Annual/Termination Reports:

[08/29/2005] [09/24/2004] [01/06/2006] [12/07/2006] [10/05/2007] [10/17/2008] [01/26/2010]

Report Information

Participants

Asplen, Mark (masplen@ag.arizona.edu) - University Arizona;
Blackmer, Jackie (jblackmer@wcrl.usda.ars.gov) - USDA-ARS, Arizona;
Byrne, David (byrne@Ag.arizona.edu) - University Arizona;
Hardin, Jesse (jhardin@ag.arizona.edu) - University Arizona;
Showers, Bill (showersentomol@wbhsi.net) - USDA-ARS (retired);
Hellmich, Rick (rlhellmi@iastate.edu) - USDA-ARS, Iowa;
Sappington, Tom (tsapping@iastate.edu) - USDA-ARS, Iowa (Secretary-Tres.);
Spencer, Joe (spencer1@uiuc.edu) - Illinois Natural History Survey;
Isaacs, Rufus (isaacsr@msu.edu) - Michigan State University;
Venette, Rob (venet001@umn.edu) - USDA-FS, Minnesota;
Main, Charlie (ce_main@ncsu.edu) - North Carolina State University;
Shields, Elson (es28@cornell.edu) - Cornell University;
Isard, Scott (sai10@psu.edu) - Pennsylvania State University;
Westbrook, John (j-westbrook@tamu.edu) - USDA-ARS, Texas;
Hogg, Dave (dhogg@cals.wisc.edu) - University Wisconsin (Administrative Rep);

Brief Summary of Minutes

Meeting was called to order at 8:32 AM by Chair Isaacs


Initial Business
David Byrne and Bridget Riceci, his wife, were thanked for hosting a wonderful dinner at their home last night.


Bill Showers was welcomed and acknowledged for his previous involvement and extensive contributions to the group.


Handouts were briefly described: Agenda; Map of tour for tomorrow; Renewal document


Participants introduced themselves.
Review of minutes. Minutes approved (Rich Hellmich moved; David Byrne 2nd)


Other meetings:
-(Byrne) NCR-148 tried to meet with WCC-60 this year; didnt come to pass
-International meeting in Switzerland details to be provided later.
-Pan-Pacific meeting will occur next June (site to be determined); Scott will provide details
-NCR-148 organized a symposium for the 2003 annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America; the symposium was well attended.
-(Byrne) may want to have a conference on aerobiology at the upcoming International Congress of Entomology in Durban (2008).


Committee Reports
Nomination: Need a for nomination for Sec./Treas. and someone to replace Gail Kampmeier on the website committee. Letter of thanks should be extended to Gail for her service; she has already received Service Award from the committee. (Further discussion postponed.)


Website committee: new website needed because Gail is phasing out. Rufus volunteered to guide transition. Web assistant at MSU left; Rufus completed revised site. Rufus will provide overview and solicit input/feedback. Website hosts renewal reports, annual meeting minutes, state reports (PDF files), and list of publications. These need to be kept current. Where possible, information will be extracted from state reports. Links to other websites need to be updated (generally old). Contact list (and e-mail list) needs to be updated.


Rick Hellmich thanked Rufus for work on the site and raised comments about access. Preference not to have secure items on the site. PDF would be fine for reports. Scott Isard offered to provide additional support for the site. Charlie suggested utility of adding links to personal, faculty webpages.


Joint meeting: NCR-125 met last week and expressed interest in meeting with NCR-148. Marianne Alleyne from Illinois is the contact. WCC-60 seemed reluctant to hold a joint meeting; efforts to hold a joint meeting with this group were put on hold. General consensus was reached that a meeting with NCR-125 may work well.


Awards committee: David B. suggested that we not give an award every year. Rufus suggested need for additional members on this committee (and on NCR-148). Roger Magarey was recommended as a replacement for NC State.


