Comparison of Biodegradable, Plastic and Wodden Imidacloprid-Treated Spheres for Control of Rhagoletis mendax (Diptera: Tephritidae) Flies

In experiments comparing biodegradable, plastic and wooden imidacloprid-treated spheres for control of Rhagoletis mendax Curran, the mean number of flies caught on plexiglas panes below each sphere type was not significantly different for the entire season. However, the mean time spent by R. mendax flies alighting on biodegradable imidacloprid-treated spheres was significantly greater (2.6×) than plastic imidacloprid-treated spheres. During 2001, significantly fewer larvae were found in blueberries harvested from bushes that had wooden imidacloprid-treated spheres hung within the canopy compared with bushes where biodegradable and plastic imidacloprid-treated spheres were deployed. There was no significant difference between the number of larvae found in berries picked from bushes where biodegradable or plastic spheres were deployed. All imidacloprid-treated sphere treatments were found to significantly reduce blueberry maggot larval infestation in fruit compared with the control

Biological control of tephritid fruit flies in the Americas and Hawaii: A review of the use of parasitoids and predators

Biological control has been the most commonly researched control tactic within fruit fly management programs. For the first time, a review is carried out covering parasitoids and predators of fruit flies (Tephritidae) from the Americas and Hawaii, presenting the main biological control programs in this region. In this work, 31 species of fruit flies of economic importance are considered in the genera Anastrepha (11), Rhagoletis (14), Bactrocera (4), Ceratitis (1), and Zeugodacus (1). In this study, a total of 79 parasitoid species of fruit flies of economic importance are listed and, from these, 50 are native and 29 are introduced. A total of 56 species of fruit fly predators occur in the Americas and Hawaii.Fil: Garcia, Flávio R. M.. Universidade Federal de Pelotas; BrasilFil: Ovruski Alderete, Sergio Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos; ArgentinaFil: Suárez, Lorena. Dirección de Sanidad Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Cancino, Jorge. Programa Moscafrut Sagarpa-iica; MéxicoFil: Liburd, Oscar E.. University of Florida; Estados Unido

Injury to Southern Highbush Blueberries by Southern Red Mites and Management Using Various Miticides

Reports of severe infestations caused by southern red mites (SRM), Oligonychus ilicis McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae), have increased in recent years in southern highbush blueberries (SHB). Currently, there is little known about the management of tetranychids in SHB, and only two miticides (fenazaquin and fenpyroximate) have recently been labeled for use in SHB. Oligonychus ilicis has caused up to 80%–100% losses in some blueberry plantings, and growers are looking for management tools for this new pest of blueberries. We report on injury to SHB from O. ilicis and the performance of seven miticides used to manage SRM populations, including spiromesifen, spiromesifen plus surfactant, vegetable oil concentrate, fenazaquin, “proprietary miticide” (referred to as Pro1), bifenazate, and fenpyroximate. Miticide efficacy was rated based on the number of SRM recorded on collected leaves and plant damage ratings using an arbitrary index (from 0 = no bronzing to 4 = 100% bronzing). Characteristic symptoms of leaf injury included purple or bronzed leaf color, leaf dryness and roughening. Fenpyroximate significantly reduced mite numbers three days after application. Additionally, plants treated with fenpyroximate or fenazaquin showed significantly less bronzing compared with the control plants. Overall, fenpyroximate and fenazaquin showed the best performance for the management of O. ilicis on SHB

Mite species (Acari) on blackberry cultivars in organic and conventional farms in Florida and Georgia, USA

