BAIT and SWITCH: Novel Systems

for IPM in High Tunnels

Margaret Skinner

Cheryl Frank

Bruce L. Parker

Univ. of Vermont

Entomology Research Laboratory

UVM Entomology Research Lab

Team of 5 senior scientists and several technicians

Addressing growers’ practical pest problems

Primary Areas of Effort:

Insect Pests of Greenhouse Ornamentals

Western Flower Thrips

Insect-Killing Fungi:

Beauveria bassiana

Metarhizium anisopliae

Why Western Flower Thrips?

#1 Insect Pest of Greenhouse Ornamentals

• Populations increase quickly

• Hard to detect

• Wide host range

• Transmit viruses

• Pesticide Resistant

What are Insect-Killing Fungi?

• Fungi that infect insects, NOT plants

• Several fungal products available

Botanigard: Beauveria bassiana

No Fly wp: Paecilomyces fumoseroseus

Met52: Metarhizium anisopliae

Mycotol: Lecanicillium lecanii

Note: Trichoderma is a fungus that suppresses plant pathogens, NOT insects.

Milky spore disease (Bacillus popillae) is a bacteria, Not a fungus.

Why Insect-Killing Fungi?

• Low cost of mass-production

• Potential to persist

• Naturally occurring

• Low impact on the environment and

human health

• No need for ingestion

• Compatible with parasites, predators & pesticides

• Easy to apply

• Indicator plants

• Trap plants

• Banker plants

• Guardian plants

BAIT & SWITCH Tactics for IPM

Use of non-crop plants to fool the pest for detecting or

managing pests

Indicator Plants Attract pests for quick & easy detection

What kind of plant works? Highly attractive to pest/s

Easy & cheap to grow to flowering stage

Not susceptible to other pests??

Not a virus carrier??

What do you do? Grow the plants

Position them in crop

Check them regularly for pests

Remove them when too infested

What do you do? • Grow plants and position in/around crop

• Check regularly for pests

• Remove from crop or treat to kill pest

Trap Plants Attract pest away from crop

What kind of plant works? High attractiveness to pest

Easy & cheap to grow

Not susceptible to other pests

Not a carrier of virus

Trap Plants 2012 results with Hero yellow marigolds in

greenhouse-grown bedding plants

Examples of

Indicator/Trap Plants

Setting/crop Plant type Target Pest

Greenhouse ornamentals

Yellow/white mums, gerbera daisy, verbena, ornamental pepper, sunflower

Thrips

" Petunia (Calypso, Summer madness, Super blue magic, Red cloud, fava bean)

INSV/TSWV

" Tomato, eggplant, beans Whitefly

Spider mite

Field crops Collars Diamond back moth

" Hubbard squash Cucumber beetles

" Radishes Striped cucumber

beetle & spider mite

" Cherry pepper Pepper weevil

Banker Plants Support reproduction of a natural enemy

What do you do? • Grow plant and infest with non-pest species

• Release natural enemy and allow to multiply

• Check regularly for pests and hyperparasites, etc.

Why bother? • Low cost source of natural enemies

• Sustained source of natural enemies

• Higher quality natural enemies

Increased temp. range, searching ability, effectiveness, survivorship, health, sex ratios

Examples of Banker Plants

Setting/crop Banker Plant Type

Biocontrol Agent Target Pest

Greenhouse ornamentals

Marigolds N. cucumeris predatory mite

Insect-killing fungus Thrips

" Wheat/Oat grass Aphidius parasite Green peach & melon aphid

" Alyssum, verbena

marigolds Orius predator Thrips

Poinsettia Papaya Encarsia & Eretmocerus

parasites Whitefly

Field grown peppers

Sunflower Orius predator Thrips

Guardian/Habitat Plants Attracts pest, supports natural enemy

reproduction & manages pest

What do you do? • Grow plant attractive to pest and distribute

around crop

• Release biocontrols on plant to multiply for managing pest on plant and dispersing into crop

• Check regularly for pests and biocontrols

Thrips Life Cycle

Know the life cycle of your pest to manage it!

