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Detecting pest insects across large areas means placing vast numbers of traps, with associated costs to set them up and check them regularly. Grid patterns have been the traditional choice, but a new study shows trap-placement patterns using parallel lines could be just as effective with much lower servicing requirements. Such large-scale trapping is used in detection of pests such as the spongy moth (Lymantria dispar), and the study of trap patterns used trapping data from spongy moth detection efforts in North Carolina and Ohio in 2021 to evaluate various trapping simulations. (Photo by Susan Ellis, Bugwood.org)
By John P. Roche, Ph.D.
Sampling for the presence of insect pests has traditionally used traps laid out in grid patterns. While effective, they are labor intensive to set up and monitor and thus a costly way to sample. In a new study, however, researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and North Carolina State University show that alternative trap-layout designs can match grid patterns in effectively detecting pest insects with lower servicing requirements.
Because of the expense that would be involved with testing trap-layout designs in the field, the researchers used simulations with a computer model called TrapGrid. Barney Caton, Ph.D., of the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service; Hui Fang, Ph.D., and Godshen Pallipparambil, Ph.D., of the Center for Integrated Pest Management at NC State; and Nicholas Manoukis, Ph.D., of the USDA Agricultural Research Service published their findings in April in the Journal of Economic Entomology.
TrapGrid can simulate the detection of insect pests by traps arranged in different patterns in a simulated landscape. In their simulations, the research team compared the performance of traditional grid patterns with alternative designs based on transects that they called “trap-sect” designs. Building on earlier work the researchers have conducted in trap-layout models, the team’s hypothesis was that trap-sect designs would detect pests as effectively as traditional grids but with much greater efficiency.
The alternative trap-layout designs tested were crossed lines, parallel lines, and spoked patterns. (See Figure 2.) In their simulations, Caton and colleagues measured the average probability of detection of a pest and the distance traveled to service the traps. Good sampling designs would have a high probability of detecting a pest and low servicing distances.
The researchers found that many of the alternative trap-layout designs provided pest detection that was similar to that provided by full grids. Of the alternative layouts, parallel-line designs showed the greatest probability of detection, followed by spoke designs, and then crossed-line designs. With parallel-line designs, the probability of detection increased incrementally with each additional line that was added, from two lines to seven lines, as would be expected.
Full grids had the longest servicing distance, followed by spokes and crossed lines (75 percent shorter), followed by parallel lines (66–89 percent shorter). Overall, in terms of detectability and efficiency combined, the best designs were four to seven parallel lines, followed by spoked lines.
A study of pest-insect trap-layout designs using the TrapGrid computer simulation, compared traditional grid patterns (A and B) with several alternate designs: four crossed lines (C), eight spokes with an untrapped hub (D), two parallel lines (E), four parallel lines (not pictured), five parallel lines (F), six parallel lines (G), and four parallel lines in a modified alignment (H). All designs used 250 traps, indicated by blue diamonds. Establishment positions of pests are indicated with red circles. (Image originally published in Caton et al 2023, Journal of Economic Entomology)
It makes sense that the alternative designs such as parallel lines and spoked lines were more efficient—with the shorter servicing distances of these designs, efficiency increases. But why was pest detectability in the parallel-line and spoked-line designs similar to the detectability in the full grid?
“This similarity is dependent on many things,” Manoukis says, “like the attractiveness of the traps.” With attractive traps, pests will be drawn to traps even if they are not in a full grid pattern. In addition, in the comparisons in these simulations, pest outbreaks occurred randomly in space, which might help them be detected by the alternative designs, making detectability more similar to that in the full grid.
To approximate how alternative sampling designs might work in the field, the investigators overlaid alternative designs onto actual trapping data for two pest moth species, the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) in California in 2010 and the spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) in North Carolina and Ohio in 2021. In the overlay of a four-parallel-line trap design on European grapevine moth data from California, the service distance was reduced by 43 percent. In the overlay of a crossed-lines trap design on spongy moth data in North Carolina and Ohio, the service distance was reduced by 35 percent and 47 percent, respectively.
“Aligning traps in this way is a new idea,” Caton says, “but it makes sense to improve efficiency. Survey managers already have to place traps in the field; this method just has them being placed in different shapes. The basic process is unchanged.”
Barney Caton, Ph.D. (left), of the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service; Hui Fang, Ph.D. (second from left), and Godshen Pallipparambil, Ph.D. (right), of the Center for Integrated Pest Management at NC State; and Nicholas Manoukis, Ph.D. (second from right), of the USDA Agricultural Research Service tested the probability of detection and the servicing distance of several alternative trap-layout designs for pest-insect sampling and compared the results to a traditional square grid design. They found that parallel-line and spoked-line trap designs offered good detection with significantly improved servicing efficiency. (Photo courtesy of USDA)
The investigators conclude that alternative trapping designs would reduce sampling costs considerably. But there are hurdles to overcome to implement these new designs. “The ‘tried and true’ methods often have some inertia behind them,” Caton says. “So, a new approach is almost always difficult to implement. But cost-cutting is usually a significant motivator, so our hope is that managers will adopt the trap-sect approach on that basis.”
The parallel-line and spoked-line sampling patterns worked well in the simulations in the study. Pest managers could refine these strategies even more by using an adaptive approach where surveyors add traps as pests are detected. This would permit pest detection with even greater efficiency. In future research, Caton and colleagues plan to investigate dynamic strategies of sampling that adapt over time.
“The TrapGrid model really made this research possible,” Caton says. “In the field it would be very time-consuming and costly to evaluate different designs. While some field validation is likely still needed, the results were strong enough that, given the good track record of the model, we are confident that the new sampling designs should work well.”
This investigation was the first test of alternative trap placement patterns for area-wide delimitation trapping in 40 years. Additional studies, including looking at dynamic sampling strategies, should further refine this promising approach.