A broader discussion was held about the need for funding of research on aerobiology. NRI has dropped aerobiology from the call for proposals in grants programs. Should our committee ask David Hogg to write a letter to NRI (Mary Purcell) to emphasize the importance of migration/dispersal? Elson: Were previous NRI proposals on aerobiology funded? Scott: Proposals are more related to movement now than before. Byrne: NRI should specifically recognize as a priority. Migration/dispersal should be included in call for proposals.
NRI-Plant and Animal Biosecurity has funded Isards work. Scott noted that movement and dispersal technical committee did not materialize; forced dispersal research to become more integrated. NRI insect panel has funded leafhopper work.


Main: American Phytopath Society has argued that aerobiology is a tween science.
Should we approach NRI to include migration in RFP? Group agrees to follow-up with David Hogg; Scott & David will work together to draft a letter once an appropriate group is identified.


Administrative Report.
Rick Meyer currently at Ohio State (with Casey Hoy) and cannot attend. Dave Hogg will review materials from Rick. Several handouts were discussed: CSREES-Plant Sciences Update FY 2004- 431 awards totaling $88M. Examples: Crops at Risk [31 submitted proposals ($11M); 6 funded ($1.2M)]-Risk Avoidance and Mitigation Program [23 submitted proposals ($30.8M); 3 funded ($3.1M)]-Methyl Bromide Transitions Program [28 submitted proposals ($11.6M); 8 funded ($3.0M)]. The NRI: Animal and Plant Biosecurity program was brought to the attention of the group. For future funding, the federal government is currently running on continuing resolution. Senate may pass omnibus budget in November. Request is for $180M for NRI up from $164M from last year. Rufus mentioned discussion from this morning to request NRI to add language of migration and dispersal. Dave Hogg agreed that Mary Purcell would be the appropriate first contact.


Hogg reported that the project renewal for NCR-148 was successful. Mid-project review will be conducted in 2007. Project has been extended to 2009. Report due within 60 days of annual meeting. Scott Isard discussed membership. Dave Hogg is to write letter of invitation. John Westbrook and Scott Isard need letters. Discussion was held about inactive membership and others who should be included.


Nominations: Tom Sappington nominated by Rick Hellmich (David Byrne provided second) to serve as Sec. Treasurer. Passed unanimously.


Website committee: Rob Venette nominated by Rufus Isaacs (Joe Spencer provided second). Scott Isard nominated by Elson Shields (Charlie Main provided second). Both nominations passed unanimously.


Site selection committee: Emphasis to meet with the biocontrol group, NCR-125. Illinois is a likely location. Chicago was recommended as a meeting site. A 2-day meeting was proposed. Meeting will be in October again.


Integrative efforts: Interfield models: is this an area for expanded collaboration? (Q raised by C. Main). Scott Isard commented that models are available but are very difficult to parameterize. Dynamics are very difficult to predict. Evaluation of short-term models in quantitative sense seems to be different than probabilistic models that are used in synoptic models. Elson: do we know how to frame the questions? No conclusions reached. Discussion postponed for future meeting.


Rick Hellmich will be the new chair; Rob Venette chair elect; Tom Sappington Sec Treas.


4:50 meeting adjourned.


October 19, 2005
David Byrne hosted a tour of facilities at the University of Arizona. NCR-148 first met with Colin Kaltenbach, Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station. The group then visited Dr. Tim Dennehey about his research on pink bollworm and management to slow resistance to Bt-cotton. The group briefly visited David Byrnes lab and concluded with a visit to the Tree Ring laboratory.

