Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program
The Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program is administered by the land grant university system's four regions (North Central, Northeastern, Southern, and Western), in partnership with USDA/CSREES.
Funded Projects2005: Eight Grants Funded in Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program
Five research grants totaling $485,000 and three research/extension grants totaling $176,652 were funded in 2005:
Determining the Potential for Release of Lepidopteran Parasitoids from Pesticide Limitation to Enable Biologically Based IPM in Caneberries
Principal Investigators: Leonard Coop and Paul Jepson, Oregon State University
Problem and Project Summary: To remain economically viable, the $82 million Washington and Oregon caneberry industry (red raspberry, blackberry, and other Rubus spp.) needs new integrated pest management (IPM) approaches to control leafroller insect pests, and methods for timely dissemination of information to a wide group of growers.
The orange tortrix, Argyrotaenia franciscana, a leafrolling insect, is the major harvest contaminant in caneberry production. To meet near-zero insect contamination tolerances set by processors, growers have traditionally used multiple applications of broad-spectrum insecticides. These sprays induce resurgent leafroller populations due to natural enemy mortality, especially parasitoid wasps (families Braconidae and Ichneumonidae). They are also expensive, and are facing increased public concern and FQPA regulation.
The proposed program will address 13 research, regulatory, and educational needs listed in the recent pest management strategic plan (PMSP) for OR and WA caneberries. It will combine selective controls, conservation biological control, IPM, and direct grower participation. It will demonstrate the effectiveness of weekly on-farm scouting in conjunction with email and web updates to growers from pre-bloom through harvest. Project personnel will implement workshops, web sites, newsletters, and on-farm demonstrations. This integrated program will allow growers a safe transition pathway to reducing risk from leafroller contaminant losses, while demonstrating the value of biologically-based IPM that can then be transferred to a wider community of growers.
Objectives: 1) To determine the incidence, timing, and activity levels of the key leafroller natural enemies and the extent to which they are limited in the field by pesticide disturbance or by deficiencies in shelter, alternate hosts, and floral resources; and 2) to assist the design of improved management programs for leafrollers in caneberries.
Spatially Explicit Approaches for Measuring and Implementing Higher Level, Multi-Crop, Multi-Pest IPM
P.I.s: Peter C. Ellsworth and Al Fournier, University of Arizona, Maricopa; Yves Carriére, University of Arizona, Tucson; John C. Palumbo, University of Arizona, Yuma
Problem: The investigators have developed IPM guidelines for cross-commodity management of whiteflies. These guidelines provide for sharing of important reduced-risk chemistries among major crops like cotton, vegetables, and melons to delay the development of resistance in pest populations. But adoption of these guidelines over large areas, often with multiple crops, will be required to ensure area-wide reduction in whitefly populations and to provide effective resistance management for major reduced-risk technologies.
Objectives: (1) Using newly developed spatially explicit analysis methods, quantitatively evaluate group adoption of the guidelines by Arizona growers; (2) through dialog with stakeholders, gain insight into the adoption of specific reduced-risk chemistries and other IPM behaviors in Arizona cropping systems; and (3) develop a better, more responsive approach to IPM guidelines generation, evaluation, and education.
Progress Report (PDF*, MS Word)
Mechanisms and Impacts of Integrated Pest Management for Sustainable Dalmatian Toadflax Control in the Western United States
P.I.s: Stephen Enloe, Tim Collier, and Paul Meiman, University of Wyoming; Andrew Norton, Colorado State University
Problem: Dalmatian toadflax is a highly invasive exotic forb (a nonwoody broadleaved plant other than a grass) that threatens rangelands throughout the western United States. It is classified as a noxious weed in every western state except Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii and is very difficult to control. Cultural control is largely ineffective and impractical on many invaded rangelands. Chemical control has shown promise, though herbicides can have detrimental effects on nontarget plants. Biological control with the Dalmatian toadflax stem mining weevil, Mecinus janthinus, has also shown promise, but suppression is slow or insufficient under some conditions. Very little is known about IPM of Dalmatian toadflax, though this approach is clearly warranted.
Objectives: To evaluate IPM strategies for Dalmatian toadflax control using combinations of reduced-rate applications of two herbicides currently used for toadflax control (imazapic and picloram) and releases of Mecinus janthinus. The overall goal of this approach is to minimize risk to nontarget species while achieving rapid, long-term, and economical Dalmatian toadflax management.
Progress Report 2006 (PDF*, MS Word)Progress Report 2007 (PDF*, MS Word) - Photos (PDF*)
Final Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)
Development of an IPM Program for Arthropod Pests of Cool-Season Grass Hay Crops
P.I.s: Larry Godfrey, University of California, Davis; Doug Walsh, Washington State University
Problem: Hay from cool-season grasses, especially timothy (Phleum pretense) and orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), is an important crop in several western states. As the crop acreage, market demands, and importance to local agricultural economies all increase, the needs for and scrutiny of sound IPM practices have also increased in the crop.
Objectives: To investigate sampling protocols, decision thresholds, the influence of cultural practices on pest populations, and the incidence of biological control on sites in California, Washington, and Nevada, and to develop the data needed to design a baseline IPM program for major arthropod pests of cool-season grass crops.
Progress Report 2006 (PDF*, MS Word)
Progress Report 2007 (PDF*, MS Word)
Final Report (PDF*, MS Word)
Developing Integrated Management Programs for Soilborne Potato Diseases Using Mycofumigation, Trichoderma sp., Pesticides, and Host Resistance
P.I.s: Barry Jacobsen and Nina Zidack, Montana State University
Problem and Project Summary: Potatoes are grown in every Western Region state with more than 749,000 acres of production equaling 57.3% of the total U.S. acreage. In Idaho, Washington, and Colorado more than 60 million pounds of Vapam (metam sodium) are used each year for control of early dying and nematodes. This proposal addresses potential replacement of the fumigant pesticides metam sodium (Vapam), metam potassium (K-pam), and 1,3 dichloropropene-1,3,3 trichloropropane (Telone) that are used to control potato early dying and nematodes. These fumigants are used on 30-55% of the potato acreage in the western region and are high-cost inputs economically, environmentally, and in terms of human health risks. Finding alternative management strategies for Rhizoctonia black scurf and canker, for the early dying complex that involves Verticillium dahliae or V. albo-atrum, Colletotrichum coccodes, and root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus sp.), and for control of other nematodes including Meloidogyne chitwoodi have been identified as high priorities in the Pest Management Strategic Plan (PMSP) for Pacific Northwest Potato Production and in Potato Crop Profiles for ID, WA, and CO. The potential replacement involves mycofumigation. Mycofumigation is the use of antimicrobial volatile chemicals produced by certain fungi for the control of other microorganisms. In vitro tests with these fungi have shown that they effectively inhibit and kill many important plant pathogens but are neither phytotoxic nor pathogenic to any of the 8 plant families they have been tested on.