El Picudo del Botón del Hibisco (Anthonomus testaceosquamosus Linell, Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
Alexandra M Revynthi, German Vargas, Yisell Velazquez Hernandez, Paul E Kendra, Daniel Carrillo y Catharine M Mannion
Introducción
El picudo del botón del hibisco (Anthonomus testaceosquamosus Linell, Coleoptera: Curculionidae) es una plaga del hibisco (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., Malvales: Malvaceae), originaria del noroeste de México y sur de Texas, que fue visto en Florida por primera vez en mayo del 2017 (Skelley y Osborne 2018). El incremento de las poblaciones del picudo entre 2019 y 2020 impactó negativamente la industria del hibisco en el sur de Florida durante el periodo de empaque en la primavera, lo que resultó en grandes pérdidas económicas. Florida lidera la producción de hibisco a nivel nacional, donde la mayoría de la producción en viveros ocurre en el sur del estado. Aproximadamente entre el 20 y el 25% de las plantas vendidas en el condado de Miami-Dade son hibiscos, donde el valor del mercado de plantas ornamentales fue de 697 millones (precio en el vivero) en 2017 (Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos, 2017). El picudo del botón del hibisco es una plaga regulada por la División de Industria Vegetal del Departamento de Agricultura y Servicios al Consumidor (FDACS-DPI, por sus siglas en inglés). De acuerdo con esta designación, cualquier vivero que sea identificado con la presencia de la plaga debe firmar y seguir un acuerdo de cumplimiento con el FDACS-DPI para reducir las probabilidades de dispersión del picudo. El propósito de este documento es proveer información acerca de esta importante plaga a productores de viveros y al público interesado.
Identificación
El picudo del botón del hibisco (Orden Coleoptera) pertenece a la familia de los picudos (Curculionidae) y a su vez pertenece al grupo de especies conocido como Anthonomus squamosus de la tribu Anthonomini. Este grupo de especies se caracteriza por tener insectos predominantemente cubiertos de escamas (Clark et al. 2019) (Figura 1). La longitud del cuerpo del adulto está entre 2,5 y 2,7 mm y el pico es de aproximadamente 1 mm de largo.
Figura 1. Adulto de Anthonomus testaceosquamosus, a) vista lateral y b) vista dorsal. Credit: Daniel Carrillo, UF/IFAS TREC
Las hembras se pueden distinguir de los machos mediante dos características, una es la protibia (el cuarto segmento del primer par de patas) y otra es el abdomen. En la protibia las hembras tienen un uncus apical y subapical, prominencia interior-marginal (mucron) (estructura en forma de espuela del lado interno de la tibia) (Figura 2a), que está ausente en los machos (Figura 2b). Adicionalmente, la parte posterior del quinto tergito abdominal (margen del quinto segmento abdominal) es recto en las hembras (Figura 3a, derecha) y curvo en los machos (Figura 3b, izquierda). La validez de estos caracteres fue confirmada mediante la disección de la genitalia de los picudos (Figura 4).
Figura 2. Protibia de la hembra (a) y del macho (b) de Anthonomus testaceosquamosus. La prominencia interior-marginal subapical (circulo; mucron) está presente en hembras, pero está ausente en machos. Credit: Daniel Carrillo, UF/IFAS TRECFigura 3. a) Abdomen del macho y b) de la hembra de Anthonomus testaceosquamosus. La parte posterior del quinto tergito en las hembras es recto (a, flecha a la derecha) y es curvo en machos (b, flecha a la derecha). Las hembras (a, flecha a la izquierda) tienen un pequeño pigidio (última parte del cuerpo que está expuesto cuando los élitros están en reposo) en comparación con los machos (b, flecha a la izquierda). Credit: Daniel Carrillo, UF/IFAS TRECFigura 4. Genitalia a) de la hembra y b) del macho de Anthonomus testaceosquamosus. Credit: Daniel Carrillo, UF/IFAS TREC
Los huevos son blancos cuando están recién depositados y se tornan amarillos al madurar (Figura 5). Las larvas del picudo del hibisco son de un color entre transparente y amarillo, tienen una cápsula cefálica bien definida y están desprovistas de patas torácicas (Figura 6). El tamaño de las larvas varía con el tamaño de los botones florales en donde se encuentran. En general, los botones florales grandes contienen larvas de mayor tamaño.
Figura 5. Múltiples huevos son depositados por las hembras de Anthonomus testaceosquamosus en las anteras del hibisco y dentro del botón floral. Credit: Juleysy Rodríguez y Yisell Velázquez Hernández, UF/IFAS TREC Figura 6. a) Instar temprano y b) tardío de Anthonomus testaceosquamosus alimentándose de polen. Credit: Juleysy Rodríguez y Yisell Velázquez Hernández, UF/IFAS TREC
Rango de hospederos y daño
Los picudos pertenecientes al grupo de Anthonomus squamosus están asociados con especies de plantas de las familias Asteraceae o Malvaceae. El picudo del botón del hibisco, A. testaceosquamosus ha sido asociado con múltiples especies de plantas, todas dentro de la familia Malvaceae (Tabla 1).
Tabla 1. Especies de plantas en las cuales el picudo del botón del hibisco Anthonomus testaceosquamosus Linell ha sido encontrado (Clark et al. 2019).
Los adultos del picudo se alimentan principalmente de botones florales, tallos y en menor medida de hojas del hibisco. Las hembras ovipositan en los botones florales y las larvas se desarrollan en el interior del botón, causando la caída de este antes de la floración. Los síntomas incluyen perforaciones en los tallos y botones a punto de abrir (Figura 7), y caída severa de botones bajo condiciones de alta densidad de la plaga. El daño producido por la alimentación en las hojas no es muy llamativo. En viveros del sur de Florida, las variedades rosadas y amarillas parecen ser más susceptibles al picudo que las rojas y otras variedades (Tabla 2). La variedad rosada ‘Painted Lady’ y la variedad amarilla ‘Sunny Yellow’ son reportadas como las variedades más susceptibles. La variedad roja ‘President Red’ es reportada como la más resistente.
Tabla 2. Variedades de hibisco cultivadas en Florida que han sido encontradas infestadas por el picudo del botón del hibisco (Anthonomus testaceosquamosus).