Accomplishments

<b>Intra-field movement of Western Corn Rootworm Beetles in Cornfields:</b> <br /> Since the 2001 growing season, intra-field movement of WCR adults has been monitored by detecting ingested transgenic corn tissue in the bodies of WCR collected known distances in adjacent, contiguous plots of non-transgenic corn. From 2001-2003, Monsantos YieldGard® Rootworm hybrid was used as the source of detectable Bt-protein (i.e., Cry3Bb1). In 2004, a YieldGard® hybrid with specificity for Lepidopteran pests (plants express the Bt-protein Cry1Ab) was used as the source of detectable protein. YieldGard® was planted in two of 31 eight-row wide corn plots. At regular intervals, insects were collected from all plots in the four-acre test field and processed to detect the presence of ingested YieldGard® Rootworm plant tissue. The proportion of WCR adults testing positive for the Cry3Bb1 protein expressed in YieldGard® Rootworm corn dropped off quickly at increasing distance from the YieldGard® Rootworm plots. There were no beetle abundance differences between the plots attributable to the varieties. Male and female movement rates were similar for most of the 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 growing seasons when the average movement was ca. 7.5, 6.2, 11.2, and 8.3 m/d, and respectively. Male movement appears to be higher during the early season period when the proportion of females in the field is still low.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>First-flight adult European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) distribution in roadside vegetation relative to cropping patterns and corn phenology.</b><br /> The European corn borer, <i>Ostrinia nubilalis</i> (Hübner), is a serious pest of commercial maize throughout the U.S. Corn Belt. Adults in the central and eastern Corn Belt aggregate in grassy areas around and within the cornfield where they spend the daylight hours resting and where mating activity occurs at night. Mated females leave the aggregation sites at night to oviposit in cornfields, thus using the grass as a staging area. Flush samples were taken in borrow ditches in central Iowa during the first (spring) flight of moths in 2003 and 2004 to determine if cropping patterns and crop phenology influence moth distribution across the landscape. Significantly more moths were present in ditches with an adjacent cornfield on at least one side of the road than in those with no corn on either side. In contrast, effects of corn stubble from the previous year's crop, tillage, and corn phenology were weak or not detectable. Evidence suggests that some moths emerging from corn stubble may aggregate in adjacent grass but that they redistribute themselves in the landscape within a short time. Thus, the presence or absence of adjacent corn was the overwhelming factor affecting spatial distribution of first-flight European corn borer moths among grassy roadside ditches.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Using genetic markers and population assignment techniques to infer origin of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) unexpectedly captured near an eradication zone in Mexico:</b> <br /> Several boll weevils, <i>Anthonomus grandis</i> Boheman, were captured in pheromone traps in 2004 near Tlahualilo, Durango, Mexico, an area where none had been reported for about 10 years. It is possible that they were from an endemic population normally too low in numbers to be detected, but that increased in response to more favorable rainfall conditions in 2004. Alternatively, they may represent an influx of migrants or their immediate descendents. To identify the most likely origin of the boll weevils captured in this area, microsatellite variation was characterized from three other populations sampled in northern Mexico and from one in southern Texas. Both indirect measures of gene flow and individual assignment tests were employed to evaluate interpopulation movement. Analyses suggest that the boll weevils captured near Tlahualilo were primarily from an endemic low-level population, but that this area also is receiving immigrants from a cotton growing region ~200 km to the north, near Rosales, Chihuahua, which is currently under a boll weevil eradication program. Similarly, Rosales is receiving immigrants from Tlahualilo. This study demonstrates that microsatellite markers and population assignment techniques will be practical tools for determining the most likely origins of boll weevils reintroduced to eradication zones in the U.S. and Mexico. <br />

