Soybean Aphid and Potato Leafhopper Thresholds: Revisiting IPM Decision Support for Soybeans and Alfalfa in a High Value Field Crop Commodity Rotation

The National Research Council (1989) equated integrated pest management (IPM) adoption in field and forage crops with pest scouting and use of economic thresholds before a decision is made to apply insecticide. Three IPM terms and definitions are important for discussion purposes and data review during this workshop presentation

Resistance to Bt Corn by Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the U.S. Corn Belt

Transgenic Bt corn hybrids that produce insecticidal proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner have become the standard insect management tactic across the U.S. Corn Belt. Widespread planting of Bt corn places intense selection pressure on target insects to develop resistance, and evolution of resistance threatens to erode benefits associated with Bt corn, such as reduced reliance on conventional insecticides. Recognizing the threat of resistance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires seed companies to include an insect resistance management (IRM) plan when registering a Bt trait. The goal of IRM plans is to delay Bt resistance in populations of target insects. One element of IRM is the presence of a non-Bt refuge to maintain Bt-susceptible individuals within a population, and growers are required to implement IRM on-farm by planting a refuge. Field-evolved resistance has not been detected for the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner), even though this species has been exposed to Bt proteins common in U.S. corn hybrids since 1996. The IRM situation is unfolding differently for Bt corn targeting the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. In this article, we examine the scientific evidence for D. v. virgifera resistance to Bt rootworm traits and the cropping system practices that have contributed to the first reports of field-evolved resistance to a Bt toxin by D. v. virgifera. We explain why this issue has developed, and emphasize the necessity of an integrated pest management approach to address the issue

Recent study brings good news about the soybean aphid

Increased activity of bean leaf beetles and soybean aphids in Iowa soybean fields has challenged many of us over the last five years. Not just because of the sap feeding and leaf defoliation that can cause significant yield loss but also because we are dealing with another yield robber that we often can\u27t see. Iowa soybean fields can be infected with bean pod mottle and soybean {m}osaic viruses that are transmitted by bean leaf beetles and soybean aphids, respectively. The challenge that we are dealing with is, first of all, we can\u27t always see that we have a virus in soybean, and yield loss caused by viruses can occur even when symptoms are not apparent

One gene versus two: A regional study on the efficacy of single gene versus pyramided resistance for soybean aphid management

Citation: McCarville, M. T., M. E. O’Neal, B. D. Potter, K. J. Tilmon, E. M. Cullen, B. P. McCornack, J. F. Tooker, and D. A. Prischmann-Voldseth. 2014. “One Gene Versus Two: A Regional Study on the Efficacy of Single Gene Versus Pyramided Resistance for Soybean Aphid Management.” Journal of Economic Entomology 107 (4): 1680–87. https://doi.org/10.1603/EC14047.The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) is a threat to soybean production in the Midwestern United States. Varieties containing the Rag1 soybean aphid resistance gene have been released with limited success in reducing aphid populations. Furthermore, virulent biotypes occur within North America and challenge the durability of single-gene resistance. Pyramiding resistance genes has the potential to improve aphid population suppression and increase resistance gene durability. Our goal was to determine if a pyramid could provide improved aphid population suppression across a wide range of environments.Weconducted a small-plot Þeld experiment across seven states and three years. We compared soybean near-isolines for the Rag1 or Rag2 gene, and a pyramid line containing both genes for their ability to decrease aphid pressure and protect yield compared with a susceptible line. These lines were evaluated both with and without a neonicitinoid seed treatment. All aphid-resistant lines signiÞcantly decreased aphid pressure at all locations but one. The pyramid line experienced lower aphid pressure than both single-gene lines at eight of 23 location-years. Soybean aphids signiÞcantly reduced soybean yield for the susceptible line by 14% and for both single-gene lines by 5%; however, no signiÞcant yield decrease was observed for the pyramid line. The neonicitinoid seed treatment reduced plant exposure to aphids across all soybean lines, but did not provide signiÞcant yield protection for any of the lines. These results demonstrate that pyramiding resistance genes can provide sufÞcient and consistent yield protection from soybean aphid in North America

Integrated Hepatitis C Care for People Who Inject Drugs (Heplink):Protocol for a Feasibility Study in Primary Care

