No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are pests of multiple cropping systems, primarily due to the viruses they vector and direct crop damage that is exacerbated by their rapid population growth. In Kentucky, grain aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae) cause significant yield loss to winter wheat as vectors of Barley Yellow Dwarf virus (BYDV), prompting the routine application of insecticides. Coupled with increasing human populations and decreasing arable land, it is increasingly evident that biological control services provided by natural enemies represent a viable long-term management option. Aphids are preyed upon by a diverse array of predators that can be exploited in conservation biological control. I designed a field experiment to monitor dispersal into and out of wheat fields, and how these movements were affected by the surrounding habitat. Analysis revealed there are significant movements of R. padi into the wheat in the fall, and S. avenae in spring, and that these movements are slowed down by forested edges. Natural, field-bordering weed strips were used as a conservation biological technique to enhance predator populations. Results showed that while weed strips did not affect the yield of the crop, aphid abundance, or BYDV incidence, it did significantly increase the abundance of natural enemies. Dominant predators included Coccinellidae, Anthocoridae, Chrysopidae larvae, and Braconidae. Using molecular gut-content analysis, I screened multiple species of predators and found strong trophic linkages between aphids and Orius insidiosus and multiple species of coccinellids, namely Coccinella septempunctata and Coleomegilla maculata. In aphidophagous systems, intraguild predation (IGP) can interfere with the biological control potential so I also screened coccinellids for IGP using newly designed primers. To identify intraguild prey DNA in coccinellids, I designed species-specific primers for C. maculata and C. septempunctata to use in PCR-based molecular gut-content analysis. Results revealed high frequencies of IGP between coccinellids that are significantly higher in weed strip plots. However, I observed no detectable impact on aphid predation during these increased times of IGP, suggesting it does not interfere with biological control of aphids in this system. I discuss the role of weed strips in winter wheat as part of an integrative pest management strategy.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner against the first three larval instars of Heliothis virescens (F.) was studied under greenhouse and field conditions. The primary objective of these studies was to determine the susceptibility of the tobacco budworm to Dipel, a commercial preparation of Bacillus thuringiensis. Both greenhouse and field studies showed that first-instar larvae were more susceptible to all dosage levels of Dipel tested (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 1b/A). The higher rates of 0.5 and 1.0 1b/A gave better control and remained effective for longer periods against the first-, second- and third-larval instars than did the lower rates of 0.125 and 0.25 1b/A. The efficacy of all Dipel rates decreased significantly with each subsequent post-application-date bioassay, and only the higher dosages of 0.5 and 1.0 1b/A remained effective at the three-day residue period in the field studies. The addition of a feeding stimulant, Coax, at 0.25 1b/A, to all Dipel treatments resulted in a significant increase in larval mortality of all instars tested. Dipel plus Coax exhibited longer residual activity than did Dipel alone, indicating that Coax may protect the spores and toxin from degradation by the direct sunlight. When second-instar tobacco budworm larvae were allowed to feed on Dipel-treated terminals for 6, 18 or 30 hours and then transferred to untreated diet, they showed a great capacity to recover from the effect of the toxin. However, as the Dipel rate or exposure time was increased, the ability of larvae to recover was decreased. Dipel did have an effect on the biological activity of treatment-surviving larvae. Larval and pupal development was delayed, pupal weight was decreased, and female fecundity was reduced. In all cases the changes were proportional with the Dipel rate and with the length of exposure. No apparent effect was shown relative to adult longevity or egg viability for those surviving Dipel treatments as larvae. When Dipel was applied directly on tobacco budworm eggs, it had no effect on egg hatch but did significantly affect survival of newly-emerged larvae, indicating the larvae consumed a lethal dose of the toxin during eclosion. The compatibility of Dipel in combination with Geocoris punctipes (Say) against first-instar larvae of Heliothis virescens was also studied under greenhouse and field conditions. Results of these studies indicated the possibility of utilizing the two biological agents to suppress tobacco budworm populations in the field. A minimum density of one Geocoris nymph per 4 row feet is required, plus an effective field rate of Dipel. When adult tobacco budworms were fed on Dipel at 32000 IU/ml, their longevity and fecundity were significantly reduced. An adult feeding stimulant is needed to lure the adults to a Dipel source.

Chrysopa carnea Stephens is widely distributed throughout the world. The larva is a potential control agent of pests in greenhouses, field crops and orchards. Its use as a biocontrol agent in integrated control is enhanced by its tolerance to some insecticides. Because of its considerable usefulness, studies to investigate the bionomics of this predator under both laboratory and field conditions were initiated. The study of population dynamics in alfalfa fields indicated that the major factors which govern the fluctuation of Chrysopa are: climate, food (e.g. aphids), diseases, parasites and agricultural practices (e.g. cutting of alfalfa hay). In each year and for each field, it was apparent that population levels of larvae rose to peaks five to six times; this suggests that there are five to six generations per year. The study of the effect of temperature and photoperiod on development in the laboratory showed that the egg, larva and pupa responded significantly to both temperature and photoperiod and an interaction between these two parameters was detected. Relative to fecundity and longevity, the investigations revealed that there was a photoperiod response only with respect to number of eggs laid and preoviposition period and that interaction between temperature and photoperiod was absent. In the case of the oviposition period, a response to temperature was detected and interaction between temperature and photoperiod existed. The different regimes had no significant effect on longevity of either sex. Consumption of prey differed significantly--being highest with beet armyworm eggs (Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) followed by corn earworm (Heliothis zea (Boddie) and tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens (Fabricius). Fewer pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) were consumed than any of the lepidoterous eggs. Resistance to starvation differed significantly among the three instars; the newly-emerged Chyrsopa larvae had the shortest survival period. Studies on consumption of different instars of tobacco budworm by different instars of the predator indicated that the first instar was most vulnerable to attack by each of the first and third instars of the predator. Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of cold storage (4.4°C) of eggs and pupal cocoons for different periods of time. The results indicated that percent egg hatch and survival of emerging larvae were highest when stored for one week. Pupal storage for different periods had no detrimental effect on survival of pupae nor fecundity of emerging adults.

No description available.