Publications

Impact Statements

1. Soybean aphids impact more than 40 million acres of soybean with more than 7 million acres requiring treatment with insecticides. Research on the dispersal of soybean aphid has contributed to the management of this important agricultural pest by refining when growers and consultants should begin to survey fields for presence of the aphid. Refined scouting techniques and targeted insecticide have protected yields (by as much as 30% locally) and reduced the adverse economic impact of this pest.
2. Most aphid management decisions are made based on aphid abundance and/or on the proportion of aphid-infested plants. Improved understanding of within-field dispersal of aphids will allow fine-tuning control techniques, so that they are directed towards disrupting aphid movement, not just towards reducing aphid numbers. Proper timing of insecticide applications to eliminate aphids that are about to engage in interplant movement (rather than all aphids) may significantly reduce the amount of chemicals necessary for successful crop protection.
3. Knowledge of western corn rootworm movement rates, regardless of the cornfield refuge configuration, will simplify simulation modeling of refuge function that will affect future insect resistance management recommendations.
4. Monitoring year-to-year patterns of soybean aphid abundance has revealed a cycle of high and low populations that allow growers to anticipate years when the soybean aphid threat is likely to pose an economic threat to soybean production.
5. Results of population assignment techniques used in a study on boll weevils in Mexico and Texas will guide decisions by U.S. and Mexican personnel regarding how best to eliminate the boll weevils from eradication zones. These methods also will help determine the most likely origins of boll weevils reintroduced to eradication zones in the U.S. and Mexico.
6. Studies indicating that European corn borer moths do not remain near their natal field after emergence from the pupal stage will help scientists design better Bt-refuge plans and better strategies for slowing the spread of insecticide resistance once it develops.

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Report Information

Participants

Brief Summary of Minutes

Accomplishments

Intended Outcomes:Coordination & Linkages--Accomplishments that Promote Interdisciplinary Research:<br /> <br /> <br /> 1. North American Blue Mold Forecasting System, operating at North Carolina State University under the direction of Dr. Charles Main (Blue Mold project) http://www.cips.msu.edu/sfe/Research_additions/NCR2K01/2001NC.htm.<br /> <br /> <br /> 2. Pollen movement for monarch consortium. Arrival of Monarchs and overlap with anthesis.<br /> <br /> <br /> 3. Aster yellows modeling has expanded within the North Central region. <br /> <br /> <br /> 4. Corn borer movement studies with Drs. Hunt and Buschman in Kansas.<br /> <br /> <br /> 5. Development of IPM and IRM programs for whiteflies and their natural enemies in desert agriculture (David Byrne (AZ)) and Japanese beetle in blueberry (Rufus Isaacs (MI)) that include a consideration of migration and dispersal.<br /> <br /> <br /> 6. Weather-Based Assessment of Soybean Rust Threat to North America. Collaborative project funded by APHIS involving Scott Redlin, Roger Magarey, and Scott Redlin (SPHST/APHIS), Charlie Main and Thomas Keever (North American Plant Disease Forecast Center, NCSU), Joseph M. Russo (ZedX Inc), Scott A. Isard (Illinois-now at Penn State) and Stuart H. Gage (MSU). http://soybeanrust.zedxinc.com/. <br /> <br /> <br /> 7. Online information exchange about research and extension activities related to migration and dispersal issues via interactive project websites (e.g., Soybean Aphid Watch and other Pest Watches supported through the North Central Pest Management Center: http://www.pmcenters.org/Northcentral/Saphid/aphidindex.htm.)<br /> <br /> <br />