En Florida, otra especie del grupo Anthonomus squamosus, Anthonomus rubricosus, ha sido reportada infestando algodón y plantas de hibisco (Clark et al. 2019; Loiácono et al. 2003). Sin embargo, no existen reportes recientes de su establecimiento en plantas de hibisco en Florida. Este picudo es similar en tamaño al picudo del hibisco, pero es de color café. El genero Anthonomus incluye varias especies de gran importancia agrícola, como el picudo del algodonero, Anthonomus grandis. Las plagas del género Anthonomus más importantes desde el punto de vista económico en Florida son el picudo del chile Anthonomus eugenii y el picudo de la acerola Anthonomus macromalus. El picudo del chile ataca plantas de la familia Solanaceae, particularmente chiles (Capsicum spp.) (Capinera 2002), mientras que el picudo de la acerola ataca la cereza de Barbados (Malpighia glabra, Familia: Malpighiaceae) (Hunsberger y Peña 1998).
Figura 7. Daños causados por la alimentación de Anthonomus testaceosquamosus en hibisco a) botón floral con adulto del picudo y b) daño en peciolo. Credit: Juleysy Rodríguez y Yisell Velázquez Hernández, UF/IFAS TREC
La caída de los botones también puede ser causada por la mosquita de la flor (Contarinia maculipennis, Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), que puede ser confundida con daño por parte del picudo del botón del hibisco (Mannion et al. 2006). Ambas plagas pueden infestar la misma planta de hibisco; sin embargo, rara vez se encuentran en el mismo botón floral. Botones infestados con la mosquita de la flor tienen internamente múltiples larvas de mosca de color entre blanco y amarillo que saltan cuando son molestadas. Las larvas de la mosquita de la flor no tienen una cabeza distinguible y patas, y necesitan abandonar el botón para empupar en el suelo, mientras que la larva del picudo del hibisco tiene cabeza y empupa dentro del botón floral (Figuras 8 y 9).
Figura 8. a) Larva del picudo del botón del hibisco, Anthonomus testaceosquamosus y b) larva de la mosquita de la flor, Contarinia maculipennis. Credit: Juleysy Rodríguez y Yisell Velázquez Hernández, UF/IFAS TRECFigura 9. Larva de la mosquita de la flor (Contarinia maculipennis) saliendo del botón floral. La foto muestra el daño causado por la alimentación de las larvas en el botón floral. Credit: Juleysy Rodríguez y Yisell Velázquez Hernández, UF/IFAS TREC
Biología
Las hembras del picudo del botón del hibisco ovipositan entre 3 y 5 huevos en un solo botón floral y cerca de las anteras (Figura 4). Una vez que las larvas eclosionan se alimentan de polen y permanecen dentro del botón floral hasta alcanzar el estado adulto. Debido a una alta incidencia de canibalismo en el estado de larva, no todos los huevos depositados en un botón llegan al estado adulto; sin embargo, varios adultos pueden emerger de un solo botón floral. A una temperatura de 26,7 °C (8 0°F), los huevos pueden emerger entre 2 y 3 días. El estado de larva tiene tres instares y puede durar, en promedio, 10 días. El estado de pupa dura entre 2,9 a 4,2 días (Figura 10). El desarrollo entre el estado de huevo y el adulto puede tomar entre 12,8 y 15,3 días, en el cual se ha observado una sobrevivencia de hasta el 90%. La longevidad de los adultos tiene un rango entre 13 y 169 días, y los machos viven por más tiempo que las hembras. Cuando los adultos son alimentados solamente usando polen pueden sobrevivir hasta 52 días. Los adultos sobreviven un promedio de 28 días sin acceso a alimento, pero con acceso a agua, y pueden sobrevivir 16 días sin alimento y sin agua. La proporción sexual es de 1:1 hembras por machos (Revynthi et al. 2022).
Figura 10. Pupa de Anthonomus testaceosquamosus. Credit: Juleysy Rodríguez y Yisell Velázquez Hernández, UF/IFAS TREC
Temperaturas extremas ya sean bajas o altas parecen ser perjudiciales para el desarrollo de las larvas del picudo. En experimentos de laboratorio en la Universidad de Florida, a 10 °C (50 °F) no hubo eclosión de huevos, mientras que a 15 °C (59 °F) hubo eclosión 12 días luego de la oviposición, pero las larvas no se alimentaron y eventualmente murieron. De manera similar, a 38,8 °C (93 °F) los huevos eclosionaron luego de 5,6 días, pero ninguna larva llegó al estado de pupa (Revynthi et al. 2022). En el sur de Florida, el pico de actividad de este picudo ha sido observado desde marzo hasta junio con bajas poblaciones desde septiembre hasta febrero.
Desarrollo de técnicas de manejo de plagas y monitoreo
Los programas de manejo integrado de plagas dirigidos al picudo del botón del hibisco contienen una combinación de prácticas culturales, sanitización, control químico y control biológico. La rotación de cultivos con especies no hospederas ha sido recomendada para interrumpir los ciclos de población (Bográn et al. 2003). La sanitización incluye la recolección y destrucción sistemática de todos los botones caídos al suelo. A pesar de que la sanitización es una labor de alta demanda de mano de obra, ha sido propuesta como una de las prácticas más eficientes en el manejo de esta plaga puesto que evita la reinfestación de las plantas con nuevos adultos (Bográn et al. 2003). Actualmente no existen insecticidas registrados específicamente para el control del picudo del botón del hibisco en Florida, pero los cultivadores pueden usar legalmente insecticidas que están registrados para su uso en viveros. La FDACS-DPI tiene una lista de insecticidas recomendados para el control de esta plaga. Las pruebas de eficacia de varios insecticidas registrados para picudos/coleópteros y otras plagas especificas en plantas ornamentales están actualmente en desarrollo. Hasta la fecha no existen reportes de enemigos naturales del picudo del botón del hibisco, pero en la actualidad se está estudiando el potencial uso de hongos y de nematodos entomopatógenos como agentes de control biológico.
