Program Summary
Welcome to the New Insect Ecology & Behavior Laboratory Pages!
The Insect Ecology and Behavior Laboratory at the Tree Fruit Research
and Extension Center here in Wenatchee, WA is dedicted to research
using novel approaches to population biology and behavior of insect
pests attacking tree fruit. Their attempts to better understand
the distribution and flow of insects such as Pandemis and
oblique-banded leafrollers in and around orchards uses new approaches
and techniques to help improve pest control statagies. They are
also taking a new look at moth mating behavior and the effect of
pheromones on mating success for the purpose of understanding how
mating distruption works and how to improve its use commercially.
In addition to the active research projects, Dr. Jones has undertaken
the task of synthesizing the data and information available on IPM
to make available new Decision Aids to help growers and fieldmen
tackle their pest management problems.
Here are just a few highlights of the ongoing research projects from this active laboratory:
Current and Recently Completed Studies
Development of Protein Markers for Landscape-level Movement Patterns of Insects
This work is particularly exciting because it allows us to mark a large proportion of the wild population of the insect in question. We apply a common protein to an area using common agricultural spray equipment (typically an airblast sprayer). If the spray contacts the insect or the insect walks across the residue, it picks up enough of the protein to be detected using an ELISA for the specific protein. We currently have three markers that donít cross-react, so we can mark three areas and determine the movement patterns between the areas by assaying each insect against all three markers.
We currently have several projects using the markers:
- In conjunction with Dr. Dave Horton, USDA-ARS, Wapato, WA (adjunct faculty member in our department), we are investigating the importance of natural enemies of pear psylla originating in the ground cover on psylla populations in the tree canopy.
- Determining the movement patterns of codling moth between orchards, and the effects of mating disruption orchards on movement patterns (with Dr. Jay F. Brunner).
- Determining the importance of leafrollers moving between cherry orchards late in the season (after control in cherries has ceased) and adjacent apple orchards (with Dr. Jay F. Brunner).
- Investigating the movement of western flower thrips between extra-orchard habitats and orchard ground cover and apple blossoms (with Dr. Betsy Beers).
- In conjunction with Dr. Tom Unruh, USDA-ARS, Wapato, WA (adjunct faculty member in our department) we are determining the area of influence of rose/strawberry gardens on the leafroller parasitoid, Colpoclypeus florus.
Determining the Mechanisms of Mating Disruption
- Determining how mating disruption acts on a population basis. For this work, we compare the effect of delayed mating on both codling moth and oblique-banded leafrollers. These two species are chosen because of their importance in Washington and North America (codling moth is actually the most serious moth pest of apples world-wide). In addition, codling moth is highly susceptible to mating disruption (it is used on roughly 50% of Washington apple acreage), while OBLR is not a pest that mating disruption typically works on. Our work has been focused on the effect of delayed mating on the demographic performance of females and males. The work started with delaying female mating for 0, 2, 4, or 6 days (with 0-1 day old males) and showed the net reproductive rate dropped dramatically for both species, particularly at the 4 and 6 day delays. The effects had two components: (1) as females aged, the percentage of pairings that were unsuccessful increased dramatically and (2) there is an intrinsic effect of reduced egg production entirely unrelated to sterility. We have since moved to determining the effect of keeping the female age constant and varying the age of the males. Our work shows that age of both partners is critical and that individuals over 4 days old that have not yet mated have a minor impact on population growth rates.
- In pursuit of determining how mating disruption acts, we have also been examining the behavior of codling moth and OBLR (see videos of mating sequences). We have been examining density-dependent mating, trying to determine why mating disruption cannot reduce the population level by itself when the orchard density is above a certain level. We have run experiments in both smaller vertical wind tunnels in the lab and in field cages over an entire tree. The experiments are performed with both mating disruption present and absent. We are currently finishing some of this work, but our studies show even a low rate of mating disruption is enough to reduce mating dramatically, although at high male densities, males are rarely able to find the females.
- Another area of behavior we are investigating is the importance of age-based assortive mating on both males and females. This is based on our findings that age of both partners can dramatically change reproduction rate, which suggests that there should be discrimination for both sexes to favor mating by younger individuals. Our preliminary data from wind tunnels suggests that there is age-based discrimination occurring.
Phenology and Sampling of Oblique-banded leafroller (OBLR) and Pandemis leafroller (PLR)
While CM is the most important pest of apples, OBLR and PLR have been serious impediments to IPM. Consultants and growers have been conservative in the management of both species because it has been difficult to sample the leafrollers - often they will appear to be absent during a sampling period, but two weeks later, they will appear in damaging levels. In addition, both species have been shown to be resistant to some of the materials used for their control.
Our work has shown that much of the problems with leafrollers have been the result of poor timing. We have developed instar-specific phenology models for both species and their major parasitoids in Washington. This has allowed us to develop recommendations that optimize times for sampling and to improve pesticide application timing to decrease impact on the parasitoids. In addition, our work, combined with the Area-wide II project, has shown that some of the problems with efficacy occurred because sprays were put on too early (when larvae werenít present) or too late (when they were in the pupal stage and not susceptible). These models are available below.
We have also developed sampling protocols based on intensive collections using GIS and GPS technology and simulations. Our studies show that sample density and timing can be minimized while still providing the necessary precision for management decisions.
Development of IPM Decision Aids
This project has the goal of providing growers and consultants with a phenology model based framework for management decisions. We have developed an Excel spreadsheet that has visual basic functions that provide the current population state (as relates to management) and the current management recommendations. The spreadsheet also projects the population 10 days in the future and gives projected management recommendations. We currently have codling moth, OBLR, PLR, San Jose Scale, Western Cherry Fruit fly, and apple maggot models and recommendations. We will be adding new models over the next year for Peach Twig borer, Lacanobia fruit moth, Campylomma bug, and white apple leafhopper. The recommendations in the current spreadsheet were developed in conjunction with Dr. Jay Brunner. The The Decision Aid System can be found here.
In conjunction with Dr. Gary Grove, we have developed databases that incorporate pesticide recommendations for pests and diseases. Information on these databases can be found here. We will be expanding this work to provide filters so that pesticides can be chosen based on need. For example, we will be able to show only organically approved materials, or only those that are the best in high or low situations.
We are also developing a decision aid system in conjunction with the WSU-AgWeatherNet in Prosser, WA. CPAS has been developing the next generation of weather network in Washington State, and we will use this system to provide not only the weather information necessary to drive insect models, but also disease models (with Dr. Gary Grove, WSU), and other models that are appropriate for tree fruits. We will link this information with the pesticide databases to provide our best estimates of the management and the correct materials to use. The full team working on this project currently includes Dr. Jay Brunner, Dr. Gary Grove, and Mr. Jerry Tangren.
Vincent P. Jones
Professor & Entomologist
Department of Entomology, Washington State University Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center, Wenatchee, WA 98801
(509) 663-8181 ext. 273 (phone) (509) 662-8714 (fax)
email: vpjones@wsu.edu
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