This study was carried out to determine mite species on blackberry plants (Rubus spp. (Rosaceae)) in Florida and Georgia, USA, and differences in mite species between organic and conventional blackberry plantings in the area sampled. Surveys were conducted in organic and conventional commercial blackberry plantings from June to October 2016. Leaf samples were collected monthly from nine different blackberry cultivars including ‘Arapaho’, ‘Choctaw’, ‘Freedom’, ‘Kiowa’, ‘Natchez’, ‘Navaho’, ‘Osage’, ‘Ouachita’, and Von. Approximately 20 leaves per blackberry plant were taken. Twenty mite species (a total of 152 mite specimens) belonging to 7 families including Phytoseiidae (9 species), Ascidae (1), Cheyletidae (1), Erythraeidae (1), Stigmaeidae (1), Tetranychidae (4) and Tarsonemidae (3) were identified during the study. It was found that the abundance of predatory mites collected in organic farms was over 2-fold higher (105) than in conventional farms (47), which may be related to pesticide use on these commercial farms. Future surveys should provide a list of predatory species, which may hold potential for biological control of economically important pest mites

Integrated Pest Management Strategies to Combat the Invasive Spotted Wing Drosophila: Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) Diptera: Drosophilidae

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a recent invasive species that is threatening the Florida blueberry industry. Adult flies oviposit into ripening fruits and the larvae develop inside the fruit affecting its marketability. Growers have been using prophylactic insecticide sprays principally organophosphate and synthetic pyrethroids to manage D. suzukii populations, but sustainable management of this fly requires an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. We conducted two studies to investigate the movement of D. suzukii from adjacent vegetation into and out of southern highbush blueberry plantings. Traps were deployed randomly either in the center of the blueberry planting (treatment 1), or along the edge of a mixed vegetation (treatment 2). Significantly higher captures of D. suzukii were recorded within the mixed vegetation at the beginning of the season. As the season progressed and berries began to ripen more D. suzukii were found in the center of the blueberry planting. At the end of the season flies moved back into the surrounding vegetation and proportionally more D. suzukii were captured in the unmanaged habitats surrounding the plantings. Management tactics including border sprays and buffer zones that can intercept D. suzukii movement from adjacent unmanaged habitats into blueberry plantings are discussed.Paper presented at NABREW Conference, Paper Session I:Insect Pests, on June 24, 2014, Atlantic City, N.J

Susceptibility of Highbush Blueberry Cultivars to Larval Infestation by Rhagoletis mendax (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Eighteen highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L., cultivars were evaluated for larval infestation by the blueberry maggot fly, Rhagoletis mendax Curran. Most cultivars were evaluated during 3 field seasons. Significantly fewer maggots were found in berries of early-ripening cultivars, \u27Earliblue\u27 and \u27Bluetta\u27, than in later maturing cultivars such as \u27Bluehaven\u27, \u27Coville\u27, \u27Darrow\u27, \u27Elizabeth\u27, and \u27Lateblue\u27. The oviposition period of R. mendax is synchronized with the ripening dates of mid-season cultivars (late July to early August) in Rhode Island. This results in more oviposition and higher larval infestations in mid- and late-season susceptible cultivars. Among the mid- to late-season cultivars, \u27Northland\u27 and \u27Herbert\u27 berries had consistently fewer maggots than other cultivars. These cultivars, along with Bluetta and Earliblue appear to be good candidates for inclusion into integrated pest management programs

Evaluation of Various Color Hydromulches and Weed Fabric on Broccoli Insect Populations

We evaluated the potential for variously colored hydromulches (sprayed-on wood fibers plus adhesive) and weed fabric to suppress populations of the cabbage maggot, Delia radicum (L.), cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), and other insects in broccoli, Brassica oleracea L. Weed control also was evaluated. Commercial hydromulches were evaluated in their standard formulations or modified by adding corn starch, plaster of paris, lamp black, and latex blue or yellow paint. D. radicum populations were significantly lower in plots treated with hydromulch and blue paint than in unmulched control plots. This treatment was equal to or better than diazinon in suppressing D. radicum. B. brassicae populations were significantly higher in plots treated with hydromulch and yellow paint than in unmulched control plots. Weed fabric significantly reduced weed populations, but the levels of flea beetle Phyllotreta cruciferae (Goeze) in those plots were 6 times higher than in control plots. Early-season populations of D. radicum and B. brassicae could be suppressed simultaneously if the appropriate combinations of hydromulch and color were used