Objectives: 1) To study the potential of mycofumigation for control of soil-borne plant pathogens of potato with emphasis on Verticillium dahliae (Verticillium wilt), Colletotrichum coccodes (black dot root rot), and Rhizoctonia solani (Rhizoctonia black scurf and canker); 2) to examine the potential to integrate fungicide controls and Trichoderma harzianum Rafai (T-22) for Rhizoctonia and black dot root rot with mycofumigation for control of Verticillium dahliae, Colletotrichum coccodes, and Rhizoctonia solani (Rhizoctonia black scurf and canker) in greenhouse studies; 3) to examine the efficacy of mycofumigation for control of Pratylenchus penetrans and Meloidogyne chitwoodi in in vitro and greenhouse studies; and 4) to determine the resistance of cultivars commonly grown in the Pacific Northwest and other germplasm to black dot root rot. Progress Progress Report (PDF*, MS Word)
Final Report (PDF*, MS Word)
Integrated Control of Spotted Knapweed: Utilizing Spotted Knapweed-Resistant Native Plants to Facilitate Revegetation
P.I.s: Mark Paschke, Jorge Vivanco, and Laura Perry, Colorado State University; Ragan Callaway, University of Montana
Problem: Invasive plants are recognized as having severe ecological
and economic impacts. Affordable long-term management methods are lacking
for many of the most destructive exotic invasive plants, including spotted
knapweed. Research on weed invasions has primarily focused on aboveground
processes. However, it is now known that plant roots are unparalleled
factories of diverse chemicals, and that the secretion of a phytotoxin
by the roots of knapweed is a possible mechanism for its success in replacing
native species. Understanding this below-ground chemical warfare can
suggest completely new approaches to managing and restoring invaded landscapes.
Objectives: (1) To determine if plants that excrete high concentrations
of organic acids into the rhizosphere (the soil region around a plant’s
roots) can be used to detoxify spotted knapweed soils and allow for the
subsequent establishment of native vegetation. The native vegetation
to be examined will include an arsenal of knapweed phytotoxin-resistant
and knapweed phytotoxin-sensitive species that investigators have screened
and characterized under previous funding; (2) to identify which of the
knapweed phytotoxin-resistant plants identified under previous funding
also produce high concentrations of knapweed phytotoxin-fighting organic
acids.
Progress Report 2006 (PDF*, MS
Word)
Progress Report 1 - 2007 (PDF*, MS
Word)
Progress Report 2 - 2007 (with photos) (PDF*, MS
Word)
Final Report 2008 (PDF*, MS
Word)
Yield Losses for Western Bean Cutworm and European Corn Borer Among Site-Specific Management Zones of Field Corn
P.I.s: Frank Peairs and Rajiv Khosla, Colorado State University
Problem: Site-specific insect management has the potential to make pest management more efficient. Benefits of site specific management include a reduction in the amount and costs of insecticides applied, reduced environmental contamination, preservation of natural enemies, and better management of insecticide resistance. One method of implementing site-specific management would be to make decisions at the site-specific management zone level. Site-specific management zones (SSMZ) are areas within fields that have similar yield potential and are managed in a similar manner. The management zone concept is currently being used in numerous areas of crop production, such as water and fertilizer management; however, little research has been done that relates insect injury to SSMZs.
Objectives: This study is being conducted in a corn (Zea mays L.) agroecosystem with two pests: western bean cutworm (Richia albicosta [Smith]) and European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis [Hübner]). The objective is to determine how loss factors differ for these two pests among SSMZs. Artificial infestations will be used to create various levels of injury for each pest among SSMZs. Loss factors will be statistically determined using regression analysis. The determination of loss factors is necessary for the development of economic injury levels (EILs). The eventual use of EILs for separate SSMZs could greatly improve the efficiency of pest management for these pests.
Progress Report (PDF*, MS Word)Final Report (PDF*, MS Word)
Reduced Fungicide Use for Hop Downy Mildew Management
P.I.s: Cynthia Ocamb and Leonard Coop, Oregon State University; David Gent, USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS)
Problem: Hop (Humulus lupulus) is an economically important crop in the western United States, producing nearly the entire U.S. supply and greater than 30% of the world supply of hops. Hop downy mildew, caused by Pseudoperonospora humuli, is one of the oldest and most devastating diseases of hop and remains a serious threat to sustainable and profitable hop production. Current management relies heavily upon chemical inputs, with some growers using as many as 10 applications per season to suppress disease. The need to develop multi-tactic strategies that reduce unnecessary pesticide use is underscored by increasing production costs and concerns over food safety and environmental quality.
Objective: The overall objective of this project is to improve hop grower
profitability and sustainability with reduced-risk pest management tactics
that will protect hop plants against downy mildew and conserve environmental
quality.
Progress Report 2006 (PDF*, MS
Word)
Progress Report 1 - 2007 (PDF*, MS
Word)
Progress Report 2 - 2007 (PDF*, MS
Word) - Photo (PDF*)
Final Report 2008 (PDF*, MS
Word)
2006: Seven Grants Funded in Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program
Environment-Friendly Strategies for Management of Mealybugs, Ants, Ampeloviruses, and Mealybug Wilt of Pineapple
Principal Investigators: John S. Hu and Diane M. Sether, University of Hawaii, Honolulu
Problem and Project Summary: Pineapples are the state of Hawaii’s leading agricultural commodity. The most economically important insect pests of pineapple are pineapple mealybugs. The mealybugs are vectors of at least three pineapple mealybug wilt associated viruses (PMWaV) that correlate with yield reductions that can exceed 35% in pineapple. PMWaV-2 is also a factor in mealybug wilt of pineapple (MWP), one of the most devastating diseases of pineapple in Hawaii and worldwide. In the pursuit of mealybug control, the pineapple industry is currently the largest user of the restricted organophosphate insecticide, diazinon, in Hawaii. In 2003, the investigators began a field study to evaluate alternative, environmental-friendly approaches to control grey pineapple mealybugs, associated ant species, the spread of the PMWaVs, and subsequent MWP during the plant crop phase of the pineapple crop cycle. The pineapple crop cycle consists of the plant crop (17 – 20 months), ratoon crop (13 – 16 months; a ratoon is a shoot that grows from the plant’s roots), and a fallow period of at least six months. Investigators developed and utilized ant and mealybug detection systems to determine the timing and type of control necessary to prevent virus spread and MWP during the plant crop phase. In the case of grey mealybugs, investigators found that if they achieved control of two associated ant species, it was not necessary to apply diazinon to prevent development of MWP or the spread of PMWaVs. They accomplished ant control through the use of a hydramethylnon-based ant bait, Amdro®. Since the infrastructure of the pineapple field and canopy becomes more complex as the plant crop gives rise to the ratoon crop, control methodologies during the ratoon crop may require changes. The current project will extend the investigators’ evaluation of environment-friendly alternatives to diazinon through the ratoon crop phase and the fallow period, completing the crop cycle. Investigators believe the information they gain will have applicability to all pineapple producing tropical and subtropical regions and may also have applicability to other crops plagued by mealybugs, mealybug-transmitted viruses, and the associated ants.
