Improper pesticide use on crops causes adverse effects on humans, livestock, crops and the environment. Integrated pest management practices emphasize minimal use of pesticides in controlling pests, and their adoption by farmers can reduce the use of pesticides and their adverse impacts. The introduction of IPM CRSP activities in Uganda to institutionalize IPM methods focused on priority crops in the country. This study analyzed adoption of eight IPM technologies on cowpea, sorghum and groundnuts. Low levels of adoption (<25%) were found with five of these technologies while three technologies had high adoption levels (>75%). Results indicate that farmers' participation in on-farm trial demonstrations, accessing agricultural knowledge through researchers, and prior participation in pest training were associated with increased adoption of most IPM practices. Size of farmer's land holdings did not affect IPM adoption suggesting that IPM technologies are mostly scale neutral, implying that IPM dissemination may take place regardless of farmer's scale of operation. Farmers' perception of harmful effects of chemicals did not influence farmers' decisions in regard to IPM technology adoption despite their high knowledge of this issue, suggesting that these farmers did not consider environmental and health impacts important factors when choosing farming practices. Farmers' managerial capabilities were not important in explaining cowpea IPM technology adoption. / Master of Science

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Entomology / Franklin Arthur / James R. Nechols / The Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella Hubner, is capable of infesting a number of different commodities including a wide variety of grains, nuts and finished stored products. Therefore, control of the Indianmeal moth is especially needed in areas where food is being stored for human consumption. Increased concerns of consumers and producers regarding the impact of conventional insecticides on the environment and on human health has prompted scientists and the agricultural chemical industry to search for insecticides that do not affect mammalian nervous systems and have limited effects on non-target organisms. One group of insecticides with reduced risks is insect growth regulators (IGRs), which are substances that mimic insect hormones essential to normal development and reproduction. Currently methoprene, a juvenile hormone analog, is labeled for direct application to stored grains, as well as a contact insecticide and as an aerosol application inside mills, warehouses, and indoor food storage facilities. Surface treatments and aerosol space applications can be effective ways to treat the interior surfaces and storage areas of warehouses and food processing facilities. There is little recent research with large-scale aerosol applications in storage sites; furthermore, there are no published references in the scientific literature regarding efficacy of using methoprene alone in aerosol form. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of surface and aerosol applications of methoprene on finished stored-product packaging materials and facilities for the control of P. interpunctella. Results of this research showed that while methoprene has good residual activity, and efficacy is unaffected by temperature, surface applications of methoprene on packaging materials is not as effective for control of P. interpunctella as aerosol applications of methoprene. Aerosol methoprene is highly effective alone and in combination with conventional chemicals for control of eggs and wandering-phase larvae. Simulations with a population growth model make it possible to estimate impact of insecticide treatments at different temperatures and application times on populations of P. interpunctella. Aerosol treatments are also economically viable as part of an overall integrated pest management program.

Orientador: Daniel Júnior de Andrade / Resumo: O ácaro-da-ferrugem-dos-citros Phyllocoptruta oleivora é uma das principais pragas dos citros no Brasil. Os problemas atribuídos a P. oleivora têm se intensificado e suspeita-se que os danos estejam relacionados a uma nova espécie de eriofiídeo descrita recentemente, o ácaro-marrom-dos-citros Tegolophus brunneus. No entanto, não há estudos com essa espécie e informações sobre sua distribuição, características bioecológicas, danos, suscetibilidade a acaricidas e inimigos naturais associados são ausentes. O objetivo principal do projeto foi estudar a distribuição de T. brunneus na principal região citrícola brasileira e sobre as principais espécies e variedades cítricas. Além disso, estudou-se a biologia de T. brunneus em laboratório, determinou-se a suscetibilidade desse ácaro aos principais acaricidas, caracterizando seus danos em plantas cítricas, bem como o potencial de predação das principais espécies de predadores associadas ao ácaro e seu potencial para o uso no controle biológico. As coletas realizadas em vários municípios do estado São Paulo e Triângulo Mineiro demonstraram que T. brunneus infestou apenas lima ácida ‘Tahiti’, enquanto P. oleivora infestou todas as outras espécies e variedades cítricas. O ácaro completa o desenvolvimento em 7 dias, com período de incubação de 3 dias, duração de larva de 2,1 dias e de ninfa 2,8 dias e as fêmeas apresentam fecundidade de 8,5 ovos a 25°C. Os danos da espécie caracterizam-se pelo prateamento dos frutos e formação de manchas... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Doutor

