Cooperative Extension Service

Donn Johnson, Fruit and Nut Entomologist, Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas

High Tunnel Production Workshop SWREC at Hope, AR

on 17 June 2011

Cooperative Extension Service

• Define insect pest management (IPM)• Resources on IPM• Management Strategies Monitoring Decision-making to use tactic:

Cultural or Physical Control Biological Control Chemical Control (synthetic & biopesticide)

• Pollinators – bumble bees

Cooperative Extension Service

• Goal of IPM is to reduce risk from pests by using science-based information to:

• identify pests,• know how temperature and rain affect the

seasonal pest biology, • monitor for pests and damage, • decide if and when to use control tactic(s),• using the most economical means, and • try to minimize risk from tactic to people,

property, resources, the environment and delay development of pesticide resistance in pest.

• IPM needs in tunnels are greatly reduced compared to field production

• Cultural controls tend to be preventative• Monitor daily for expected and unexpected insects

and mites to aid decision-making to:– Release biological control agents for aphids, mites or

whiteflies– Apply insecticides

• Keep record of pest counts by crop and plant part• Contact extension personnel to identify pests

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/M1218-10.pdf

Thomas et al.(2004)

Cooperative Extension Service

• Increase in aphids and whiteflies as canopy thickens which reduces air movement, increases temperature and % RH

• Polyphagous pests increase like corn earworm (tomato fruitworm), thrips, stink bugs, mites under increased planting density and diversity

• Crop diversity limits use of insecticides• Lack of rainfall reduces effectiveness of insect

pathogensSource: http://www.aces.edu/timelyinfo/Horticulture/2010/July/July_2_2010.pdf

Spider mites Aphids

Whiteflies

Stink bug

Japanese beetles

Raspberry crown borerRednecked cane borer

• Sticky traps - 3 traps per HT: – 1 near the entrance – 2 traps above canopy

• Plant inspection weekly:– Record number of pests found, growth stage

of pest, crop observations (height, leaf color, bud development, symptoms and signs, etc.)

– Make management decision

• Yellow traps detect presence of whitefly adults and winged aphids; blue traps catch thrips

• 1 sticky trap per 250 sq ft• Check plants if pest found on

trap• Cost:

– 100 yellow sticky for $32 – 100 blue sticky cards $52

• Source: Great Lakes IPM Inc.http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/marketing_files/pest.pdf

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/03-075.htm

• Mites suck chlorophyll from leaves • Weekly check 100 leaves for:

– Whitened or stippled leaves– Presence of spider mites– Predatory mite or– Minute pirate bug

Lewis Jett: http://www.hightunnels.org/PDF/ Growing_Strawberries_in_High_Tunnels.pdf

Heidenreich et al. (2007)

Minute pirate bug

Stippling (left)

Southern red mitePredatory mite

Twospotted spider mite

• Check to make sure transplants are pest-free• Screen tunnel sides/ends to exclude pests with

venting• Maintain broadleaf weed control inside the

tunnel and 20 feet around the outside: Reduce reservoir of mites, aphids, whiteflies

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TropicalHT

• Insect netting on walls• Need passively vented polyethylene roof (vent area is

20% of floor area) and no weeds around perimeterSources: http://www.aces.edu/timelyinfo/Horticulture/2010/July/July_2_2010.pdf

http://www.hightunnels.org/ForGrowers/GrowersUsing/InternationalImages/Tropical%20High%20Tunnels.pdf

Temperate HT

Protects against sun damage, and cools plants by 10-15°F

– Make tunnel host free for 2 weeks– Shop vac up adult whiteflies

U of CA

• Identify whiteflies causing off-color of leaves or stunted plants

• Greenhouse whiteflyHosts: ornamental and vegetable crops

• Silverleaf whiteflyHosts: Alfalfa, beans, broccoli, citrus,

Ficus, Lantana, lettuce, melons, cotton, grape, sweet potato, and poinsettia

• Banded-wing whitefly Hosts: poinsettia, geranium, hibiscus, and petunia

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/M1218-10.pdf

Thomas et al.(2004)

Forestry images

U of CA

U of FL

• Check sticky traps for whiteflies• Identify species (next slide)• Weekly inspect 100 plants

throughout tunnel for whiteflies• Action thresholds:

• 0.5 whitefly per sticky card early in the season

• 2 whiteflies per card per day as the crop reaches maturity

http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/marketing_files/pest.pdf

U of CA

• Action threshold:– 1 to 2 mites per leaf w/o mite

predators present• Release 1000 predatory mites

(Amblyseius fallacis) per 350 sq ft per week for 3 weeks ($75 + shipping; Rincon-Vitova Insectaries)

Lewis Jett: http://www.hightunnels.org/PDF/ Growing_Strawberries_in_High_Tunnels.pdf

• Damage: sucks sap from the plant, leaves curl, appear water stressed, reduces growth

• Monitor: – Check yellow sticky cards for aphids – Weekly, randomly inspect 100 plants

throughout tunnel for aphids• Action threshold:

– If aphids appear release 250 aphid midges (Aphidoletes aphidimyza) per acre = $20 (Bioconet or Rincon-Vitova Insectaries)

– Or apply insecticidehttp://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/marketing_files/pest.pdf

U of CA

• More expensive than insecticides– Remove yellow sticky cards before

release– Release 1 to 3 female parasitoids

per plant per week until you see 80% parasitization ($20 per 1000 from Bioconet or Rincon-Vitova Insectaries)

– Fly when temperatures > 62°F• Encarsia formosa best parasitoid for

greenhouse whitefly• Eretmocerus eremicus best parasitoid

for Silverleaf whitefly

• Save money, labor, and time– Spray only pest hot spots in early morning or

late evening– Conserve pollinators and natural enemies by

keeping unsprayed, safe spots for natural enemy to "retreat“

Small fruit guide: http://www.ag.purdue.edu/hla/Hort/Documents/ID-169-2011.pdf

Small fruit guide: http://www.ag.purdue.edu/hla/Hort/Documents/ID-169-2011.pdf

Small fruit guide: http://www.ag.purdue.edu/hla/Hort/Documents/ID-169-2011.pdf

• Advantages: – low acute toxicity to humans– Tunnels prolong residual activity of pesticides– Uninterrupted work - short re-entry interval = 12 to 24 hrs

• Insecticidal soap are potassium salts of fatty acids) andHorticultural oils – do not use w/in 30 days of sulfur - do test spray to check for phytotoxicity - apply between 40º and 90ºF –– suffocate/dry-out soft-bodied insects - aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, thrips, whiteflies

• PyGanic (Pyrethrum, Chrysanthemum extract) -• Neem or Aza-Direct (neem tree extract, azadirachtin)• Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) – fungus for caterpillars• Beauveria bassiana - fungus

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/M1218-10.pdf By Thomas et al.(2004)

• Apply miticide if > 3 mites/leaf, w/o mite predators and significant leaf stippling

• Recommended miticides in spray guides: Acramite - effective Agra-mek - effective Savey - effective Zeal – effective

Oberon – moderately effective Brigade – slightly effective Aza-Direct – slightly effective

Efficacy table for strawberries: http://comp.uark.edu/~dtjohnso/Strawberry%20Efficacy.jpg

• Biopesticides• M-Pede, JMS Stylet Oil• Aza-Direct• Pyganic (3A)

• Insecticides• Asana (3) • Actara (4A)• Malathion (1B)• Sevin (1A)

• Release natural predatory mites against– Spider mites

• Screen high tunnel sides and ends to prevent entry:– Raspberry crown borer– Rednecked cane borer– Stink bugs– Japanese beetles

• Larvae feed in root crown and pith of lower cane - kills canes

• Over several years the tunneling weakens plant:– Reduces yield – Fewer primocanes produced

• Cultural control– Remove and burn infested plants

• Chemicals applied to soil drench in late October or late March:– Synthetic insecticides:

• Brigade (bifenthrin)• Altacor (Rynaxypyr)

– Biopesticides (OMRI):• Entrust• Aza-Direct

• Adult feeds on primocane leaves & lays eggs only on primocanes (late April to early June)

• Larva girdles cane causing a gall (late summer)• Larva overwinters in cane pith• Gall predisposes canes to winter injury

Johnson. 1992. J. Am. Soc. Hort. Sci.