Objective: To demonstrate and compare alternative control strategies for minimizing incidences of virus spread and mealybug wilt of pineapple in the ratoon and fallow periods of the pineapple crop. Progress Report 2007 (with photos) (PDF*, MS Word)
Final Report (PDF*, MS Word)
Economic Analysis of Host-Based Poultry Ectoparasite Control
P.I.: Bradley Mullens, University of California, Riverside
Problem and Project Summary: Among caged laying hens in the
United States, the northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and
the chicken body louse (Menacanthus stramineus) are serious ectoparasites
(parasites that live on the exterior of their hosts), affecting production
and causing irritation for people who work with the hens. Currently,
both pests are controlled solely through prevention and pesticide use.
Once pests are established, control is exclusively chemical; there
are no IPM strategies. Because of worker exposure concerns, pesticide
resistance—a
serious issue for poultry systems—and the discontinuation of
malathion (preferred for lice), nonchemical controls are urgently needed
for both traditional and organic laying hen producers. In addition,
animal welfare issues have surfaced, such as concerns about beak trimming
to prevent pecking damage and reduce feed consumption, and these are
having an impact on laying hen husbandry. However, hens can be bred
for docile behavior, and one popular strain (Hyline W-36) can be held
successfully without beak trimming. Recent research shows that hens
with intact beaks reduce ectoparasite populations by 90% compared to
hens with trimmed beaks. Recent studies also show that unchecked mite
populations on beak-trimmed hens cause loss in egg mass and feed conversion
efficiency (how efficiently hens convert the food they eat into egg
production). This project will examine hens with parasites, comparing
hens with trimmed versus untrimmed beaks in a full economic analysis
that includes parasite census, feed conversion efficiency, egg numbers
and mass, and profitability. Grooming behavior will be documented to
determine if higher parasite numbers on hens with trimmed beaks are
due to reduced effort or reduced efficiency. If parasite numbers on
hens with intact beaks are below economic damage levels, this will
provide a powerful incentive to breed and use docile hens, and this
single technique may eliminate worker pesticide exposure and the two
major parasites as an economic concern. Anticipated outcomes include
showing that, for parasite control, the age of trimmed beaks is a negligible
factor compared to the presence or absence of an intact beak, and that
under many circumstances the use of beak-intact hens will pay for itself
in terms of overall profits.
Objectives: 1) To determine the economics of production for
both beak-trimmed and beak-intact hens that have either northern fowl
mites or chicken body lice, quantifying their egg number and mass,
hen body weight, feed conversion efficiency, and parasite loads; 2)
to determine the interaction of ectoparasite grooming behavior with
the hens’ beak
condition and the age of beak trimming; and 3) to inform the laying
hen industry of the potential benefits of using beak-intact hens for
eliminating worker pesticide exposure, reducing or eliminating worker
nuisance concerns, eliminating the economic concerns of ectoparasite
control, and perhaps reducing animal welfare issues and criticism.
Progress Report 2006 (PDF*, MS
Word)
Progress Report 1 - 2007 (PDF*, MS
Word)
Progress Report 2 - 2007 (PDF*, MS
Word) - Photos (PDF*)
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*)
Effect of Primary Tillage Sequence, Insecticides, and Weed Seed Placement on Seed Predator Conservation, Efficacy, and Weed Emergence
P.I.s: R. Edward Peachey and Carol Mallory Smith, Oregon State University; Dan McGrath, Oregon State University Extension Service; Rick Boydston, USDA Agricultural Research Service
Problem and Project Summary: Summer annual weeds continue to trouble row crop producers in the Pacific Northwest. Producers have been successful in using available weed management tools to prevent crop loss from weed competition, but they have not succeeded in reducing the need and level of intervention. The investigators point out the need to move beyond controlling weeds to controlling weed seed. The goal of their project is to suppress summer annual weed populations in vegetable row crops through the development of cropping systems that conserve seed predators and enhance weed seed predation. Specifically, using a split plot design, investigators will use tillage treatments (no-till versus conventional tillage methods) to test the hypothesis that reducing tillage disturbance in a crop rotation will increase the potential for seed predation. Reduced tillage is known to improve habitat for soil-dwelling seed predators, and when soil is not tilled weed seeds remain near the surface where seed predators are more likely to come in contact with them. Second, investigators will compare insecticide treated plots to untreated plots to test the hypothesis that insecticide use hinders seed predation because it reduces populations of soil-dwelling seed-eating invertebrates. Third, they will use weed seed burial depth treatments to test the hypothesis that weed seed predation is greater when seeds remain on the soil surface, whether in conventional or no-till systems. Fourth, they will use herbicide treated plots to provide a realistic assessment of seed predation effects on weed density, and they will use untreated control plots to assess actual weed seed mortality and survival. In addition, investigators will survey the species diversity and estimate the activity density and seed predation potential of adult ground beetle and seed bug populations in vegetable crop rotations (conventional and organic) in western Oregon and eastern Washington. Finally, they will conduct laboratory evaluations of the seed predation potential of millipedes common to agricultural systems, seed bugs, and other potentially key maritime Northwest seed predators. The investigators anticipate this project to generate knowledge about 1) the biological and economic impact of tillage/planting systems, insecticide use, and weed seed position on the efficacy of weed seed predators and on weed emergence; 2) the regional variations in predator species, activity density, and seed predation rates in both conventional and organic sites; and 3) the feeding preferences and expected predation rates for wild proso millet and Powell amaranth.