Publications

Impact Statements

1. 1. Charlie Mains Blue Mold project continues to provide real-time forecasts to growers along the east coast. Evidence of the impact of the projects is provided by the following letter from a Connecticut tobacco farmer.
2. 2. Documentation that there was poor overall coincidence between arrival of monarchs/larval activity and overlap of anthesis among Bt-corn was one of several important biological/ecological inputs to the risk assessment process that found the impact of Bt corn pollen from current commercial hybrids on monarch butterfly populations is negligible (see: Impact of Bt corn pollen on monarch butterfly populations: A risk assessment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United State
3. 3. The expansion of Aster yellows within the North Central region was modeled with a spatially explicit model simulating leafhopper reproduction, development and movement among individual fields. Simulations demonstrated that both the pattern of long-range dispersal and the arrangement of host and nonhost fields can affect aster yellows epidemics and yield loss. If the source of inoculum is within the production area, insecticidal control of vectors in early plantings can protect later plantings
4. 4. The corn borer movement studies with Drs. Hunt and Buschman in Kansas is evaluating the field performance of Bt-corn and is investigating resistance management strategies for corn borers in Bt-corn. Dr. Buschman is currently studying corn borer dispersal and its role in IRM for Bt corn. Several projects are designed to evaluate the potential development of resistance to Bt corn and to develop methods of preventing the resistance development in this important agricultural pest species.
5. 5. The Japanese beetle project (Rufus Isaacs, Michigan State University) is quantifying the dispersal range of this pest insect, using marked insects and various recapture devices. The information gained from this work will allow scientists to plan the scope of grub control applications required to reduce the pests population. The long-term aim is to determine economic strategies for protecting fields from the highly mobile adult insects. The whitefly project (David Byrne, University of Ariz
6. 6. A risk assessment for aerial transport of P. pachyrhizi spores from South to North America conducted by NCR-148 soybean rust project team members was used by the USDA ERS in their recent report on economic and policy implications of soybean rust. The report can be accessed at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/OCS/Apr04/OCS04D02/.
7. 7. Such websites are proven information resources to researchers describing historical patterns in insect movement and using those patterns to predict future spread. For example, reports on the distribution of soybean aphid have been used by Venette (U of MN) to estimate directional, aphid spread rates, which are fastest to the northeast and northwest at 3-6 mi/d. Regional rates and patterns of spread have been shared with critical stakeholders (e.g., North Central Soybean Research Program [NC

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Report Information

Participants

Hogg, Dave (dhogg@cals.wisc.edu) - University Wisconsin (Administrative Rep);
Venette, Rob (venet001@umn.edu) - USDA-FS, Minnesota (Vice Chair);
Spencer, Joe (spencer1@uiuc.edu) - Illinois Natural History Survey;
Byrne, David (byrne@Ag.arizona.edu) - University Arizona;
Isaacs, Rufus (isaacsr@msu.edu) - Michigan State University;
Meyer, Meyer (HMEYER@CSREES.USDA.GOV) - USDA-CSREES;
Hellmich, Rick (rlhellmi@iastate.edu) - USDA-ARS, Iowa (Chair);
Ariatti, Annalisa (aua15@psu.edu) Univesity Illinois/Pennsylvania State University;
Hoy, Casey (hoy.1@osu.edu) - The Ohio State University;
Isard, Scott (sai10@psu.edu) - Pennsylvania State University;
Westbrook, John (j-westbrook@tamu.edu) - USDA-ARS, Texas;
Sappington, Tom (tsapping@iastate.edu) - USDA-ARS, Iowa (Secretary-Tres.)

Brief Summary of Minutes

Chair, Rick Hellmich, called the meeting to order at 9:00am. Annalisa Ariatti reported on local arrangements.


Site proposal for 2006, Penn State will host. Scott Isard will work with Rob Venette.


Hellmich appointed Venette and Sappington to nominate a Secretary-Treasurer for next year. Awards Committee will continue to be Casey Hoy and David Byrne.


The desirability of a Membership Committee was discussed. Venette and Isard agreed to head this new subcommittee. Hoy suggested that it might be useful to search ESA presentations and invite those with relevant research to participate. Hellmich mentioned that there may be several persons who cannot attend meeting because of teaching duties, but no alternative meeting time-frame was agreed upon.


We were informed that long-time member Charlie Main has undergone surgery. A get-well card was signed by the group to send to him.


Rick Meyer gave a report for CSREES:
The NPL for the Animal Welfare Information Center has indicated that there is starting to be a little concern expressed about experimenting with insects.
President's budget: An attempt to make funding for multi-state activities competitive failed in Congress. There are budget issues with continuing resolution: reexaminations of 06 budget are ongoing because of hurricanes and Iraq.