If RNCB present last year, apply synthetic insecticide to soil by 1 April:

• Admire Pro or Nuprid (10.5 to 14 fl oz/acre) ($40/pt)If adults present, apply to foliage weekly (OMRI): • Botanigard (0.5-2 qts/100 gal) ($90/qt)• JMS Stylet oil (3-6 qts/100 gal) ($22/gal)• Pyganic (4.5 to 18 fl oz/acre) ($149/qt) • Pyrellin (rotenone) no longer registered by EPA

• In May to harvest, check plants for presence of stink bugs

• Immature (wingless) stink bugs easiest to kill with insecticide:Actara 25WB 12 hr REI, IRAC = 4AAssail 30SG 12 hr REI, IRAC = 4APyganic 12 hr REI, IRAC = 4ASevin XLR 12 hr REI, IRAC = 1A

Cooperative Extension Service

Cooperative Extension Service

• Monitoring: check for adults on top leaves from mid-June to early-August

• ControloRow cover oWhite-wash with Surround kaolin

clayoPre-bloom soil drench of Bayer

Advanced for fruits…oFoliar spray of: Actara, Assail, Aza-

Direct, Danitol, Malathion, Neemix, Pyganic, Sevin

• Slugs thrive under high moisture conditions = heavier type soil and poor ventilation of tunnel

• Cultural Management:– Ventilate to reduce humidity in

tunnel – Avoid organic mulches where slugs

hide (straw, grass clippings)– Moistened newspaper placed on

the soil surface concentrates slugs– Pans of beer or sugar-water +

yeast attract, trap and drown slugsCranshaw (2008) Colorado Slug Fact Sheet

•Chemical control:– Moisten soil then

apply iron phosphate around plants (Sluggo, Slug Magic and Escar-Go!)

– Kills for 4 wks

• Cross pollination for melons, some cucumbers, squash and berries

• Off-season production excludes natural pollinators from tunnel, so add– Bumble bee hive

(Jett 2007: http://www.hightunnels.org)

– Bumble bee ($80) hive - queen, 200 workers, and food bag = lasts 5 wks

– For USA, Canada and Mexico: use native bumblebee, Bombus impatiens

– Screened sidewalls prevents bumblebee escape

Bumblebee hives

Heidenreich et al. 2007: http://www.hightunnels.org/ ForGrowers/Small%20Fruits/hightunnelsrasp.pdf

Bumblebees

Cooperative Extension Service

In late afternoon, close tunnel ventilation sides, open hive door and allow 1st orientation flight in tunnel – prevents workers going out of tunnel

• Protect hives from ants with barrier of grease or insect glue on pedestal for hive

• Set hive on pedestal 20 to 30 inches above ground• Pollinate best between 59 and 77 F• Feed bees a sugar water solution (3 parts sugar to 2

parts water) in bee feeder (may come with hive)• No pesticide use when pollinating with bees• Beware of bumblebee venom allergy - warning sign

– Bad sting allergy reaction – have Epipen (epinephrine)

http://www.extension.org/faq/40602

• Majumdar & Akotsen-Mensah (2010): PM in high-tunnel crop production http://www.aces.edu/timelyinfo/Horticulture/2010/July/July_2_2010.pdf

• Heidenreich et al. (2007): High tunnel raspberries and blackberries (includes bumblebees)

http://www.hightunnels.org/ForGrowers/Small%20Fruits/hightunnelsrasp.pdfhttp://www.extension.org/faq/40602

•Iowa State University (2007): High tunnel pest scouting modelhttp://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/marketing_files/pest.pdf

• Thomas et al.(2004): High tunnel IPM - insects and miteshttp://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/M1218-10.pdf

• Cranshaw (2008): Slug fact sheethttp://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05515.html

Funding:• USDA/NRI Organic Program • USDA/Southern Region IPM Grants Program• UG/USDA/SARE/PDP Project: 0104-23573-31-7700• Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium and IR-4 Program

No: 2009-08 • University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

Research Incentive Grant• USDA NIFA Small Business Initiative Research No: 2010-

00204Assistants: Curt Rom, Elena Garcia, Heather Friedrich, Jason

McAfee, Chris Vincent, Barbara Lewis, David Dickey, Sam Kim, and Erin Walters

Spider mites Aphids

Whiteflies

Stink bug

Japanese beetles

Raspberry crown borer

Rednecked cane borer