bait and switch: novel systems for ipm in high tunnels · 2012-12-08 · bait and switch: novel...
TRANSCRIPT
BAIT and SWITCH: Novel Systems
for IPM in High Tunnels
Margaret Skinner
Cheryl Frank
Bruce L. Parker
Univ. of Vermont
Entomology Research Laboratory
UVM Entomology Research Lab
Team of 5 senior scientists and several technicians
Addressing growers’ practical pest problems
Primary Areas of Effort:
Insect Pests of Greenhouse Ornamentals
Western Flower Thrips
Insect-Killing Fungi:
Beauveria bassiana
Metarhizium anisopliae
Why Western Flower Thrips?
#1 Insect Pest of Greenhouse Ornamentals
• Populations increase quickly
• Hard to detect
• Wide host range
• Transmit viruses
• Pesticide Resistant
What are Insect-Killing Fungi?
• Fungi that infect insects, NOT plants
• Several fungal products available
Botanigard: Beauveria bassiana
No Fly wp: Paecilomyces fumoseroseus
Met52: Metarhizium anisopliae
Mycotol: Lecanicillium lecanii
Note: Trichoderma is a fungus that suppresses plant pathogens, NOT insects.
Milky spore disease (Bacillus popillae) is a bacteria, Not a fungus.
Why Insect-Killing Fungi?
• Low cost of mass-production
• Potential to persist
• Naturally occurring
• Low impact on the environment and
human health
• No need for ingestion
• Compatible with parasites, predators & pesticides
• Easy to apply
• Indicator plants
• Trap plants
• Banker plants
• Guardian plants
BAIT & SWITCH Tactics for IPM
Use of non-crop plants to fool the pest for detecting or
managing pests
Indicator Plants Attract pests for quick & easy detection
What kind of plant works? Highly attractive to pest/s
Easy & cheap to grow to flowering stage
Not susceptible to other pests??
Not a virus carrier??
What do you do? Grow the plants
Position them in crop
Check them regularly for pests
Remove them when too infested
What do you do? • Grow plants and position in/around crop
• Check regularly for pests
• Remove from crop or treat to kill pest
Trap Plants Attract pest away from crop
What kind of plant works? High attractiveness to pest
Easy & cheap to grow
Not susceptible to other pests
Not a carrier of virus
Trap Plants 2012 results with Hero yellow marigolds in
greenhouse-grown bedding plants
Examples of
Indicator/Trap Plants
Setting/crop Plant type Target Pest
Greenhouse ornamentals
Yellow/white mums, gerbera daisy, verbena, ornamental pepper, sunflower
Thrips
" Petunia (Calypso, Summer madness, Super blue magic, Red cloud, fava bean)
INSV/TSWV
" Tomato, eggplant, beans Whitefly
Spider mite
Field crops Collars Diamond back moth
" Hubbard squash Cucumber beetles
" Radishes Striped cucumber
beetle & spider mite
" Cherry pepper Pepper weevil
Banker Plants Support reproduction of a natural enemy
What do you do? • Grow plant and infest with non-pest species
• Release natural enemy and allow to multiply
• Check regularly for pests and hyperparasites, etc.
Why bother? • Low cost source of natural enemies
• Sustained source of natural enemies
• Higher quality natural enemies
Increased temp. range, searching ability, effectiveness, survivorship, health, sex ratios
Examples of Banker Plants
Setting/crop Banker Plant Type
Biocontrol Agent Target Pest
Greenhouse ornamentals
Marigolds N. cucumeris predatory mite
Insect-killing fungus Thrips
" Wheat/Oat grass Aphidius parasite Green peach & melon aphid
" Alyssum, verbena
marigolds Orius predator Thrips
Poinsettia Papaya Encarsia & Eretmocerus
parasites Whitefly
Field grown peppers
Sunflower Orius predator Thrips
Guardian/Habitat Plants Attracts pest, supports natural enemy
reproduction & manages pest
What do you do? • Grow plant attractive to pest and distribute
around crop
• Release biocontrols on plant to multiply for managing pest on plant and dispersing into crop
• Check regularly for pests and biocontrols
Thrips Life Cycle
Know the life cycle of your pest to manage it!