NRI RFA's are out, but Integrated Program RFA's are held up. CSREES is worried about getting the RFA's out in time. Recommends using last year's RFA to get started, because there may be a short turn-around. If the Integrated programs are not funded, will fund through the NRI integrated program.
Farm Bill Forums: Right now the only forum for input is via Sec of Agric. forums. There is a question in the forum about Ag research, but so far not much mention or interest. Can get constituents who support research, to express that at the Secretary's meetings or on the internet. End users are listened to the most and carry the most weight.


CSREES must support the Executive Branch. So this has been a tense time dealing with the President's budget initiative to eliminate formula funding. All of us are faced with increasing challenge to measure outcomes and impact. Then we must effectively communicate that impact. "What are you doing for me now?" A lot of competition and the bottom line is allocation of money. Who is asking for impact, why we should care? There is a difference between impacts and outcomes, e.g., creating jobs is impact vs. publications which are an outcome.
Impact statements: Important to be direct, short, concise, and state clearly the benefit to society: economic value or efficiency, environment, social well-being, health/quality of life, change in the discipline (basic science comes in here).


For NCR148, the challenge is whether we can we rework the current statement to have a concise impact statement, documenting a realized, measurable impact for this overall desired impact. Should include statements in state reports and as bullet points in the minutes.


Rufus Isaacs asked if we should come up with impact statements annually and post them on our website? Meyer thinks that would be a good idea  NIMMS has a template for doing a website.


Dave Hogg gave the Administrative Advisor report:
This group needs to change its classification because "NCR" is no longer recognized; Probably NCERA (No. Central Education and Extension Research Activity) would be most appropriate because it integrates education, extension, and research. The other possibility is NCCC.


There was discussion of whether the expectation is for the committee to have a teaching function for the NCERA. Consensus was that the definition is broad enough to be OK.


Westbrook moved to accept the NCERA designation, Venette seconded, unanimous approval. So Hogg will make the change, and we are now NCERA-148.


Rufus Isaacs reported on the Committee website; Isaacs helped with the transition when Gail Kampmeier left the committee; then his website person left, so progress was more difficult than anticipated. Current address is: www.ncr148.ent.msu.edu


The official mailing list will be kept on site. We should send Isaacs publications to add to the list. Links to our individual lab homepages can be included in the state reports. Westbrook mentioned "Share-Point" software can post a document that needs revision and everyone can work on it; or can come in and do updates. Rick Meyer suggested we look at NIMMS and see what's available; some of this is already there, e.g., can edit reports, update things, etc. Recommended calling Nicole Nelson to find out what NIMMS would allow us to do.


Hellmich suggested we think about transitioning to NIMMS. We could keep old info or repository info on MSU site, and maybe more recent info on NIMMS. He also suggested having an Impacts section.


The current Web Committee (Isaacs, Venette, Alyokhin) will continue, with Annalisa Ariatti as a new member. Consensus: Need to keep our current website at Michigan State Univ., because there may be a problem with people being able to find our site on NIMMS. Ariatti suggested it is important to get high profile in Google using keywords. Isaacs suggests putting links to NCR148 site on our own homepages.


Impact statements:
Isard suggests we need to make a list of statements every year. Hogg suggests we all put a bullet list of impacts or have an impact section at the end of each state report. Hellmich asked if we should have an "Impact Committee" to boil all the bullets down to high profile impacts for the web site. Isard suggested we just let the current secretary handle that. Meyer stressed that we need to work together because we want to how interdependence, i.e., to show impact of the committee itself. Consensus: We will start this year; need to add bullet impact statements to this year's state reports;


It was also mentioned that it is also important to show linkages to other committees.


Westbrook asked whether popular press items count as impact or outcome? Meyer indicated it would probably count as impact. Westbrook would also like to expand our visibility through highlighting others who we collaborate with on aerobiology.


Hellmich appointed an "Impact Writing Committee" Hellmich, Meyer, Hogg, and Sappington. This will be a standing committee with the secretary/treasurer rotating on and off each year.