Objectives: 1) To determine the effect of tillage system and sequence, insecticide use, and weed seed position in the soil on weed seed predation, subsequent weed seedling recruitment or emergence, and weed seed mortality and dormancy; 2) to survey the species diversity and estimate the activity-density and seed predation potential of adult ground beetle and seed bug populations in vegetable crop rotations (conventional and organic) in western Oregon and eastern Washington; and 3) to evaluate the seed predation potential of the Julid millipedes (Julida: Julidae spp.), seed bugs (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae spp.), and other potentially key maritime Northwest seed predators in the laboratory. Progress Report 2007 (PDF*, MS Word)
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)
Final Report (PDF*188K)
Assessment and Implementation of Insecticidal Nematodes: An Alternative for Control of Urban Pests
P.I.s: S. Patricia Stock and Dawn H. Gouge, University of Arizona, Tucson
Problem and Project Summary: With the overall goal of reducing human exposure to pests and the tactics used to control them in urban and suburban areas, investigators will assess Arizona-native nematodes as alternative tools for control of common urban arthropod pests in the western United States. They will evaluate the effectiveness of these insecticidal or entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) alone and in combination with chemical pesticides to help minimize current chemical pesticide practices. Like other natural enemies, entomopathogens can exert considerable control of target populations. EPNs are widespread in nature; specific to insects; safe to nontarget organisms including humans, other vertebrates, and plants; and do not pollute the environment. They can be mass-produced in large fermentation tanks, stored for long periods, and applied by conventional methods using standard spray equipment, making them a desirable commercial alternative. To effectively implement Arizona-native EPNs for the control of urban pests, basic research needs to be established. Data are available regarding scorpion, termite, and ant efficacy, but research has not focused on native EPN species. This project will assess the biological, ecological, and behavioral traits of native EPN species in laboratory-based tests to predict their efficacy in the field.
Objectives: 1) To determine the optimum nematode species and strain (in relation to pest species) and optimum dosage for the management of selected urban pests in Arizona; 2) to evaluate repellency as a management strategy for target pests; 3) to study the effect of abiotic (temperature, soil moisture, and UV tolerance) and biotic (foraging behavior) parameters on nematode efficacy (virulence and reproductive capacity); 4) to evaluate EPN efficacy in combination with chemical insecticides; and 5) to conduct small-scale field trials in different urban and suburban settings with those EPN species, strains, and concentrations that have been demonstrated to be effective in controlling selected arthropod pests in the laboratory tests. Progress Report 2007 (PDF*) - Photos (PDF*)
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)
Integration of a Modified Strain of BlightBan® A506 with Conventional Fire Blight Management
P.I.s: Virginia O. Stockwell and Kenneth B. Johnson, Oregon State University; Joyce E. Loper, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory
Problem and Project Summary: Streptomycin-resistant populations of Erwinia amylovora, the bacterium that causes fire blight, a serious disease of pear and apple, are widespread in the western United States. Oxytetracycline (Mycoshield®) is currently the conventional, chemical standard for fire blight control, and two biopesticides, Serenade® (Bacillus subtilis) and BlightBan® A506 (Pseudomonas fluorescens strain A506), are registered for fire blight suppression. Seeking more effective management of streptomycin-resistant fire blight, the investigators have developed a modified strain of the biopesticide BlightBan® A506 (called A506 AprX-) that they will test in an integrated strategy with conventional control methods in pathogen-inoculated, small-scale orchard trials. At mid-bloom, they will apply their modified strain (in combination with another new biopesticide product, BlightBan® C9-1) and follow this with an application of oxytetracycline (Mycoshield®) at full bloom. These integrated treatments will be compared to two applications of antibiotic and biopesticide standards and to a water-treated control. The investigators will also evaluate the effect of different combinations of biopesticide and antibiotic applications on the population dynamics of Erwinia amylovor and the effect of oxytetracycline application on the population dynamics of biopesticide strains.
Objectives: 1) To evaluate in pathogen-inoculated, small-scale orchard trials, the integrated strategy for control of fire blight with the new biopesticide products, BlightBan® C9-1 combined with BlightBan® A506 and BlightBan® C9-1 combined with the protease-deficient mutant of A506 (A506 AprX-). The integrated strategy will consist of one biopesticide application to pear/apple trees at mid-bloom followed by one application of oxytetracycline (Mycoshield®) at full bloom. Integrated treatments will be compared to two applications of antibiotic and biopesticide standards and to a water-treated control; and 2) to evaluate the effect of biopesticide and antibiotic applications (singly and in combination) on population dynamics of the pathogen Erwinia amylovora. A secondary objective is to evaluate the effect of oxytetracycline application on the population dynamics of biopesticide strains. Progress Report 2007 (PDF*, MS Word) - Photos (PDF*)
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)
Wheat Seed Quality Effects on Competitive Ability with Wild Oat
P.I.s: Robert Stougaard and Qingwu Xue, Montana State University, Bozeman; Joe Yenish and John Burns, Washington State University, Pullman
Problem and Project Summary: The overall goal of the project is to improve crop competitiveness against weeds, giving specific consideration to the relationship between crop seed quality and seedling vigor. The project focuses specifically on spring wheat and its most important weed pest, wild oat. Producers currently rely on herbicides to the virtual exclusion of all other strategies to control wild oat, and there is now a widespread occurrence of herbicide resistant biotypes. The project evaluates the interactive effects of seed size, seed protein content, and gibberellic acid (GA) seed treatments on spring wheat’s ability to compete against wild oat. All three factors contribute to enhanced wheat emergence, seedling vigor, and developmental rates, and investigators hypothesize that their integration will enhance their individual attributes, stabilize their cumulative impact on wild oat, and provide for a more durable weed management system. Investigators will add suppressive rates of herbicides to enhance the cumulative effect on the weed.
Tralkoxydim is a widely used postemergence wild oat herbicide. For objective one, investigators will use a factorial treatment arrangement consisting of two protein levels, two seed size classes, two GA concentrations, and two wild oat densities. They will measure crop emergence, growth rates, yield, and yield components to quantify treatment effects. For objective two, the factorial treatment arrangement will consist of five tralkoxydim rates superimposed on four cropping systems that vary in competitive abilities. Investigators will measure yield and yield components and perform an economic analysis. Although wild oat and spring wheat serve as the initial indicator species, investigators believe the results should be transferable to other weeds that infest small grains.