Marigold Guardian Plants Attracts pest, supports biocontrols & manages pest
Marigold attracts
WFT from crop
Fungus applied to soil to
infect pupating WFT
Predatory mites released
on flowers to reproduce
and feed on WFT larvae
Marigold Habitat Plants 2012 results in greenhouse-grown bedding plants
Aphid Banker Plants Mini parasite rearing system for aphid IPM
What do you do? • Grow cereal grass and infest with bird-cherry
oat aphid (a non-pest species)
• Release natural enemy and allow to multiply
• Distribute plants around greenhouse
• Check regularly for pests and hyperparasites
Why bother? • Low cost source of parasites
• Available parasites when needed
• Higher quality parasites
Aphid Banker Plants Mini parasite rearing system for aphid IPM
What else to Do and NOT Do?
• Don’t use if you grow other monocots: corn,
Easter lilies, ornamental grasses, onions, garlic
• Water them regularly
• Replace them with fresh pots of aphids
• Remove them at the end of the season or if you see hyperparasites
• Don’t expect them to work for all aphid species, they work best for green peach & cotton/melon aphid.
NOT for POTATO or FOXGLOVE Aphid
Aphid Banker Plant How do you do it?
Get the materials:
•Hair nets/cages
•Plant pots and soil
•Seeds of wheat/oats/barley
•Order Bird cherry oat aphid starter colony (BCOA) for 3-4 wk starting Wk 2
•Identify place to produce banker plants (~70-75°F)
Start 6 weeks before opening the greenhouse
Aphid Banker Plant Week 1
When BCOA kit comes:
• Fill 4 pots with soil and water (Wk 1 pots)
• Scatter grain on soil
• Plant one BCOA cube per pot
• Cover with hairnet QUICK
• Check on order for 500 Aphidius colemani parasites (Ac) for Wk 2.
Aphid Banker Plant Week 2
• Fill 4 pots with soil & water (Wk 2 pots)
• Scatter grain on soil
• Trim grass blades from Wk 1 pots with BCOA and place on seeds
• Cover pots with net Quick
• Release parasites into Wk 1 pots if there’s enough BCOA (after transferring BCOA). Cover with net.
• Check on next week’s order for Ac parasites
Aphid Banker Plant Week 3
• Fill 4 pots with soil and water (Wk 3 pots)
• Scatter seed on soil
• Clip grass with BCOA from Wk 2 pots on seed and cover with net
• Place ~100 Ac parasites into Wk 2 pots and cover with net
REMEMBER: Don’t add parasites to banker plants until BCOA population is well established
Aphid Banker Plant Week 4
• Set up Wk 4 pots as before
• Clip grass infested with BCOA from Wk 3 pots and cover with net
• Check Wk 1 pots (with Ac parasites) for mummies
• Move Wk 1 pots to greenhouse and remove net
• Release Ac parasites on Wk 3 pots
Aphid Banker Plant Week 5
• Set up Wk 5 pots as before
• Clip grass infested with BCOA from Wk 4 pots and cover with net
• Check Wk 2 pots (with Ac parasites) for mummies
• Move Wk 2 pots to greenhouse and remove net
Aphid Banker Plant Week 6
• Set up Wk 6 pots as before
• Clip grass infested with BCOA from Wk 5 pots and cover with net
• Check Wk 3 pots (with Ac parasites) for mummies
• Move Wk 3 pots to greenhouse and remove net
Aphid Banker Plant Future weeks
• Continue to set up pots as before
• Clip grass from last weeks pots and cover with net
• Move to greenhouse beside a pot with Ac when BCOA colony is established
• Place old pots under bench to let Ac emerge.
• Check plants for hyperparasites
• Destroy plants at the end of the season
Thank You!
Thanks!
• USDA Agricultural Research Service
• USDA Extension IPM
• VT Extension System
• USDA Hatch Program
• American Floral Endowment