Delia radicum L. (Diptera: Anthomyiidae), the cabbage root fly, is a specialist root-feeding insect pest of Brassica crops. The impending withdrawal of chlorpyrifos, one of the main pesticides used against D. radicum, opens new opportunities to research alternative pest management strategies. Manipulating host plant location cues to influence D. radicum adult and larval behaviour, along with induced plant defence responses, offer potential integrative crop protection solutions (Chapter 1). This thesis aimed to identify the semiochemistry underpinning D. radicum larval host plant location, and to investigate whether plant defence induction treatments (methyl jasmonate [MeJA], D-Fructose) and a herbivore induced volatile (dimethyl disulfide [DMDS]) affect D. radicum larval performance and adult oviposition preference. In choice-test bioassays, larvae were inconsistent in their responses to root exudates collected from Brassica host plants (Chapter 2). A combined bioassay and EthoVision® video-tracking approach was developed to record and analyse larval movements in response to volatiles emitted from host and non-host plant roots (Chapter 3). Larvae were significantly attracted to host plant root volatiles. Olfactory stimuli from roots of the non-host plant onion (Allium cepa L. ‘Ailsa Craig’), which share overlapping, yet distinctive volatile profiles to that of Brassica plants, also elicited positive taxis. By analysing the volatile metabolome of broccoli (B. oleracea L. convar. botrytis L. Alef. var. cymosa Duchesne ‘Parthenon’) and onion roots using solid phase micro extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (SPME-GCMS), a suite of candidate volatile orientation cues were identified. A SPME-based method was developed to non-invasively collect root volatiles in situ from glasshouse- and field-grown broccoli plants pre- and post-D. radicum infestation (Chapters 4, 5 and 6). GC-MS analyses revealed that sulfur compounds, showing characteristic temporal emission patterns, were the principal volatiles released by roots in response to damage. This new method, which has potential for wide application in chemical ecology research, allows the study of volatiles in the soil in situ that are critical for interactions between trophic levels. In EthoVision® bioassays, a major volatile constituent of broccoli roots, DMDS, was attractive to larvae, but toxic at the highest dose tested (Chapter 3). Glasshouse and on-farm experiments using broccoli were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of MeJA, D-Fructose and DMDS against D. radicum compared to commercially available crop protection products (chlorpyrifos [Dursban® WG], spinosad [Tracer®], Steinernema feltiae Filipjev [Nematoda: Steinernematidae] [Entonem] and garlic granules [ECOguard®]). MeJA and garlic reduced larval performance under glasshouse conditions whereas D-Fructose and DMDS did not at the concentrations tested (Chapter 7). In field studies, MeJA combined with reduced rate chlorpyrifos, spinosad, and S. feltiae all showed partial efficacy for controlling D. radicum larvae. Inherent field site, weather and D. radicum population density variability highlighted that glasshouse results cannot always be reproduced in more complex field environments (Chapter 8). Further research is needed into formulation, mode of application and timing to improve efficacy of promising treatments that may help in future integrated pest management (IPM) for this key pest in the absence of existing pesticides.

11 pp. / This document provides a general overview of bat biology and behavior with emphasis on urban environments, use of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques that are in keeping with bat conservation guidelines, and disease awareness and prevention efforts.

31 pp. / Many pests encountered in homes and structures can be prevented by using simple techniques collectively known as “pest-proofing”. If done correctly, pest-proofing your home saves you money by reducing pest management costs, and more importantly, reduces potential pesticide exposure. This publication describes general indoor and outdoor pest-proofing measures and some of the major pests encountered in and around homes and structures.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Grain Science and Industry / X. Susan Sun / With continued population growth, more food production will be required with lower resource inputs. A significant drain on resources is post-harvest loss due to insects, which results in loss of product, quality and market access, and increased grain spoilage. Aeration and fumigation are key tools to control insect growth in stored grains and grain foods. The implementation of aeration strategies in Australia is made difficult by the warm subtropical climate, meanwhile the success of fumigation is being threatened by the spread of insect resistance to the fumigant phosphine. This dissertation project seeks to improve the understanding of aeration and fumigation by modifying the Maier-Lawrence (M-L) 3D ecosystem model by adding insect growth equations and quantifying fumigant loss from sealed bulk grain silos. The improved model was used to examine aeration under Australian conditions, validate its capability to accurately describe fumigant concentrations during silo fumigation, determine the extent to which fumigations are influenced by operational variables and environmental conditions, and validate its capability to describe fumigant concentrations post-fumigation in order to investigate the time needed to clear a grain storage silo of fumigant in order to assure worker safety. Six aeration strategies were evaluated under Australian conditions. Of these strategies, two were found to be effective in lowering temperatures, i.e., fans were turned on when ambient temperature was less than 20oC, and less than internal grain temperature. The strategy based on temperature differential was the most effective because it cooled the interior of the grain mass with the least amount of energy (using the fewest fan run hours, and reaching 15oC an average of 11 days after than the fastest strategy). Using a 0oC temperature differential was the most effective strategy in terms of reducing insect growth. The expanded (M-L-P) model was then validated based on experimental fumigant concentrations. The model was effective in reproducing average fumigant concentrations and fumigant trends vertically through the grain mass, but was not able to reproduce lateral fumigant variations. Verifications of the model with two different periods of phosphine release (i.e., 24h and 30h) were tested. Based on a 24h phosphine release period the predicted Ct-product differed from the experimental value by 0.9%. A 30h release period predicted a Ct-product that differed by 4.3% from the experimental value but it was more accurate during the times of highest concentration. Increases in leakage reduced fumigant concentrations, but the size of the effect decreased as leakage grew. Increasing temperature and wind speed in the model led to decreased phosphine concentrations, with temperature changes having a more significant impact overall than wind speed changes for the conditions investigated. Decreasing silo surface area to volume ratio dampened the impact of changing weather conditions on phosphine concentrations. A fumigant venting experiment was conducted in a silo at Lake Grace, Australia, to investigate full scale desorption. Two equations estimating fumigant desorption were tested, with an average of 65.5% and -86.3% error. The length of venting periods was simulated to quantify hours needed to mitigate hazardous conditions. For the scenarios investigated 10 to 24 h of venting were needed to reduce residual fumigant concentration below 0.3 ppm depending on simulation assumptions.