Objectives: 1) To determine the interactive effects of seed size, protein content, and GA seed treatments on spring wheat competitive ability for the suppression of wild oat; and (2) to determine to what extent seed quality factors influence the effects of variable tralkoxydim rates on wild oat control, wheat yield, and economic returns. Progress Report 2007 (PDF*, MS Word)
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)
Final Report (PDF* 184K)
Development of an Electronic, Multi-Entry Key for Diagnosing Arthropod, Disease, and Abiotic Problems of Small Grains
P.I.s: Ned Tisserat and Ronda Koski, Colorado State University; William Lanier, Montana State University, Bozeman
Problem and Project Summary: The first step in a successful IPM program is rapid and accurate identification of the cause of the plant problem. Inaccurate diagnosis can result in pesticide misapplication, whereas a delayed diagnosis may allow pests to develop to population levels that are not easily controlled by IPM practices. For many crops, information about symptoms and other elements associated with the various causes of crop disorders are published in separate publications, making it difficult for pest control decision makers to track down relevant, integrated information that can be efficiently and effectively used for diagnostic purposes. Investigators saw the need for an easily accessible, integrated diagnostic resource that was linked to current IPM recommendations; that brought together all the relevant information about crop disorders, including diseases, arthropods, and abiotic problems; and that provided assistance and resources for diagnosing unidentified problems. The overall goal of this project is to provide growers, crop advisers, extension agents, diagnosticians, and others associated with crop production with multi-entry, multi-media, commodity-based electronic keys to aid in the diagnosis and management of crop problems.
Objectives: 1) To create a general framework for integrating field diagnostics of insects, diseases, and abiotic disorders into an electronic, multi-entry diagnostic key; (2) to validate the usefulness of the general framework by developing a diagnostic key specifically for pest and abiotic problems of small grains of the High Plains region of the United States; and (3) to release free copies of the small grains diagnostic key to stakeholders and provide student-driven, self-paced training in its use. Progress Report 2007 (PDF*, MS Word)
Final Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)
2007: Seven Grants Funded in Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program
Four research grants totaling $391,748 and three research/extension
grants totaling $277,732, were funded in 2007:
Developing a Monitoring Program for Thrips-Iris Yellow Spot Virus Complex: Adding a Novel Management Component to the IPM Program in Bulb and Seed Onion Crops
P.I.s: Hanu Pappu, Washington State University, Pullman; Silvia Rondon, Oregon State University
Problem and Project Summary: Onion is an economically important crop in the United States. Several western states have recently experienced the introduction and subsequent rapid spread of a viral disease of onion caused by Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV). The virus is transmitted by onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) in a persistent (circulative and propagative) manner. First reported in Idaho in the 1990s, the virus has suddenly and rapidly spread to several other western states including Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, and instances of near total crop loss in seed crops were reported in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Thrips-mediated spread is the primary means leading to virus outbreaks. Weed hosts, and susceptible and overlapping bulb and seed onion crops are considered to provide the bridge for the survival of both virus and thrips vectors from season to season. For these reasons, IPM efforts should include management of viruliferous thrips populations and weed hosts, and use of resistant cultivars.
The overall goal of the research is to identify factors that contribute to the survival and spread of the thrips-virus complex and utilize the information in developing an integrated disease management program. A specific goal is to develop and apply tools that could be used in a monitoring program for the virus-thrips complex and integrate this approach as a management tactic in onion IPM.
Objectives: 1) Determine the seasonal dynamics of thrips vectors in onion bulb and seed crops; 2) develop sensitive and rapid detection tools for virus detection in thrips and apply this technology for developing a monitoring program for viruliferous thrips populations; and 3) identify crops and weeds that are important reservoirs for the virus.
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)Final Report (PDF* 187K)
Seasonal Phenology of the Beet Leafhopper in Relation to its Weed Hosts and Beet Curly Top Virus Infection
P.I.s: Rebecca Creamer, C. Scott Bundy, Jill Schroeder, and Leigh Murray, New Mexico State University
Problem and Project Summary: This research project addresses management of beet curly top virus (BCTV) and related curtovirus species transmitted by the beet leafhopper, Circulifer tenellus, which cause economic damage throughout the western United States, affecting tomato, pepper, melon, bean, sugar beet, and spinach. Management of BCTV and its vector has proven difficult due to the wide host range of virus and vector. We found that London rocket (Sisymbrium irio) may be a primary overwintering host for the beet leafhopper and curly top in New Mexico in years when fall precipitation occurs to stimulate emergence of the weed. Chile growers are using this information to evaluate the risk for curly top in their next season’s crop. Removal of weed hosts of the virus and vector would be an effective management tool; however, information on when and how the leafhopper vector interacts with its weed hosts is necessary for optimal weed removal to control disease spread. The goal of this proposed research is to determine the seasonal phenology of the beet leafhopper in southern New Mexico in relation to weed host phenology and habitat.
Objectives: 1) Establish the phenology of the beet leafhopper on London rocket and Kochia scoparia as key winter and summer hosts and assess the effect of habitat of these weeds on suitability for beet leafhoppers using field surveys; 2) determine the natural incidence of curly top on London rocket in different months of the year using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis; and 3) refine management recommendations for curly top.
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)Progress Report 2009 (PDF* 183K) - Photos (PDF* 201K)
Development of a Female-Produced Sex Pheromone for Managing Prionus californicus in Hop
P.I.: James Barbour, University of Idaho
Problem and Project Summary: Prionus californicus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a serious root-feeding pest of hop in the Pacific Northwest. At present there are no host-plant resistance or biological control alternatives available to control this pest, and no insecticides have been registered for its control. The only effective method available for managing infestations of this pest in hop is the complete removal of hop rootstock from infested fields followed by soil fumigation or by a 2- to 3-year period in which the field is left fallow or planted to a non-host crop. All of these alternatives are very expensive and disruptive to hop growers. Our recent research has confirmed that female P. californicus produce a sex pheromone that is highly attractive to males, and we have narrowed the pheromone structure down to one of only eight possible compounds. This project will confirm the structure of the pheromone, develop synthetic routes to produce the pheromone in quantities sufficient for large-scale field trials, and explore the potential for incorporating pheromone-based monitoring and control of P. californicus into IPM programs for hop. We will also test the efficacy of pheromone-based sampling of P. californicus in orchard crops and landscape settings in Utah and California and determine whether the pheromone is attractive to the congeners P. imbricornis and P. laticollis in Texas and the eastern United States.
Objectives: 1) Complete the identification and synthesis of the pheromone; 2) verify activity of the pheromone in laboratory and field bioassays; 3) test the pheromone of P. californicus, and related homologs and isomers synthesized as part of this project, as attractants for P. californicus in other regions of the western United States, and for P. imbricornus and P. laticollis in the south-central and eastern United States; and 4) transfer the pheromone synthesis technology to companies manufacturing pheromone products and transfer the operational methods to grower clientele.