Westbrook announced upcoming meetings and conferences of interest to NCR148:
American Meteorological Society Biometeorology & Aerobiology Conference, San Diego, CA, May 22-26, 2005. Abstracts due Jan. 13, 2006; manuscripts due Mar. 24, 2006. Held jointly with the AMS Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Conference and the AMS Boundary Layer Meteorology Conference. http://ams.confex.com/ams/BLTAgFBioA/oasys.epl


International Aerobiology Conference, Neuchâtel, Switzerland, Aug. 21-25, 2006. Website: www.aerobiology.ch Isard is organizing an aerobiology field course for the week before the Conference.


Westbrook also reported the following items of interest to the Committee:
Revision of World Meteorological Organization publication No. 134 on Agricultural Meteorological Practices: Ch. 9, Aerobiology. (in development by J. K. Westbrook)


CABI book on Heliothine Management: Chapter on Migration. (in development by J. K. Westbrook and P. Gregg)


Surplus USDA entomological radars: tracking radar transferred to R. Larkin, Illinois Natural History Survey, and airborne radar transferred to T. H. Kunz, Boston University. Two scanning radars and one vertical radar will be advertised as excess property for sale or disposal.


Upcoming joint session with NC-125. A suggestion was made to consider submitting a proposal for a joint symposium at ESA in 2006 on "Biocontrol and Dispersal". Byrne indicated he would be interested in co-organizing with someone from NC-125.


Isaacs indicated he would like to know where the gaps are in biocontrol in dispersal studies.


Nominating Committee recommended John Westbrook as the next Secretary/Treasurer. Byrne moved, Isard seconded, unanimous approval.