Marigold Guardian Plants Attracts pest, supports biocontrols & manages pest

Marigold attracts

WFT from crop

Fungus applied to soil to

infect pupating WFT

Predatory mites released

on flowers to reproduce

and feed on WFT larvae

Marigold Habitat Plants 2012 results in greenhouse-grown bedding plants

Aphid Banker Plants Mini parasite rearing system for aphid IPM

What do you do? • Grow cereal grass and infest with bird-cherry

oat aphid (a non-pest species)

• Release natural enemy and allow to multiply

• Distribute plants around greenhouse

• Check regularly for pests and hyperparasites

Why bother? • Low cost source of parasites

• Available parasites when needed

• Higher quality parasites

Aphid Banker Plants Mini parasite rearing system for aphid IPM

What else to Do and NOT Do?

• Don’t use if you grow other monocots: corn,

Easter lilies, ornamental grasses, onions, garlic

• Water them regularly

• Replace them with fresh pots of aphids

• Remove them at the end of the season or if you see hyperparasites

• Don’t expect them to work for all aphid species, they work best for green peach & cotton/melon aphid.

NOT for POTATO or FOXGLOVE Aphid

Aphid Banker Plant How do you do it?

Get the materials:

•Hair nets/cages

•Plant pots and soil

•Seeds of wheat/oats/barley

•Order Bird cherry oat aphid starter colony (BCOA) for 3-4 wk starting Wk 2

•Identify place to produce banker plants (~70-75°F)

Start 6 weeks before opening the greenhouse

Aphid Banker Plant Week 1

When BCOA kit comes:

• Fill 4 pots with soil and water (Wk 1 pots)

• Scatter grain on soil

• Plant one BCOA cube per pot

• Cover with hairnet QUICK

• Check on order for 500 Aphidius colemani parasites (Ac) for Wk 2.

Aphid Banker Plant Week 2

• Fill 4 pots with soil & water (Wk 2 pots)

• Scatter grain on soil

• Trim grass blades from Wk 1 pots with BCOA and place on seeds

• Cover pots with net Quick

• Release parasites into Wk 1 pots if there’s enough BCOA (after transferring BCOA). Cover with net.

• Check on next week’s order for Ac parasites

Aphid Banker Plant Week 3

• Fill 4 pots with soil and water (Wk 3 pots)

• Scatter seed on soil

• Clip grass with BCOA from Wk 2 pots on seed and cover with net

• Place ~100 Ac parasites into Wk 2 pots and cover with net

REMEMBER: Don’t add parasites to banker plants until BCOA population is well established

Aphid Banker Plant Week 4

• Set up Wk 4 pots as before

• Clip grass infested with BCOA from Wk 3 pots and cover with net

• Check Wk 1 pots (with Ac parasites) for mummies

• Move Wk 1 pots to greenhouse and remove net

• Release Ac parasites on Wk 3 pots

Aphid Banker Plant Week 5

• Set up Wk 5 pots as before

• Clip grass infested with BCOA from Wk 4 pots and cover with net

• Check Wk 2 pots (with Ac parasites) for mummies

• Move Wk 2 pots to greenhouse and remove net

Aphid Banker Plant Week 6

• Set up Wk 6 pots as before

• Clip grass infested with BCOA from Wk 5 pots and cover with net

• Check Wk 3 pots (with Ac parasites) for mummies

• Move Wk 3 pots to greenhouse and remove net

Aphid Banker Plant Future weeks

• Continue to set up pots as before

• Clip grass from last weeks pots and cover with net

• Move to greenhouse beside a pot with Ac when BCOA colony is established

• Place old pots under bench to let Ac emerge.

• Check plants for hyperparasites

• Destroy plants at the end of the season

Thank You!

Thanks!

• USDA Agricultural Research Service

• USDA Extension IPM

• VT Extension System

• USDA Hatch Program

• American Floral Endowment