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)Progress Report 2009 (PDF* 187K)
Integrated Pest Management to Reduce Vole Damage to Crops
P.I.: Jennifer Gervais, Oregon State University
Problem and Project Summary: The overall goal of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of predator habitat enhancement on vole population control in conjunction with crop residue management strategies. A replicated field experiment will be carried out in the grass seed fields of the Willamette Valley, Oregon to test the hypothesis that avian predation can effectively limit the extent and severity of vole population outbreaks that have led to severe economic damage in the past in a number of western states. The investigators hypothesize that avian predators such as barn owls are much less numerous now than formerly, due to altered landscapes, particularly the loss of large trees with cavities for nesting and perches from which other raptor species may hunt. Field residue management will be evaluated simultaneously to evaluate the effects of farming practices on the efficacy of natural pest control. Specifically, investigators propose to deploy barn owl nest boxes and generalized raptor perches around grass seed fields that are subjected to either removal of residue following harvest or chopping and scattering of residue without removal. Grass seed will be the focal crop because of the major damage inflicted by voles in the past and because it represents a high-quality habitat for this pest species. Although leaving crop residue on the field has been associated with increased yield and decreased soil erosion, residue may also shield voles from predation and facilitate the buildup of greater densities as a result. Agricultural producers currently have no solid information upon which to base decisions weighing the relative costs and benefits of different residue management strategies with regard to this pest.
Objectives: 1) Create a system of barn owl nest boxes and raptor perches along field boundaries; 2) survey vole populations in fields with and without raptor habitat enhancement treatments; 3) evaluate the effects of both raptor habitat enhancement and field residue management on vole population dynamics over the anticipated population increase phase.
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)Progress Report 2009 (PDF* 182K)
Integrated Management of Mite Pests and Powdery Mildew Diseases on Perennial Hosts
PIs: Glenn Fisher, Vaughn Walton, and Amy Dreves, Oregon State University; David Gent, USDA-Agricultural Research Service; David James, Washington State University
Problem and Project Summary: This Research and Extension project seeks to improve IPM of spider mites, eriophyid mites, and powdery mildew diseases on perennial crops by enhancing understanding of how sulfur applications for powdery mildew control influence suppression and disruption of conservation biocontrol of mites. Integration of powdery mildew control on hops and grapevine with biocontrol of spider mite pests on these crops (Tetranchus urticae and Eotetranychus willamettei) is difficult because sulfur fungicides are toxic to certain predatory mites and enhance dispersal of spider mites. Developing IPM strategies for these pests is further complicated by the recent discovery of two new eriophyid mites species in the Pacific Northwest, the grape leaf rust mite (Calepitrimerus vitis) and the grape bud mite (Colomerus vitis), that require carefully timed sulfur applications for successful control. It may be possible to enhance biocontrol for these mite pests by limiting sulfur applications during critical periods of predator colonization, reproduction, and/or dispersal, but little information is available on predatory mite fauna in hops and grapevine and their population dynamics in relation to sulfur applications. This research seeks to advance IPM for these pests. Successful completion of this research should enable effective management of powdery mildew diseases and enhance the reliability of biocontrol for mite pests.
Objectives: 1) Identify predatory mites associated with mite pests on grapevines and hops; 2) quantify the effects of direct and indirect exposure to sulfur residues on mortality, fecundity, and longevity of phytoseiid mites that regulate eriophyid and spider mite pests on grapevine and hops; 3) identify the phenology of predatory and pest mite population dynamics in vineyards and hop yards in relation to the number and timing of sulfur applications; and 4) transfer knowledge and IPM systems developed in this project to stakeholders through established public-private partnerships by extension bulletins, electronic formats, trade publications, and annual meetings.
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*, MS Word)Progress Report 2009 (PDF* 198K) - Photos (PDF* 1,343K)
Development and Demonstration of Integrated Systems for Control of Soilborne, Foliar, and Viral Diseases of Potato
PI: Barry Jacobsen, Montana State University
Problem and Project Summary: The Pest Management Strategic Plan for Pacific Northwest (PNW) Potato Production, and the Potato Crop Profiles for Idaho, Washington, and Colorado all identify management of early blight, Rhizoctonia and black dot as high priorities. As a seed producing state, Montana has a particular interest in control of these tuber-borne diseases, as well as scab (Streptomyces scabies) and the potato viruses such as PVX and PVY. Alternative disease management strategies including biological control, pesticide resistance management—specifically for azoxystrobin and early blight (Alternaria solani)—control of black dot (Colletotrichum coccodes) in seed, and optimization of treatment schemes for Rhizoctonia black scurf and canker (Rhizoctonia solani), have been specifically identified as high research priorities in the strategic plan and state potato crop profiles. Virus diseases are not identified in the production state profiles because these diseases are controlled by planting certified seed.
This research will investigate whether systemic acquired resistance induced by two Bacillus sp. biopesticide candidates can reduce transmission of Potato Virus PVX and PVYo by mechanical means or PVYo by aphid transmission. The investigators will assess the potential for biologically-based or integrated biological/chemical systems using biopesticides and chemicals that have individually shown potential in previous research for control of scab, Rhizoctonia, black dot, and early blight. Field meetings will be conducted covering research results, disease identification, and methods for incorporating these techniques into grower practices. Montana State University will facilitate adoption of biological controls by key producers by providing individual consultation during the growing season, field grower meetings at demonstration plot sites, and Potato IPM workshops. These workshops will present this and other potato research in the IPM context, and will educate growers on how to incorporate biological controls into their disease management programs. There will be specific education on handling biological formulations, calibration, compatibility with pesticides, storage and other factors that influence the efficacy of biological and chemical controls.
