Mulches Used in Highbush Blueberry and Entomopathogenic Nematodes Affect Mortality Rates of Third-Instar Popillia japonica

Popillia japonica Newman (Japanese beetle) is an invasive, polyphagous pest in North America, as adults feed on plant foliage and larvae on roots. Management in crops relies on foliar and soil applications of insecticides, but entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) are effective biocontrol agents. In highbush blueberry, mulches (composts, woodshavings, sawdust, bark) are used for weed control and fertility. Therefore, our objective was to determine the effects of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema scarabaei on third-instar P. japonica in substrates commonly used as mulches in blueberry. In containers in the laboratory, larval mortality was 90–100% with H. bacteriophora for all substrates, but rates with S. scarabaei were lower and variable among substrates. A mixture of municipal compost + woodchips/sawdust resulted in 60% larval mortality without adding EPN, but few nematodes were recovered, indicating other causes of death. In a field microplot experiment in October, larval mortality rates were 50% at most for all EPN and substrate type combinations, likely due to lower than optimal soil and substrate temperatures for EPN survival and infectivity. Overall, a compost and woodchip/sawdust mulch should help suppress P. japonica populations in blueberry, and applying H. bacteriophora when temperatures are optimal to mulches can provide excellent larval control

Reduced Drosophila suzukii Infestation in Berries Using Deterrent Compounds and Laminate Polymer Flakes

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a recent invasive pest of soft fruits in North and South America and Europe. Control relies on frequent applications of synthetic insecticides. Additional tactics are needed for development of an effective integrated pest management program. Study objectives were to evaluate the repellency and oviposition deterrent capability of compounds in plant essential oils and the effect of select compounds on infestation rates in strawberries, using laminate polymer flakes as a carrier. Of 14 compounds from 5 essential oils, thymol was the most repellent to adult D. suzukii males and females for up to 24 h in the laboratory. Citronellol, geraniol and menthol were moderately repellent. In a choice assay, thymol on cotton wicks adjacent to ripe raspberries reduced female fly landings and larval infestation levels. In a no-choice assay, thymol reduced female fly landings by 60%, larval infestation by 50% and increased fly mortality compared to controls. Neither citronellol alone nor a blend of four repellent compounds was as effective as thymol alone at reducing fly landing, larval infestation, or increasing fly mortality. In a choice assay using polymer flakes, larval infestation was greater in raspberries near untreated flakes than in raspberries near flakes treated with thymol or peppermint oil. In the field, thymol and peppermint flakes reduced larval infestation levels by 25% in strawberries at 4, but not 7, days after application, compared to untreated flakes. With future improvements in application strategies, deterrent compounds may have a role in improving the management of D. suzukii

Effect of Cultural Practices on Neopamera bilobata in Relation to Fruit Injury and Marketable Yields in Organic Strawberries

The strawberry seed bug, Neopamera bilobata (Say), is an emerging pest of organic and conventional strawberries in Florida. There is limited information on this Rhyparochromidae species. Thus, the type of injury caused is not clearly documented and management recommendations are lacking. In this study, we evaluated the effect of strawberry cultivars, cover crops, and the presence of runners on N. bilobata populations and yield. We also investigated the effect of select cultivars and the presence of runners on N. bilobata injury levels. In addition, we used fruit bagging experiments to investigate the effects of N. bilobata population and life stage (nymph vs. adult) on strawberry fruits. There was no effect of cover crop or cultivar on N. bilobata populations. In the 2017–2018 season, strawberry plots with runners contained higher N. bilobata populations compared with plots without runners, and adult infestation was significantly higher than nymphal infestation. In the 2018–2019 season, the trend was reversed with higher numbers of N. bilobata collected in plots with runners removed. In the 2019–2020 season, there was no significant difference in N. bilobata populations in plots with and without runners. In both 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, nymphal infestation was higher than adult infestation. Less injury was recorded in “Florida Brilliance” compared with the other cultivars tested. In the 2019–2020 season, less injury was recorded from plots without runners while the difference was not significant in 2017–2018 or 2018–2019. Releasing five and ten adult N. bilobata on ripe (red) fruit produced a similar level of injury while no injury to unripe (green) fruit was observed. Both adults and nymphs cause injury to ripe fruit. These findings can help contribute to the development of an integrated pest management program for strawberry N. bilobata

Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae): a decade of research towards a sustainable integrated pest management program

49restrictedInternationalInternational coauthor/editorDrosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) also known as spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), is a pest native to Southeast Asia. In the last few decades, the pest has expanded its range to affect all major European and American fruit production regions. SWD is a highly adaptive insect that is able to disperse, survive, and flourish under a range of environmental conditions. Infestation by SWD generates both direct and indirect economic impacts through yield losses, shorter shelf life of infested fruit, and increased production costs. Fresh markets, frozen berries, and fruit export programs have been impacted by the pest due to zero tolerance for fruit infestation. As SWD control programs rely heavily on insecticides, exceedance of maximum residue levels (MRLs) has also resulted in crop rejections. The economic impact of SWD has been particularly severe for organic operations, mainly due to the limited availability of effective insecticides. Integrated pest management (IPM) of SWD could significantly reduce chemical inputs but would require substantial changes to horticultural management practices. This review evaluates the most promising methods studied as part of an IPM strategy against SWD across the world. For each of the considered techniques, the effectiveness, impact, sustainability, and stage of development are discussed.restrictedTait, Gabriella; Mermer, Serhan; Stockton, Dara; Lee, Jana; Avosani, Sabina; Abrieux, Antoine; Anfora, Gianfranco; Beers, Elizabeth; Biondi, Antonio; Burrack, Hannah; Cha, Dong; Chiu, Joanna C; Choi, Man-Yeon; Cloonan, Kevin; Crava, Cristina M; Daane, Kent M; Dalton, Daniel T; Diepenbrock, Lauren; Fanning, Phillip; Ganjisaffar, Fatemeh; Gómez, Miguel I; Gut, Larry; Grassi, Alberto; Hamby, Kelly; Hoelmer, Kim A; Ioriatti, Claudio; Isaacs, Rufus; Klick, Jimmy; Kraft, Laura; Loeb, Gregory; Rossi-Stacconi, Marco Valerio; Nieri, Rachele; Pfab, Ferdinand; Puppato, Simone; Rendon, Dalila; Renkema, Justin; Rodriguez-Saona, Cesar; Rogers, Mary; Sassù, Fabiana; Schöneberg, Torsten; Scott, Maxwell J; Seagraves, Michael; Sial, Ashfaq; Van Timmeren, Steven; Wallingford, Anna; Wang, Xingeng; Yeh, D Adeline; Zalom, Frank G; Walton, Vaughn MTait, G.; Mermer, S.; Stockton, D.; Lee, J.; Avosani, S.; Abrieux, A.; Anfora, G.; Beers, E.; Biondi, A.; Burrack, H.; Cha, D.; Chiu, J.C.; Choi, M.; Cloonan, K.; Crava, C.M.; Daane, K.M.; Dalton, D.T.; Diepenbrock, L.; Fanning, P.; Ganjisaffar, F.; Gómez, M.I.; Gut, L.; Grassi, A.; Hamby, K.; Hoelmer, K.A.; Ioriatti, C.; Isaacs, R.; Klick, J.; Kraft, L.; Loeb, G.; Rossi-Stacconi, M.V.; Nieri, R.; Pfab, F.; Puppato, S.; Rendon, D.; Renkema, J.; Rodriguez-Saona, C.; Rogers, M.; Sassù, F.; Schöneberg, T.; Scott, M.J.; Seagraves, M.; Sial, A.; Van Timmeren, S.; Wallingford, A.; Wang, X.; Yeh, D.A.; Zalom, F.G.; Walton, V.M