Varias especies dentro del género Anthonomus son atraídas hacia un grupo de atrayentes comerciales que consisten en feromonas de agregación del macho y compuestos volátiles vegetales (Tumlinson et al. 1969; Eller et al. 1994; Innocenzi et al. 2001). Existen cuatro componentes de la feromona sintética de agregación del macho, también conocidos como Grandlures (I-IV). En la actualidad se está estudiando el uso de trampas de feromonas utilizadas ampliamente en otras especies de Anthonomus, para el caso del picudo del botón del hibisco. En Texas, las trampas de feromonas desarrolladas para el picudo del algodonero (A. grandis) fueron evaluadas, sin éxito, en la captura de adultos del picudo del botón del hibisco (Bográn et al. 2003). Sin embargo, los autores plantean que esto pudo haber ocurrido ante una ubicación temprana de las trampas de acuerdo con la temporada de aparición de los adultos. Las trampas pegajosas amarillas son las trampas más atractivas para varias especies de Anthonomus (Cross et al. 2006; Szendrei et al. 2011; Silva et al. 2018). Actualmente se adelantan pruebas de campo que estudian el poder atrayente de las feromonas del picudo del algodonero (A. grandis) y del picudo del chile (A. eugenii), y para poder identificar el mejor tipo de trampa para capturar los adultos del picudo del botón del hibisco. Es necesario un programa de manejo integrado de plagas que implemente las estrategias mencionadas anteriormente para regular las poblaciones de A. testaceosquamosus en Florida y disminuir el impacto económico causado por esta especie.
Referencias
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Este documento ENY-2069S, hace parte de la serie de Extensión del Departamento de Entomología y Nematología de la Universidad de la Florida, UF/IFAS. La fecha original de publicación es agosto de 2021. Por favor visite la página web de EDIS en https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu para la versión de soporte de esta publicación.
About the Authors
Alexandra M. Revynthi, Departamento de Entomología y Nematología, UF/IFAS Centro de Investigación y Educación Tropical; German Vargas, Departamento de Entomología y Nematología, UF/IFAS Centro de Investigación y Educación Tropical; Yisell Velazquez-Hernández, Departamento de Entomologia y Nematologia, UF/IFAS Centro de Investigacin y Educacioón Tropical; Paul E. Kendra, USDA ARS, Estación Experimental en Horticultura Subtropical; Daniel Carrillo, Departamento de Entomologia y Nematologia, UF/IFAS Centro de Investigación y Educación Tropical; y Catharine M Mannion, Departamento de Entomología y Nematología, UF/IFAS Centro de Investigación y Educación Tropical.
Banana growers managing over 600 commercial banana properties along the east coast of Australia are being armed with an arsenal of tools to guard against significant pests and diseases through a $1.7M collaboration.
Delivered through Hort Innovation and led by the Australian Banana Growers’ Council, the surveillance and grower education program provides an array of tools to protect the $500 million banana industry and educate growers on how to recognise early disease symptoms and manage diseases more effectively. This has been through farm visits, workshops, grower groups and other resources such as videos that provide tips for detecting new infections.
Hort Innovation chief executive officer Brett Fifield said addressing the threat of significant banana diseases, as well improving grower capacity to manage them, is a critical priority for the banana industry.
“Research shows if Panama TR4 alone was to spread widely it would cost the Australian banana industry $5 billion over ten years. The challenge of having to deal with TR4 in combination with other significant banana diseases on a property would have an even more serious impact.”
TR4 is currently contained to Far North Queensland and the Northern Territory. It is considered the biggest threat to Australian banana growers. However, if left unchecked, there are a range of other pests and diseases that could be just as devastating to the banana industry and the communities it supports. Losses through on-farm management of leaf diseases (yellow Sigatoka and Leaf Speckle) run to tens of millions of dollars per year and, if Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) were to spread in Far North Queensland, losses have been estimated at $16-20 million per year.
“That is why the banana industry is investing its levies heavily into a suite of programs through Hort Innovation that reduce the spread and impact of pests and diseases and ensure any new incidents are picked up as quickly as possible,” Mr Fifield said.
Australian Banana Growers’ Council project leader Rosie Godwin said the goal of the surveillance and education project is to boost the banana industry’s ability to prevent, manage, and reduce the impact of biosecurity threats.
“The presence of Bunchy Top on a property, if left unchecked, can make a business unviable within 18 months. On top of that, Bunchy Top symptoms alongside heavy infestation of Leaf Spot and Leaf Speckle could mask symptoms of TR4 and reduce the efficacy of surveillance, detection and containment,” Dr Godwin said.
“By directly including growers and farm advisors in surveillance and biosecurity programs, we are supercharging our biosecurity efforts and increasing the likelihood of early detection. Banana growers know their own properties better than anyone else, so even a little bit of training goes a long way.”
Third-generation banana grower and ABGC director Andrew Serra, from Tolga in Far North Queensland, said the project provides growers with the tools they need to be on the front foot when it comes to protecting their property and the industry more broadly.
“The ABGC team provide invaluable surveillance and training for banana growers like myself. As far as I’m concerned, we have got more than enough to deal with when it comes to pests and diseases, particularly with TR4. If Banana Bunchy Top was detected in the major production areas of Far North Queensland on top of that, it could decimate our industry, let alone any other biosecurity threat not currently present in Australia.”
Mr Fifield will be speaking more about this project and other Hort Innovation investments for the banana industry at the Australian Banana Congress tomorrow at 8am.