Objectives: 1) Evaluate the potential of foliar applications of Bacillus mycoides isolate BmJ and Bacillus mojaviensis 203-7 for control of the potato viruses PVX and PVY; 2) assess biological and integrated biological and chemical treatment regimes for control of foliar and soilborne potato diseases in the field; 3) demonstrate relative effectiveness of biological and integrated disease management systems to potato growers in on-farm field trials; and 4) facilitate adoption of biological controls by key producers, develop an updated MT Potato Crop Profile, and determine grower attitudes regarding the outputs of this project. Final Report (PDF* 183K) - Photos (PDF* 194K)Cultivar Resistance to IYSV and Thrips in Bulb Onion in the Western United States
PIs: Howard Schwartz, Whitney Cranshaw, and Michael Bartolo, Colorado State University
Problem and Project Summary: Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) and its onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) vector are immediate and serious threats to sustainable and profitable onion production in the western United States. In the absence of sound management strategies, growers have implemented more intensive thrips insecticide programs, with little effective reduction in IYSV. Identification of thrips damage levels has never been conducted among existent onion cultivars. The goal of this study is to accelerate the establishment of host plant resistance to thrips and IYSV. Through annual grower education meetings, field days, publications, and electronic dissemination to stakeholders, the investigators anticipate changes in onion cultivar selection by growers and a potential reduction in the use of high-risk insecticides for thrips and IYSV management on less susceptible cultivar alternatives by at least 25% in Colorado. This information will also be shared freely with other onion producing states and personnel, and should provide the basis for incorporating resistance to thrips and IYSV in development of future onion cultivars.
Objectives: 1) Develop methods to identify cultivars that have resistance to thrips and determine the nature of this resistance; 2) develop methods to identify cultivars that have resistance to IYSV; and 3) disseminate this information to breeders who can then incorporate resistance or tolerance to thrips and IYSV into breeding lines, and to growers for selection of less susceptible cultivars.
Progress Report 2008 (PDF*)Final Report (PDF* 183K)
2008: Seven Grants Funded in Regional IPM Competitive Grants Program
Three research grants totaling $400,887, three research/extension grants totaling $180,000, and one extension grant for $54,262, were funded in 2008:
Non-Chemical Postharvest Insect Control in Lentils Using Radio Frequency Energy
PIs: Shaojin Wang and Juming Tang, Washington State University; Judy Johnson, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Parlier, California
Problem and Project Summary: There is an urgent need to develop technically effective and environmentally sound phytosanitary and quarantine treatments for the pulse crop industry to replace chemical fumigation and maintain the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture in international markets. The goal of this multi-state, multi-disciplinary project is to develop practical, integrated treatments for postharvest pest control in pulse crops using radio frequency (RF) energy. The investigators’ preliminary research has determined that RF heating uniformity in lentils is acceptable for controlling pests without causing adverse effects on product quality. The general objective of this research is to conduct a systematic study to develop successful phytosanitary RF treatments for pulse crops using well-established research strategy and state-of-the-art equipment. This project provides long-term, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly postharvest pest management solutions to the challenges facing export marketing of western pulse crops.
Objectives: To prepare for commercial implementations, investigators will 1) determine the dielectric properties of insects and pulse crops as a function of moisture content and temperature; 2) study the RF heating uniformity in pulse crops; 3) conduct efficacy tests to determine the effective temperature-time combination using pilot-scale RF systems; and 4) evaluate the thermal responses of pulse crops to RF heating.
Progress Report (PDF* 185K)
Integrated Management and Regional GIS Mapping of the Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus-Vector Complex in the Desert Southwest
PI: Judith Brown, University of Arizona
Problem and Project Summary: This is a research project involving mixed melon, watermelon, and squash, all major agricultural commodities in the Sonoran Desert, an agricultural region that encompasses the Imperial Valley of California, southwestern and central Arizona, and Sonora, Mexico. During the fall 2006, the whitefly-transmitted Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) (genus Crinivirus, family Closteroviridae) reached pandemic proportions in cucurbit crops in the region. CYSDV has its origin in the Mediterranean/Middle East and was first reported in the US in Texas during 2001. This exotic virus now poses a serious threat to sustainable and profitable cucurbit production in the entire region, which produces cantaloupe, cucumbers, specialty melons, watermelon, and, five types of squash for the U.S. market. Virus infection results in 30–100% yield loss and decreases fruit sugar content by 2–4%.
Objectives: 1) Determine the distribution of CYDSV in (a) cucurbit and non-cucurbit crops and (b) desert weeds to clarify the disease cycle and identify over-seasoning hosts in local production areas; 2) determine the experimental host range of CYSDV among desert crop and weed species; 3) develop chemical and cultural control management practices that reduce regional whitefly and CYSDV pressures; 4) screen melon germplasm for CYSDV resistance and introgress resistance sources into commercial-type melon; and 5) establish a regional education and management program for Arizona and California producers to encourage implementation of “best” practices, including a possible host-free summer period to abate early season fall CYSDV outbreaks and subsequent virus overwintering.
Development of a Rapid Detection Protocol for the Fire Blight Pathogen of Pear and Apple
PIs: Kenneth Johnson and Virginia Stockwell, Oregon State University
Problem and Project Summary: This project will develop an on-farm rapid detection protocol for the fire blight pathogen (Erwinia amylovora) in pear and apple orchards. For this destructive disease, early pathogen detection would greatly improve the prediction of significant outbreaks and, correspondingly, increase the efficiency of protective sprays. Current methods for detection of E. amylovora are lacking because of the time needed for results and expense of testing. The investigators’ novel protocol uses loop-mediated isothermal amplification of DNA (termed ‘LAMP’). Similar to polymerase chain reaction (PCR), LAMP utilizes primers to amplify unique DNA sequences, which we have successfully developed for E. amylovora. Unlike PCR, LAMP can be done under field conditions in 60 minutes without fragile equipment; a positive or negative result is observed within a plastic reaction tube. Fire blight management will improve with an early detection system because chemicals are most effective during the critical pre-infection multiplication (epiphytic) phase of the pathogen on flowers. Fire blight disease warning systems predict risk based on weather conditions but frequently overestimate risk by assuming presence of the pathogen. Coupled with risk models, a detection system for the pathogen would be a valuable tool to guide growers on when (or if) to spray.
Objectives: 1) Quantify the sensitivity of LAMP for detection of E. amylovora on flower samples, and 2) evaluate and optimize sampling protocols for detection of E. amylovora in commercial pear and apple orchards.
