Pheromones

A secreted chemical signal that triggers a response in members of the same species.

Pheromone types used for monitoring insect pests:

Sex Aggregation

Photos: Charley Eiseman, Rutgers

1. Insect must use pheromone communication

Pheromone monitoring: Considerations

Underhill et al. 1977

Z-11-hexadecenyl acetate

Z-9-tetradecenyl acetate

Bertha Armyworm Moth Pheromone

19:1 Ratio

Spring

Fall

Winter

Pheromone monitoring: Considerations

2. Insect life history must be amenable to pheromone monitoring

Summer

Spring

Fall

Winter

Pheromone monitoring: Considerations

2. Insect life history must be amenable to pheromone monitoring

Summer

Spring

Fall

Winter

Pheromone monitoring: Considerations

2. Insect life history must be amenable to pheromone monitoring

Summer

Pheromone monitoring: Considerations

3. Cryptic nature of insect (e.g. small size or internal plant feeders)

Photos: JE Maisonhaute, CABI, Canola Council

Swede midge

Pheromone monitoring on the Prairies

Alberta Agriculture

Scott MeersShelley Barkley

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Jennifer OtaniMeghan Vankosky

& many provincial collaborators

Pheromone monitoring on the Prairies

Photos: Alpha Scents, BioBest, Trece

Bertha armywormMamestra configurata

Unitrap

Diamondback mothPlutella xylostella

Delta trap

Wheat midgeSitodiplosis mosellana

Green delta trap

Bertha armyworm, Mamestra configurata

Brian Kennedy

Photo insert: Shelley Barkley

Justine Cornelsen

Brian Kennedy

Bertha armyworm, Mamestra configurata

Photo insert: Shelley Barkley https://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app68/listings/bertha/bertha_map.jsp

Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella

Brittany HennigSARDA

Photo insert: O. Liellinger

Diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella

SARDA

Photo insert: O. Liellinger https://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app68/listings/diamondback/diamondback_map.jsp

Refining diamondback moth pheromone monitoring

Pheromone supplier has varied over years

DBM pheromone components are variable with geographic location

Miluch et al. 2014 developed a lure for the Prairies

Miluch et al. 2014, J. Econ. Entoml. 107: 2067-2076

Refining diamondback moth pheromone monitoring

Tested 3 lures (+ unbaited control) in 2018-2019:

1. Unbaited control

2. Chemtica Standard Lure (Blend protected)

3. Chemtica PPMN Lure (Miluch blend)

4. Contech PPMN Lure (Former Miluch lure)

Eight sites across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta

Chemtica standard = ConTech

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Ave

rage

DB

M/T

rap

(+S

E)

Week of Year

Control CT Standard CT PPMN CTech (Former PPMN)

Weeks (2018): 21 = May 21 24 = 11 June 27 = 2 July 30 = 29 July

Mori et al. - unpublished

Wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana

Shelley Barkley

A. Jorgenson https://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app68/listings/midge/midge_map.jsp

Enhancing wheat midge pheromone monitoring

Goal: Save time and accurately predict wheat midge populations in the field

Government of Alberta

Enhancing wheat midge pheromone monitoring

Goal: Save time and accurately predict wheat midge populations in the field

How: Refine decision support tool based on pheromone trap captureGovernment of Alberta

Bruce and Smart 2009 – Outlooks on Pest Manag.

Enhancing wheat midge pheromone monitoring

Goal: Save time and accurately predict wheat midge populations in the field

How: Refine decision support tool based on pheromone trap captureGovernment of Alberta

Bruce and Smart 2009 – Outlooks on Pest Manag.

Project Proposal Under Review:Tentatively begins 2020

Discovery of a new species with pheromones

Swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii, identified from Prairies in 2007-08

CFIA 2009

Canola Council R. Hallett R. Hallett

Discovery of a new species with pheromones

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Researchers began research in 2012

1. Determine the life cycle and phenology

2. Determine the distribution

3. Identify potential biological control agents

CFIA 2009

Discovery of a new species with pheromones

Day

Life cycle and phenologyDistribution Biological control

Discovery of a new species with pheromones

Day

Life cycle and phenologyDistribution Biological control

Understanding the life cycle

Understanding the life cycle

Emergence cages

Populations appear to be increasing

Understanding the life cycle

Emergence cages with pheromone traps

No midge males were captured on the pheromone traps!

Understanding the life cycle

Is there an issue with pheromone traps?

Understanding the life cycle

Is there an issue with pheromone traps?

162 males/day

So are we dealing with swede midge on the Prairies?

So are we dealing with swede midge on the Prairies?

Specimens were sent to Dr. Rebecca Hallett’s Research Group (Guelph) and Dr. Brad Sinclair (CNC-Ottawa)

So are we dealing with swede midge on the Prairies?

Swede midge Prairie midge

Morphology

So are we dealing with swede midge on the Prairies?

Swede midge Prairie midge

Morphology

Genetics

So are we dealing with swede midge on the Prairies?

Swede midgePrairie midge

Canola flower midge, Contarinia brassicola

Mori et al. 2019 – Can. Entomol.

Canola flower midge, Contarinia brassicola

Lyle Cowell

Distribution Map

Mori et al. - unpublished

Canola flower midge, Contarinia brassicola

Lyle Cowell

Canola flower midge pheromone

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

A B C D E F G

Ave

rage

CFM

/tra

p (

+SE)

(2R,7S)-2,7,-diacetoxynonane(2R,7R)-2,7,-diacetoxynonane(2R)-acetoxynonane

000

100.10

100.50

1010

1020

1050

101

0.5

Treatment (µg/lure)

Mori et al. - unpublished

Mori et al. - unpublished

Pheromones on the Prairies

• In use:• Bertha Armyworm

• Diamondback Moth

• Wheat Midge

• In development:• Pea leaf weevil (Maya Evenden – UA)

• Canola flower midge (Boyd Mori – UA, Meghan Vankosky AAFC)

• Scrobipalpa atriplicella (quinoa & beets) (Boyd Mori – UA, Kirk Hillier – Acadia)

• Wireworms (Haley Catton, Wim Van Herk – AAFC, Gerhard Gries – SFU)

Acknowledgements

Drs. Julie Soroka, Lars Andreassen, Owen Olfert & Meghan Vankosky - AAFCJames Heal and Dr. Rebecca Hallett – University of GuelphDr. Brad Sinclair – Canadian National CollectionScott Meers and Shelley Barkley – Alberta Agriculture and ForestryDr. John Gavloski – Manitoba AgricultureDr. Jim Tansey – Sask. Ministry of Agriculture

Technical Assistance:Shane HaldunJennifer HolowachukJonathon WilliamsRoss Weiss

Funding: Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaCanola Council of Canada (CARP)SaskCanolaAgriculture Development FundWestern Grains Research Foundation