New research shows how emphasizing collaboration and local knowledge in China can advance preparation for responding to invasive insects that could threaten North American tree species. Native to eastern Asia, the citrus longhorned beetle (Anoplophora chinensis) is one such species noted in the study, noted for its capacity to infest and kill live pecan trees (Carya illinoinensis). (Photo by Taiwan Waterbird Research Group, Changhua Coastal Conservation Action Alliance on Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
By Carolyn BernhardtPrevious research has shown that, between 2003 and 2012, insect pests affected more than 85 million hectares of forest worldwide, much of which was in temperate North America. Invasive insects tear through North American forest systems at such an alarming rate that the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in January that it would spend over $70 million on beefing up pest detection, surveillance, and control systems and safeguarding the U.S. nursery system in 2023. The funding supports 350 projects led by universities, states, federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, nonprofits, and Tribal organizations across 48 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico.And, for all the researchers working to prevent the spread of invasive pests and minimize their impact, studies that help anticipate and prepare for the arrival of invasives are just as crucial as conducting research that informs response measures.“Routinely, when an invasive pest shows up, the authorities perform a mad scramble, pour money on it, and [direct scientists] to do monitoring, assessment, and delineation,” says Jiri Hulcr, Ph.D., an associate professor with the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences and the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida. The approach, he says, only works with some pests. “In most cases, we find out about the bug months—if not years—after it has already killed thousands of trees.” So, he and his team want to “get ahead of that curve.”For the past decade, Hulcr and his team have been committed to regrowing relationships across academics in China and the U.S. to better understand and, eventually, prevent the spread of invasive pests in both nations. But, despite a significant trade relationship, tension has mushroomed between China and the United States in recent years. And unfortunately, that very trade relationship helps drive the spread of invasive species in both countries.“I can tell you, China is receiving an equal amount of pests from us,” Hulcr says. “The biggest source of invasive species is trade with live plants and trade supported by wood products, like pallets. So, it’s not these ‘evil beetles’ against us. It’s us all buying stuff at an unprecedented rate.”In April, Hulcr and colleagues Yiyi Dong at UF and Jie Gao, Ph.D., at the Chinese Academy of Sciences published a meta-analysis in Environmental Entomology that combed both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literature published in China that reported on how insect species considered invasive in the U.S. interact with seven important North American commercial tree species planted in China.The non-peer-reviewed literature that’s published in China, also called “grey literature,” was crucial to the project, according to Huclr. “Everyone can do a full-text search on Google in English, but this grey data published in Chinese remain inaccessible to us in the U.S.,” he says. “We are picking the brains of thousands of people by studying the gray literature.”He also thinks the study helps fill gaps when resources aren’t available. “Lots of people are advising wisely to work with botanical gardens in China because they are already planting these ‘exotic’ North American trees, and we could potentially observe wood borers on that,” he says. But botanical garden managers use heavy pesticide spray and rarely analyze dead trees for pests before removing them. Instead, Hulcr and his team focused their meta-analysis on places where people plant trees and observe the tree’s lifespan, which includes noticing “interesting bugs,” such as schools, municipalities, and scientific institutions.
A meta-analysis by researchers at the University of Florida and the Chinese Academy of Sciences combed both peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literature published in China that reported on how insect species considered invasive in the U.S. interact with seven important North American commercial tree species planted in China. Illustrated here are the host tree species and the reports of their insect pests at the family level. Left bars represent host plant species, and right color bars represent families and orders of wood-boring insects. The width of each grey link reflects the number of times the insect species was reported on the corresponding host plant in the dataset from the study. (Image originally published in Dong et al 2023, Environmental Entomology)
The researchers found 60 unique wood borer records covering four orders, 39 genera, and 44 species. Longhorned beetles (Cerambycidae) were the most reported colonizers of North American trees, far eclipsing reports of bark beetles. But, of course, the scientists could not have possibly researched the dozens of North American tree species planted in China, so they chose seven that are important in the U.S. landscape and timber industries. “Those seven are likely to trigger regulatory action if a pest on those trees shows up,” says Hulcr.Finding so few bark beetle reports surprised Hulcr, but he thinks he understands where it comes from. “Big, fun-looking pests are reported much more commonly than little inconspicuous pests,” he says. Gaping tree holes and flashy beetles grab attention, but small beetles causing tree death make it difficult to link species to their impact. As a result, Hulcr notes that the grey literature “certainly has big biases, unquestionably.”Hulcr also acknowledges that this meta-analysis only scratches the surface of China’s information on how its insects interact with North American tree species. For example, the team could only sample literature that had been digitized.Chinese researchers, Hulcr says, possess extensive knowledge of American trees due to their efforts in the afforestation of fallow farmlands over the last century. “Sometimes [their approach is] misinformed because they are planting monocultures of one American species, which isn’t sustainable,” he says, “but in some cases they are establishing whole forests. Regardless, they are planting lots of American trees.”Collaborating with overseas colleagues can also help American researchers overcome obstacles to sampling infested trees. “Trees there die, and somebody puts [them] away. That’s not something I can sample and turn into data,” Hulcr says. “We have to work with people on the ground through the [local] educational system and institutions that are there and [can record] the deaths.”To Hulcr and his collaborators, the study represents a resourceful approach to efficiently investigating the potential threat of invasive wood borers to North American trees. It also highlights an untapped well of resources and the importance of digitizing and disseminating non-English literature.“We are helping bring literature to daylight that would otherwise go unnoticed,” Hulcr says, “and we are turning these scattered individual reports and turning them into data that is now accessible to the mainstream global community of scientists.”