Optimizing Lettuce Drop Control Caused by Sclerotinia minor Using Contans, a Biopesticide
PIs: Krishna Subbarao and Bo Wu, University of California, Davis
Problem and Project Summary: Lettuce drop caused by Sclerotinia minor is one of the most destructive diseases on lettuce in the major U.S. lettuce production areas in California and Arizona, and managing this disease is a priority for growers in the both states. Due to lack of resistant lettuce cultivars and the ineffectiveness of fungicides Botran, Ronilan, and Rovral, which were applied widely in the past, lettuce growers currently rely on Endura, the lone effective fungicide for managing this disease. Control failures have occurred despite the application of Endura in some fields in recent years. Although C. minitans consistently outperformed chemical fungicides (Ronilan, Rovral, and Endura) in the Imperial Valley in controlling lettuce drop caused by S. sclerotiorum, C. minitans has had a limited effect against S. minor in previous studies. However, studies over the past two years in Salinas involving modifications to the application of Contans to enhance interaction between the biocontrol agent and the pathogen significantly reduced the number of sclerotia in soil relative to untreated control, and incidence of lettuce drop and disease incidence was equivalent to that achieved with the chemical fungicide, Endura. However, before a recommendation for adaptation of this treatment can be made, optimizing the Contans treatment is necessary to make it as economical as using Endura. The outcome of this research will immediately benefit the lettuce industry in the United States, especially the industry in California and Arizona. It will reduce the dependence on fungicide application and improve the sustainability of lettuce production, and therefore, enhance the competitive advantage of U.S lettuce production.
Objectives: 1) Determine the optimal stage for applying C.
minitans; 2) optimize the application to achieve maximum efficacy
against lettuce drop caused by S. minor; 3) understand the
long term benefits of using C. minitans by monitoring the
dynamics of sclerotia of S. minor in the soil over multiple
lettuce crops.
Progress Report
(PDF* 189K)
- Photos (PDF* 177K)
Using Intercrops and Alternative Prey to Boost Predatory Flies in Lettuce
PI: Kent Daane, University of California Cooperative Extension
Problem and Project Summary: Aphids are major pests of lettuce. They feed in the plant interior and damage crops, primarily through contamination. Because it is difficult to achieve direct contact with insecticides, conventional lettuce production routinely employs systemic pesticides. Organic lettuce production is unable to use these synthetic compounds and instead relies on biological control. The most important biological control agents are naturally-occuring syrphid flies. However, because syrphid populations lag behind aphid populations, control outcomes are often uncertain. In an effort to reduce the time lag of the syrphid populations, most growers intercrop with flowering plants, which provide nectar and pollen to adult syrphids, attracting them to their fields. However, the flowering plants provide no food for syrphid larvae, and the in-field syrphid population remains unable to increase reproductively until pest aphids have colonized the crop. A second strategy for reducing the time lag of the syrphids and improving their reliability is to plant intercrops that will host non-pest aphids. The non-pest aphids in the intercrop would serve as alternative prey for syrphid flies and would support their larval development prior to the appearance of the pest aphids. The long-range goal of this project is to assess the feasibility of using intercrops and alternative prey to enhance in-field syrphid populations and suppress pest aphids. In previous research, funded by the California Lettuce Research Board and conducted in 2007, nine potential intercrops were screened for their ability to provide food for syrphid larvae. The research proposed here will further test the three most promising intercrops in large scale field experiments.
Objectives: 1) Test the ability of intercrops bearing non-pest
aphids to increase syrphid populations and reduce aphid populations
in lettuce fields; 2) integrate an intercrop bearing non-pest aphids
with existing grower practices; 3) test for negative effects of intercrops
on pest management.
Progress Report
(PDF* 181K)
- Photos (PDF* 401K)
Using Sheep in Grain Fallow Management to Control Weeds and Insect Pests and Reduce Use of Pesticides and Fossil Fuels
PI: Patrick Hatfield, Montana State University
Problem and Project Summary: 15.5 million acres of farmland in the western United States are rotated into summer fallow annually with up to four applications of herbicides annually for weed control. IR-4 priority settings, crop profiles, and pest management strategic plans are not available for summer fallow. As reduced tillage practices become more common, herbicide use will continue to increase. Currently, mechanical tillage is the only practical alternative to chemical fallow. However, tillage decreases residue cover and may increase soil erosion. Herbicide use in Montana’s grain production systems represents the single largest use of pesticides in the state. Strategic grazing of grain stubble and weeds on the western U S’s 15.5 million acres of summer fallow by sheep may offer an alternative to traditional stubble and weed management systems with the added benefit of not negatively influencing soil nutrient cycling or increasing erosion potential. In addition, sheep grazing summer fallow may significantly reduce use and thus selection pressure for glyphosate-resistant weeds by precluding the need to control weeds with glyphosate. The project’s goal is to reduce pesticide use in grain farming operations while maintaining or improving profitability.
Objective: To compare strategically managed sheep grazing to
chemical and mechanical fallow on a) weed and volunteer grain biomass
reduction, and weed and weed seedbank composition and density, b) soil
nutrients and soil bulk density, c) insect populations (including pest,
beneficial, and benign, and d) grain production and quality.
Progress Report (PDF* 177K)
An Electronic, Multi-Entry Key for Identifying Weedy Plant Species in Small Grain Fields
PI: Fabian Menalled and Will Lanier, Montana State University; Ned Tisserat and Ronda Koski, Colorado State University
Problem and Project Summary: Weed management requires rapid and accurate identification of weedy plants. Improper identification can result in misapplication of herbicides or failure to adequately control the weedy plant species at the time that it is most vulnerable to IPM practices. Taxonomists with the knowledge to identify non-crop plant species and the number of identification services available to crop producers and crop management advisors have decreased. This project seeks to enhance an electronic, multi-entry diagnostic key previously developed to aid in the diagnosis of diseases, abiotic problems, and arthropod pests of small grains with weedy plant identification information. Commercially available software (Lucid Builder™), specifically developed for construction of electronic, multi-entry keys, will be used for the development of this key. Field-based characters will include the time of year of weed appearance, sequential descriptions of the growth stages of all the weedy plant species included in the key, and the environmental parameters that favor growth of these weeds. As an aid to identification, investigators will populate the key with images of weedy plant species and link to fact sheets hosted on the High Plains Integrated Pest Management (HPIPM) Guide. Illustrated fact sheets will provide detailed descriptions of the weeds featured in the key, along with sequential descriptions of their growth, development, and chemical and non-chemical management methods. Investigators will conduct training sessions to demonstrate how to use this key. These training sessions will be targeted toward extension specialists, diagnosticians, crop advisors, and growers. Because traditional training sessions can impose restrictions on potential participants that may reduce attendance, retention, and adoption of the subject material, investigators will also provide a self-paced training video with the online key.
Objectives: 1) Develop a multi-entry key to aid the in the
identification of weedy plant species that occur in small grain production
fields; 2) integrate the multi-entry weed identification key with Web-based
weed management information; and 3) conduct training sessions to train
extension specialists, diagnosticians, crop advisors, and growers to
use the multi-entry weed identification key.
Progress Report (PDF* 180K)
- Image (PDF* 79K)
