The Relationship Between the Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata) and Its Host Plants in Coastal Maine

This project examines the recent outbreak of the invasive winter moth (Operophtera brumata) in mid-coast Maine. The winter moth was introduced into New England in the late 1990’s and low densities of winter moth were detected with pheromone traps throughout the Maine coast in 2006. Severe defoliation occurred for the first time in Maine in the spring of 2012 in Harpswell and Vinalhaven, ME. This pest attacks an extremely broad range of host plants, including forest hardwood trees and agricultural crops such as highbush blueberry and apple. The objectives of this study are to examine the differential development and survival of the winter moth on common hardwood forest trees as well as important agricultural crops, to determine the insect phenology in relation to host plants throughout the year in Maine, to monitor the relative population densities on different host plants, and to survey Maine winter moth for pathogens already present in the population. We found that larval survival and densities are significantly higher on red oak and apple trees and lowest on pin cherry. Larval survival is significantly higher when egg hatch is closely synchronized with host plant bud burst. Lastly, using molecular markers, we inferred the presence of winter moth nucleopolyhedrovirus in larvae collected from seven different host plants, including wild lowbush blueberry. Larvae were observed feeding on wild lowbush blueberry, a new host for this species. While larval survival and densities are lower on lowbush blueberry than on oak and apple, they readily feed on and cause severe damage to wild blueberry when populations are at outbreak levels. Through studying the biology of this insect, we are able to determine the factors that are closely linked to its survival in the hopes of developing methods of control before seeing irreparable damage to Maine’s forests and agriculture

The Relationship Between the Winter Moth (Operophtera brumata) and Its Host Plants in Coastal Maine

This project examines the recent outbreak of the invasive winter moth (Operophtera brumata) in mid-coast Maine. The winter moth was introduced into New England in the late 1990’s and low densities of winter moth were detected with pheromone traps throughout the Maine coast in 2006. Severe defoliation occurred for the first time in Maine in the spring of 2012 in Harpswell and Vinalhaven, ME. This pest attacks an extremely broad range of host plants, including forest hardwood trees and agricultural crops such as highbush blueberry and apple. The objectives of this study are to examine the differential development and survival of the winter moth on common hardwood forest trees as well as important agricultural crops, to determine the insect phenology in relation to host plants throughout the year in Maine, to monitor the relative population densities on different host plants, and to survey Maine winter moth for pathogens already present in the population. We found that larval survival and densities are significantly higher on red oak and apple trees and lowest on pin cherry. Larval survival is significantly higher when egg hatch is closely synchronized with host plant bud burst. Lastly, using molecular markers, we inferred the presence of winter moth nucleopolyhedrovirus in larvae collected from seven different host plants, including wild lowbush blueberry. Larvae were observed feeding on wild lowbush blueberry, a new host for this species. While larval survival and densities are lower on lowbush blueberry than on oak and apple, they readily feed on and cause severe damage to wild blueberry when populations are at outbreak levels. Through studying the biology of this insect, we are able to determine the factors that are closely linked to its survival in the hopes of developing methods of control before seeing irreparable damage to Maine’s forests and agriculture

2014 Wild Blueberry Project Reports

FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION PAGE 1. Development of effective intervention measures to maintain and improve food safety for wild blueberries 2. Role of wild blueberries on lipid metabolism and inflammation as related to obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome ENTOMOLOGY 3. Control tactics for blueberry pest insects, 2014 4. Pest biology and IPM, 2014 5. Biology of spotted wing drosophila, 2014 6. Biology of blueberry, beneficial insects, and blueberry pollination DISEASE MANAGEMENT 7. Research and control of mummy berry disease 8. Evaluation of fungicides for control of mummy berry on lowbush blueberry (2014) WEED MANAGEMENT 9. A 2014 preliminary trial for a Callisto-Matrix tank mix versus a traditional wild blueberry herbicide spray regimen EXTENSION 10. Wild blueberry Extension Education Program in 2014 INPUT SYSTEMS STUDY – SCRI GRANT 11. Systems approach to improving the sustainability of wild blueberry production, Year Five of a six-year study – experimental design 12. Food safety- Prevalence study of Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. on lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) 13. Systems approach to improving the sustainability of wild blueberry production, Year 5 – reports from Frank Drummond 14. Systems approach to improving the sustainability of wild blueberry production, 2014, Year 5 of a six-year study, disease management results 15. Systems approach to improving the sustainability of wild blueberry production, Year Five of a six-year study, weed management results 16. Systems approach to improving the sustainability of wild blueberry production, Year Five of a six year study, plant productivity 17. 2014 economic analysis of Maine blueberry production systems including an introductory risk analysis 18. Biosensor development for food safety (ancillary study) 19. Ancillary projects in disease research (ancillary study) 20. Systems approach to improving the sustainability of wild blueberry production – Ancillary land-leveling study, Year Four of a four-year study (ancillary study) 21. 2013-14 evaluation of three pre-emergence herbicides alone and in combination with Velpar or Sinbar for effects on wild blueberry productivity and weed control – 2014 crop year results (ancillary study) 22. Evaluation of fall and spring combinations of preemergence herbicides to prevent weed resistance in wild blueberry fields, 2013-15 (ancillary study) 23. Post-harvest control of red sorrel in a non-crop blueberry field, 2012-2014 (ancillary study) 24. Post-harvest control of red sorrel in a non-crop blueberry field, 2013-2015 (ancillary study) 25. Effect of soil nutrient amendments on growth and yield of wild blueberries in Maine (ancillary study

2017 Research & Innovation Day Program

A one day showcase of applied research, social innovation, scholarship projects and activities.https://first.fanshawec.ca/cri_cripublications/1004/thumbnail.jp