W E B I N A R Successful biocontrol of the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) in Georgia, and related experiences Friday, 26 May 2023 | 14.00 – 15.30 CEST Register now The One Country One Priority Product (OCOP)Secretariat at FAO Headquarters and the FAO Country Office in Georgia are pleased to announce a webinar on the successful biocontrol of the European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana) in Georgia, with the addition of related experiences in the field. Join us on Friday, 26 May 2023, 14:00 -15:30 (CEST), for an expert discussion on solutions and strategies that are helping to stop the spread of pests and diseases through integrated pest management (IPM) products and practices. FAO launched the One Country One Priority Product initiative (OCOP) in September 2021 to contribute to the FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31 by promoting inclusive, profitable, and environmentally friendly agrifood systems through the sustainable development of Special Agricultural Products. Biocontrol is a case study of healthy, biodiversity-rich, resilient agriculture which will be promoted through the OCOP initiative. This webinar will serve as a forum to share knowledge, experiences and lessons learned in sustainable pest and pesticide management from different countries that are interested in implementing and promoting the OCOP initiative and its main objectives. AgendaTimeItem and presenter14.00 – 14.10 Opening remarks by Jingyuan Xia, Director, Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Raimund Jehle, Regional Programme Leader, FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and FAO Representative for Georgia 14.10 – 14.15Key elements of the OCOP by Hafiz Muminjanov, Technical Adviser, NSP 14.15 – 14.20Overview of ENPARD Programme in Georgia by Javier Sanz Alvarez, Programme Coordinator, FAO-Georgia 14.20 – 14.30Overview of the biocontrol of pests in viticulture in different countries (Spain and France) by Julio Prieto Diaz, FAO/EU Technical Expert, Spain 14.30 – 14.40Technical and economic benefits of the biocontrol of Lobesiabotrana in Georgian vineyards by Alessandra Guidotti, International Agronomy and Extension Specialist, FAO-Georgia 14.40 – 14.50Georgian wine producer experience by Patrick Honnef, Director Winery Chateau Mukhrani 14.50 – 15.00The biocontrol of Drosophillasuzukii, an invasive pest of berries and cherries in Northern America and Europe by Gianfranco Anfora, Fondazione Edmund Mach, Italy 15.00 – 15.10Biological Control Tactics using Predatory Mites in Berry Crops by Oscar E. Liburd, University of Florida, United States of America 15.10 – 15.25 General discussion 15.25 – 15.30 Closing remarks by Raimund Jehle, Regional Programme Leader, FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia and FAO Representative for Georgia The webinar will be moderated by Hafiz Muminjanov.
For more information, please contact: OCOP@fao.org
Quinoa’s emergence as an attractive, climate-resilient crop in the U.S. has been met with a fresh challenge from a stem-boring fly species, Amauromyza karli, previously known in Canada. While research is scant on this new pest, a new profile in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines what we know—and what we need to find out—about reducing its impact on quinoa. As shown here, adult Amauromyza karli flies have dark brown bodies, bright yellow heads, and bright yellow hind wings, which are reduced in all flies (marked with an arrow). The joints linking their leg segments are yellow as well. (Photo courtesy of Ada Szczepaniec, Ph.D.)
By Ada Szczepaniec, Ph.D.
Ada Szczepaniec, Ph.D.
Got any quinoa in your pantry? Some years ago, this excellent grain became an instant celebrity of healthy diet trends and exploded in popularity. Quinoa produces one of the most highly nutritious grains, with high quality proteins and all essential amino acids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is also gluten-free, making it suitable for anyone with gluten intolerance or allergies.
Not only is quinoa an excellent source of food, but it also falls into the category of climate-resilient crops. What does this mean? Quinoa is adapted to extreme growing conditions such as high elevation, poor soil conditions, and high temperature fluctuations. It can also produce adequate yields with a mere 10-15 inches of water per growing season. For comparison, wheat requires 18-21 inches of water, and corn requires 25-30 inches. We are all aware of high incidence of drought limiting our agriculture, and high tolerance for limited water supply is important for sustainability of our food production systems. Quinoa is just the crop we should be growing!
In the U.S., most quinoa is imported from South America, where it has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years, but some 3,000 acres of quinoa have been grown in the San Luis Valley of Colorado since the 1980s (shown here). Quinoa is also grown in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. (Photo courtesy of Ada Szczepaniec, Ph.D.)
In the U.S., most of our quinoa is imported from South America, where it has been cultivated for more than 5,000 years, but we do produce this crop in the U.S. as well. Some 3,000 acres of quinoa have been grown in the San Luis Valley of Colorado since the 1980s. The valley is located over 7,500 feet above sea level in the western part of Colorado, and, with only 7-10 inches of precipitation a year, it is a water-limited region of the state. Quinoa is also grown in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, and intense researchhas been devoted to breeding varieties best suited to our environments in the U.S.
Unfortunately, a new stem-boring insect, Amauromyza karli, a fly in the family Agromyzidae, has disrupted these efforts and affected all quinoa acres grown in Colorado. The impact of this pest was especially pronounced in Colorado in 2022, where 100 percent of the acres of quinoa were affected by this pest, and farmers suffered significant crop and economic losses. In February, my Colorado State University colleague Gabriel Alnajjar and I published a profile of Amauromyza karli in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management.
The fly is not new to our continent; it has been reported in Canada previously, but we know very little about its habits and life cycle. It is a small fly, measuring only one-eighth of an inch (3 millimeters), with a dark brown body and a bright yellow head that is easily distinguishable without any need for magnification. The flies’ reduced hind wings (called halteres) are also bright yellow, as are the joints linking their leg segments. The adults likely do not injure quinoa, but it is the immature stage—the larvae commonly called maggots—that are the main culprit of losses to quinoa.
The larvae of A. karli are white and measure approximately three-sixteenths of an inch (4.5 mm) when fully grown and lack legs or a defined head. The maggots feed inside the stem of quinoa, destroying the pith and killing young plants or significantly reducing yield when colonizing older plants. Like many other agromyzids, the larvae probably exit the stems to spend their pupal stage in the soil before emerging as adults and starting their life cycle anew. Unfortunately, we do not yet know how many generations of the fly occur per year in the U.S., or what some of their non-quinoa hosts are. The likely candidate is a close relative of the crop, common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), which is an abundant weed in the U.S.
Interestingly, A. karli is not a pest of quinoa in South America. It was also not listed among insects founds in quinoa in a study that surveyed arthropods associated with this crop shortly after it was established in the U.S. in the early 1990s. Without much knowledge of its biology and no information regarding effective pest management tactics elsewhere, it is very challenging to develop recommendations for producers that can be immediately applied in their fields.
We can use some hints about the likely traits of its natural history from other agromyzid flies, but stem-boring insects that are well protected within plant stems and manage to evade pesticides and predators are notoriously difficult to suppress. Thus, we face a twofold challenge: First, we need to learn about the biology of this pest in the U.S. to predict when and why its outbreaks occur; second, we need to develop pest management tactics that will effectively suppress it given its stem-boring habits.