The parasitic weeds belonging to the genus Striga are among the world's most tenacious, prolific and destructive agricultural pests. Crop loss estimates due to Striga infestations can reach 100 percent. Furthermore, the weeds' affinity for low-fertility soils and low rainfall means that those farming the most marginal lands are most severely affected. Nonetheless, subsistence farmer have yet to adopt seemingly beneficial control practices to any appreciable degree. This paper develops a bio-economic model capable of identifying: (1) affordable, effective Striga control practices consistent with the resource constraints of subsistence farmers; and (2) barriers to the adoption of those practices. The model is comprised of two components: a biological component modeling Striga population dynamics, and an economic component representing the production opportunity set, resource constraints, and price parameters farmers face. The model is applied to two zones in Northwestern Mali, Sirakorola and Mourdiah, and solved using non-linear, dynamic programming. Data collected by the USAID IPM-CRSP/Mali project are used to specify the economic parameters of the model. A new technique for estimating the lower bound of a farmer's production planning horizon is also developed and employed in the application of the model to Sirakorola and Mourdiah. The results of several model scenarios indicate that the availability of information regarding the efficacy of Striga control practices is a primary barrier to their adoption by subsistence farmers. The movement of Striga seed between fields, however, is of limited importance. The "optimal control practices" identified by the model depend on the size and demographic composition of the production unit (UP), the zone in which the UP is located, and the cash budget available to the UP. At low budget levels, the model suggests planting millet without fertilizer at a high density in Sirakorola and a low density in Mourdiah. At high budget levels, the model suggests planting millet at a high density in both zones while applying urea. The benefits of adopting the optimal set of practices are presented in both nutritional and financial terms, and can reach as much as a ten-fold increase in the nutritional content of and financial returns to a harvest. / Ph. D.

State Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs are often called on to demonstrate their impacts. While many studies demonstrate techniques for assessing various economic and environmental effects of IPM, the literature provides little guidance on incorporating the techniques to perform complete assessments of IPM programs. This thesis begins with a discussion of relevant economic and environmental techniques for IPM impact assessment. Next, impact assessment techniques that are widely accepted and analytically feasible are identified. These techniques are incorporated into comprehensive impact assessment frameworks for use by individuals charged with the assessment of state level IPM programs. The study concludes with case studies which show how the assessment protocols were applied to estimate and describe the impacts of the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts sweet corn IPM programs. / Master of Science

The purpose of this research is to identify gender-based constraints and opportunities to the introduction of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for tomato crops based on a case study of tomato farmers in the town of Tuobodom in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. The study seeks to identify the knowledge, practices, perceptions, and access to resources of men and women tomato farmers in Tuobodom, specifically with respect to pesticides and pest management. A mixed methods approach combined quantitative and qualitative methodologies including focus group discussions, household interviews, participatory mapping, field visits, key informant interviews, participant observation, and a survey. Key findings in the areas of health and safety, markets and the tomato value chain, and information and training reveal general and gender-specific issues that an IPM program should address when working with farmers to develop an effective and sustainable IPM package for tomato in this area. The results of this study also demonstrate the importance of gender analysis in identifying context-specific gender issues. For example, while this study confirmed that men's roles in tomato production place them at higher risk of exposure to pesticides, results challenge the assumption that women's reproductive roles (e.g., food preparation, caring for the sick, and washing clothes) make them more aware of the risks of pesticides. / Master of Public and International Affairs