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease and death. Drug use remains the significant cause of new infections in the European Union, with estimates of HCV antibody prevalence among people who inject drugs ranging from 5% to 90% in 29 European countries. In Ireland and the European Union, primary care is a key area to focus efforts to enhance HCV diagnosis and treatment among people who inject drugs. OBJECTIVE: The Heplink study aims to improve HCV care outcomes among opiate substitution therapy (OST) patients in general practice by developing an integrated model of HCV care and evaluating its feasibility, acceptability, and likely efficacy. METHODS: The integrated model of care comprises education of community practitioners, outreach of an HCV-trained nurse into general practitioner (GP) practices, and enhanced access of patients to community-based evaluation of their HCV disease (including a novel approach to diagnosis, that is, Echosens FibroScan Mini 430). A total of 24 OST-prescribing GP practices were recruited from the professional networks and databases of members of the research consortium. Patients were eligible if they are aged ≥18 years, on OST, and attend the practice for any reason during the recruitment period. Baseline data on HCV care processes and outcomes were extracted from the clinical records of participating patients. RESULTS: This study is ongoing and has the potential to make an important impact on patient care and provide high-quality evidence to help GPs make important decisions on HCV testing and onward referral. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of HCV-positive patients on OST in general practice are not engaged with specialist hospital services but qualify for direct-acting antiviral drugs treatment. The Heplink model has the potential to reduce HCV-related morbidity and mortality. REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER: RR1-10.2196/9043

Aboriginal mothers in prison in Australia: a study of social, emotional and physical wellbeing

Objective: To describe the social, emotional and physical wellbeing of Aboriginal mothers in prison. Methods: Cross-sectional survey, including a Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (5-item version) administered to Aboriginal women who self-identified as mothers. Results: Seventy-seven Aboriginal mothers in New South Wales (NSW) and 84 in Western Australia (WA) participated in the study. Eighty-three per cent (n=59) of mothers in NSW were in prison for drug-related offences, 64.8% (n=46) of mothers in WA were in prison for offences committed under the influence of alcohol. Sixty-eight per cent (n=52) of mothers in NSW and 35% (n=28) of mothers in WA reported mental health problems. Physical (PCS) and Mental (MCS) component scores of SF-12 varied for mothers in NSW and WA. Mothers in NSW experienced poorer health and functioning than mothers in WA (NSW: PCS 49.5, MCS 40.6; WA: PCS 54.4, MCS 48.3) and high levels of psychological distress (NSW: 13.1; WA 10.1). Conclusions: Aboriginal mothers in prison have significant health needs associated with physical and mental health, and psychological distress. Implications for public health: Adoption of social and emotional wellbeing as an explanatory framework for culturally secure healthcare in prison is essential to improving health outcomes of Aboriginal mothers in prison in Australia

Integrating hepatitis C care for at-risk groups (HepLink):baseline data from a multicentre feasibility study in primary and community care

OBJECTIVES To examine HCV prevalence and management among people who inject drugs (PWID) attending primary care and community-based health services at four European sites using baseline data from a multicentre feasibility study of a complex intervention (HepLink). METHODS Primary care and community-based health services in Dublin, London, Bucharest and Seville were recruited from the professional networks of the HepLink consortium. Patients were eligible to participate if aged ≥18 years, on opioid substitution treatment or at risk of HCV (i.e. injecting drug use, homeless or incarcerated), and attended the service. Data on patient demographics and prior HCV management were collected on participants at baseline. RESULTS Twenty-nine primary care and community-based health services and 530 patients were recruited. Baseline data were collected on all participants. Participants' mean age ranged from 35 (Bucharest) to 51 years (London), with 71%-89% male. Prior lifetime HCV antibody testing ranged from 65% (Bucharest) to 95% (Dublin) and HCV antibody positivity among those who had been tested ranged from 78% (Dublin) to 95% (Bucharest). Prior lifetime HCV RNA testing among HCV antibody-positive participants ranged from 17% (Bucharest) to 84% (London). Among HCV antibody- or RNA-positive participants, prior lifetime attendance at a hepatology/infectious disease service ranged from 6% (London) to 50% (Dublin) and prior lifetime HCV treatment initiation from 3% (London) to 33% (Seville). CONCLUSIONS Baseline assessment of the HCV cascade of care among PWID attending primary care and community-based health services at four European sites identified key aspects of the care cascade at each site that need to be improved

Soybean Aphid and Potato Leafhopper Thresholds: Revisiting IPM Decision Support for Soybeans and Alfalfa in a High Value Field Crop Commodity Rotation

The National Research Council (1989) equated integrated pest management (IPM) adoption in field and forage crops with pest scouting and use of economic thresholds before a decision is made to apply insecticide. Three IPM terms and definitions are important for discussion purposes and data review during this workshop presentation.</p

Extension Specialist Roles in Communities of Interest and Place: An Example from the Agriculture-Wildlife Interface

The role of land-grant university Extension specialist originates in a community of place, enters into communities of interest to leverage resources or partnership opportunities, and returns to the local level with more effective outcomes than possible by operating solely within the community of place. A case study describes synergistic specialist programming roles that moved Wisconsin farmers and communities of interest toward a common goal of protecting corn fields from sandhill crane damage. Outcomes reinforce the concept that specialists are most effective when they forge seamless relationships between communities of place and interest, as honest brokers, to solve unique practical local problems