To address this challenge, I designed a project that was recently funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture to determine life history traits of A. karli that will be relevant to its management. We will establish peak activity of the flies in the field to inform management tactics such as planting-date modifications and timing of biological and chemical control. We will also work to identify non-crop hosts of A. karli in the field to inform weed management strategies focused on eliminating alternative hosts in vicinity of quinoa.
An effective tactic against many insect pests involves host plant resistance, and we will screen whether currently available and experimental varieties of quinoa have any resistance or tolerance to the fly. Along with my collaborator Jane Stewart, Ph.D., a plant pathologist at Colorado State University, we will also explore whether entomopathogenic fungi (i.e., fungi that can kill insects) can be established as endophytes in stems of quinoa (i.e., live inside the plants) and reduce survival of immature A. karli.
Finally, while it is a long shot given extensive research already showing that pesticides do not generally affect stem-boring pests, we will also test whether systemic insecticides can lower survival or longevity of the larvae. This tactic would allow producers to mitigate the impact of this pest while we work to hone tactics that are more sustainable but also take longer to develop, such as plant resistance and biological control.
The new pest of quinoa is highly likely to cause losses and limit our production of this crop in the U.S. until we develop and effective management strategy. However, it is very important that we do find ways to limit its impact and facilitate expansion of quinoa production. Quinoa is the type of crop we should grow more of to support our food production and ensure food security in the context of increasingly challenging growing conditions, extreme weather patterns, and the importance of decreasing our reliance on imports.
Adrianna (Ada) Szczepaniec, Ph.D., is an associate professor of horticultural entomology in the Department of Agricultural Biology at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. Email: a.szczepaniec@colostate.edu.
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Tarnished plant bugs, such as this adult specimen, are the state’s No. 1 most economically important insect pests of cotton.Ben Thrash
The tarnished plant bug is Mississippi’s No. 1 most economically damaging insect in cotton, costing an estimated $42 million in yield losses plus millions more spent to control the pest.
Whitney Crow, entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said these insects also can be found in corn and soybeans, but they are the most economically important pests in cotton. Yield losses to tarnished plant bugs can happen even with the proper use of pesticides.
“Losses can range from 400 pounds to 1,000 pounds an acre depending on the year,” Crow said. “The biggest issue in cotton is that they like the squares — the flower buds — in cotton’s earlier stages. When they feed on those squares, they have the potential to fall off, causing direct yield loss to that plant.”
Position flips
The boll weevil was once the most economically important cotton pest in the state. Boll weevil eradication efforts that sprayed broad-spectrum insecticides on a scheduled basis also controlled tarnished plant bugs.
“When we eradicated the boll weevil, it left the opportunity open for another insect to fill that void and become the most problematic,” Crow said.
The tarnished plant bug is native to North America and found throughout the U.S., parts of Canada and into Mexico. It is a true bug, with piercing, sucking mouth parts that include an almost straw-like proboscis that is used to inject enzymes to break down plant material.
Sugar and nutrient fed
Plant bugs feed on the nutrients and plant sugars in the flowering structures of their hosts. There are more than 500 documented host plants for tarnished plant bugs.
Crow said adults are small, only about 5-6 millimeters long, and are a brownish color with a light-colored V-shape behind their heads and two light-colored patches near the end of their wings.
The immature nymphs vary in size and are generally yellow-green to bright green. The nymphs go through as many as five developmental stages, known as instars, and they have different markings in these stages.
Managing these pests requires more than applying chemical control at the appropriate times.
“It is important to utilize various integrated pest management tactics throughout the season so we’re not completely reliant on chemical control for plant bug management,” she said.
Resistance
This is important as there are limited insecticide options available to control the pest because it has become resistant to a number of classes of chemicals.
“That resistance has developed over the last 10 to 20 years,” Crow said.
Cultural control is important for these pests. Planting cotton early is one way to limit plant bug problems.
“Early-planted cotton allows for higher yield potential, and it allows you to avoid increased insecticide applications common with later planted cotton or cotton with delayed maturity,” she said.
Another insect management tactic is to try to grow cotton in adjoining fields and away from corn, which helps limit migration of the pests from corn into cotton.
Secondary pest
Don Cook, an entomologist at the MSU Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, said that, before boll weevil eradication and the introduction of genetically modified Bt cotton varieties, tarnished plant bugs were considered secondary pests in many areas.
“It was primarily considered a pest prior to flowering,” Cook said. “After flowering had begun, insecticide applications for boll weevil and bollworm/tobacco budworm provided management of plant bugs.”
When boll weevil eradication was complete and Bt cotton was introduced, growers needed fewer insecticide applications. These factors contributed to plant bugs becoming a season-long pest.
“This change in habits, along with development of resistance to several insecticide classes, has helped elevate the status of tarnished plant bug as a pest of cotton in the Midsouth,” Cook said.
Scientists warn of invasive thrips species that has started to wreak havoc in Florida; say early detection and reporting are key
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Powered by Translate Gainesville, Florida, USA March 29, 2023 An invasive thrips species has started to wreak havoc in Florida. The insect was first detected in Florida in 2020 but has since spread significantly across the state. What once was isolated to greenhouses now has begun to harm a wide range of plants including those in residential landscapes. The insect, Thrips parvispinus — commonly known as pepper thrips — is one of the smallest thrips species in Florida. Its size makes it challenging to detect. The tiny insects fly and hop from plant to plant, rasping the plant with their mouth parts and sucking the sap. Feeding on the plant restricts the plant’s growth and reduces crop yields. Researchers don’t know of any viruses this species transmits, but often, thrips can transmit viruses between plants, killing the plants. “In order to minimize any kind of negative impacts we started warning people right away that this pest had made its way to Florida,” said Lance Osborne, UF/IFAS entomologist at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center. “We better be careful. This insect is notorious for damaging peppers around the world but now it has moved from the greenhouse to the environment and has established itself in several areas around the state.” Plant leaf damage caused by Thrips parvispinus. Currently, scientists don’t know of any effective predators or other biologicals that attack Thrips parvispinus in Florida and chemical control has been very difficult. That makes early detection and prevention even more important. “While damage symptoms are the most noticeable indicators of its infestations, they may not appear until after the plant has sustained considerable harm,” said Muhammad “Zee” Ahmed, USDA research entomologist. “As they say, prevention is always better than cure, and this is particularly true when dealing with Thrips parvispinus.” The research team including Ahmed, Cindy McKenzie of USDA, and UF/IFAS Extension agent John Roberts conducted a survey of garden centers in Palm Beach County to understand how widespread the pest is. Eight out of nine stores entomologists visited had the pest. In November, a south Florida grower lost an entire pepper crop to the pest valued at more than $1.3 million. “At first, the damage can mimic mites and can be misleading,” said Osborne. “The control methods are not the same and without proper treatment, these thrips can take out a whole crop.” Entomologists encourage growers to scout often and inspect their plants carefully. “It isn’t that the sky is falling but we have to pay attention to this and not ignore it,” said Osborne. “Growers of any crop should be aware. This insect seems to have a fairly broad host range. This won’t just impact peppers and ornamental plant growers.” The pest has been detected on a wide variety of plants including 43 species from 19 plant families including fiber crops, vegetables and ornamental plants. “Now that we know more about the insect, we need to do more research to know how to manage them,” said Osborne. “We want to help growers avoid wasting money and chemicals so we are working to develop effective spraying strategies for controlling their populations.” Damage to sea grapes from Thrips parvispinus Researchers are conducting controlled experiments in quarantine facilities including Alexandra Revynthi at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center and Osborne at MREC. But scientists are eager to test their findings in real-word scenarios. The regulations for research on controlled pests of this kind are strict. Scientists cannot move plant material or the live insects outside of infested areas, or work with them in university facilities accept in an approved quarantine room. These quarantine rooms are very small and not much different than a broom closet, which makes testing difficult. “We are hearing that some things may work to control these thrips, but we need to conduct research to validate what we are hearing,” said Osborne. “I may find something to be successful when testing it here in a small room with artificial lighting, but it might not work in a greenhouse, landscape or vegetable field. We’re interested in working with growers to help manage the pest so we can better understand how to treat these thrips in a commercial setting.” Growers who detect Thrips parvispisnus should immediately report their findings to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry. Then, researchers can work with growers to help manage the pest and develop the best treatment options available. A new website developed in collaboration between UF/IFAS and USDA provides detailed information on the insect’s biology, early detection, and damage symptoms with detailed videos and images. “This information will be critical in developing effective control strategies and preventing the further spread of this invasive species in the U.S.,” said Ahmed.
Ninth International Conference on Management of the Diamondback Moth and Other Crucifer Insect Pests
Photo by Dr. Srinivasan Ramasamy
The Ninth International Conference on Management of the Diamondback Moth and other Crucifer Insect Pests will be organized by the World Vegetable Center in association with Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Cambodia and Taiwan Agricultural Chemicals and Toxic Substances Research Institute (TACTRI). The conference will be held during May 2-5, 2023 at Phnom Penh, Cambodia. About 100 – 150 researchers worldwide are expected to participate and present research papers. The conference is designed to provide a common forum for the researchers to share their findings in bio-ecology of insect pests, host plant resistance, biological control, pesticides and insect resistance management on crucifer crops and integrated pest management. As with previous workshops / conference, a comprehensive publication of the proceedings will be published.
Scientific Sessions
Diamondback moth and other crucifer pests: The global challenge in a changing climate
Biology, ecology and behavior of diamondback moth and other crucifer pests: What’s new?
Insect plant interactions, host plant resistance and chemical ecology of crucifer pests and their natural enemies
Insecticide resistance and management in crucifer pests: the on-going challenge
Biological and non-chemical methods of management of crucifer pests (including organic agriculture)
Genetic approaches to manage crucifer pests: transgenic plants, CRISPR, RNAi, and genetic pest management
Constraints and opportunities to the sustained adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) for the management of DBM and other crucifer pests
Cruciferous crops such as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, mustard, radish, and several leafy greens are economically important vegetables vital for human health. These nutritious vegetables provide much-needed vitamins and minerals to the human diet—especially vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, folic acid, and dietary fiber. Crucifers also are capable of preventing different types of cancer.
The diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella, is the most serious crucifer pest worldwide. In addition, head caterpillar (Crocidolomia pavonana), web worm (Hellula undalis), butterflies (Pieris spp.), flea beetle (Phyllotreta spp.) and aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae, Lipaphis erysimi, Myzus persicae) also cause significant yield losses in crucifers. Farmers prefer to use chemical pesticides for controlling this pest because they have an immediate knock-down effect and are easily available when needed in local markets. Pesticides constitute a major share in the total production cost of crucifer crops, accounting for about one-third to half of the cost of production of major crucifer crops in Asia, for instance. As a result, pest resistance to insecticides is on the rise, leading farmers to spray even more pesticides. Insecticide resistance, environmental degradation, human health impacts, resource loss and economic concerns have triggered a growing interest in integrated pest management (IPM).
Previous International Workshop / Conference(s) on Management of the Diamondback Moth and other Crucifer Insect Pests
Photo by Dr. Srinivasan Ramasamy
The International Working Group on DBM and other Crucifer Insects is an informal group of researchers worldwide who are actively engaged in research and development in crucifer pest management.
This research group participates in an international workshop on the management of DBM and other crucifer insect pests that occurs every five to six years.
The first and second workshops were organized by Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) in Taiwan in 1985 and 1990.
The third workshop was organized by the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Kuala Lumpur in 1996.
The fourth workshop was organized in Australia in 2001 and the fifth workshop was organized by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in Beijing in 2006.
The sixth workshop was organized by AVRDC – the World Vegetable Center in Thailand in 2011 and the seventh workshop was organized by the University Agricultural Sciences Bangalore in 2015.
The eighth International Conference on Management of the Diamondback Moth and other Crucifer Insect Pests was organized by the World Vegetable Center in Taiwan in 2019.
Global Plant Protection News 