Accomplishments

<b>Oösorption by <i>Eretmocerus eremicus:</i></b><br /> Experiments verified that oösorption occurs in the whitefly parasitoid <i>Eretmocerus eremicus</i>. The presence of this life history trait in this species is surprising, as female parasitoids with such a high early reproductive investment and short lifespan are not expected to benefit greatly from resource re-allocation during adult life. Scanning electron microscopy has revealed a unique mechanism of egg breakdown that may: (1) decrease the per egg resorption time and (2) increase the nutrient amount recycled per egg. These two benefits may be especially adaptive to parasitoids with the reproductive strategy of Er. eremicus. A manuscript entitled Quantification and ultrastructure of oösorption in <i>Er. eremicus</i> (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) was submitted to the Journal of Morphology in August 2004. The manuscript was accepted pending major revisions in January 2005. In response to reviewer suggestions, further data is being collected on non-resorptive oöcytes.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Behavior and Ecology of Western Corn Rootworm Beetles Moving Between Corn and Rotated Crops:</b> <br /> The movement of western corn rootworm (WCR) adults from cornfields into adjacent plots of soybean, wheat, and wheat double-cropped with soybean were monitored in 2003 and 2004; final data collection occurred in summer 2005. Interfield movement was measured by detecting ingested transgenic corn tissue in the bodies of WCR collected with sweep nets in rotated crops at known distance from transgenic corn. In 2003 and 2004, WCR interfield movement rates were measured between 20-row corn strips (0.8 A) and adjacent 0.8 A blocks of soybean, wheat (harvested in early July and left as weed-free stubble), and wheat double-cropped with soybean (soybean planted into wheat stubble immediately after harvest). The calculated movement rates for WCR leaving corn and entering soybean, wheat, and wheat-soybean double crop were: (2003) 4.9 m/d, 5.8 m/d, and 5.2 m/d; (2004) 5.3 m/d, 7.4 m/d and 6.2 m/d, respectively. Multiple measurements of adult abundance and observations indicated that the greatest WCR activity occurs over soybean plots. Few adults were collected in and around plots of wheat. WCR abundance monitoring with Pherocon AM sticky traps in all plots during 2003 and 2004, combined with a 5 WCR/trap/day threshold provided excellent predictions of 2004 and 2005 root-injury in rotated corn. Corn planted where wheat had been grown the previous year escapes economic levels of WCR larval injury. In both years, corn after soybean was severely impacted by WCR injury. Corn following the wheat-soybean double crop was intermediate between rotated wheat and soybean in almost all measures; WCR injury was just above the economic threshold in both years. Severe drought conditions exacerbated effects of WCR larval injury in 2005. Abundance, activity, and patterns of damage in corn following the rotation treatments indicate that WCR can discriminate very clearly between rotated crop treatments. All crops are not treated the same. <br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Intra-field movement of WCR within two different configurations of transgenic corn and non-transgenic refuges:</b> <br /> Transgenic corn tissue detection methods were used to monitor the movement and mating activity of WCR beetles in a 20% structured refuge cornfield with two areas (45-rows) of 100% Monsantos YieldGard® Rootworm hybrid (the transgenic, comprising 80% of the field area) on either side of a 24-row strip of Monsantos YieldGard® Cornborer hybrid (because this hybrid does not affect WCR larval development it serves as the non-WCR transgenic hybrid and was the refuge). WCR movement was also monitored in a cornfield where YieldGard® Rootworm was mixed with a non-transgenic isoline of YieldGard® Rootworm and planted as in an 80:20 blend. Three small 5m x 5m patches of Monsantos YieldGard® Cornborer were also planted in the center of the seed blend field. The Cry1Ab protein expressed in the YieldGard® Cornborer growing in each field served as a marker to allow movement from the refuge or from the center patches of the seed blend field to be reckoned. Detection of the Cry3Bb1 protein expressed by YieldGard® Rootworm allowed movement from the transgenic portion of the field into the refuge or center patches to be observed. Detection of Cry protein in mating WCR pairs allowed intrafield movement of males and females to be measured directly and allowed a direct comparison of the function of each refuge to be assessed. Male WCR movement did not differ between the refuge designs. <br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Soybean Aphid Monitoring:</b> <br /> Suction trap observations 2005. The Illinois suction trap network operated from the middle of May through mid-October. Fourteen species of aphids considered of economic importance were counted and the data circulated to all cooperators and additional extension personnel. Trap catches of some species were considerably different from those seen in 2004. This was most noticeable for three species, two cereal aphid <i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i> and <i>R. maidis</i> and the spotted alfalfa aphid, <i>Therioaphis trifolii</i>. In 2004 <i>R. padi</i> and <i>R. maidis</i> were the most abundant aphids, often reaching hundreds per trap throughout the summer. <i>Rhopalosiphum maidis</i> usually peaks in the last week of July or first week of August. In 2005 the number of these common aphids was in the low double digits and did not become abundant until late August. The spotted alfalfa aphid is commonly present in most of the traps, usually less than 5 per trap. In 2005 there were 10's, 20's and even over 100 specimens in the samples. Numbers for all three species were different from 2004 by at least an order of magnitude.<br /> <br /> <br /> There was considerable interest in the soybean aphid because the 2004 fall flight was the highest seen in the four years of the suction trap operation in Illinois. It was also the first year that fall migrants were collected in each of the nine traps in Illinois. Early July collections found the soybean aphid scattered throughout the state, whereas in all previous years populations grew in the north while the southern traps were the last to catch this aphid. This early distribution pattern suggests that there must be some successful over-wintering in the southern third of Illinois. <br /> <br /> The high autumn count in 2004 suggested that 2005 might have high populations, reaching and exceeding the established threshold. Summer 2005 populations of soybean aphids in Illinois did reach threshold but this was primarily in the northern one third of the State and they did not reach the levels seen in 2003. There are some possible explanations for this. Late spring planting of much of the soybean crop meant that aphids leaving buckthorn had no soybeans to go to, thus limiting early infestations. The summer of 2005 was also a summer of high temperatures and drought in northern and western Illinois, and a large proportion of the soybeans had spider mite populations that needed to be controlled. The most commonly used pesticide kills both mites and insects effectively, and the extensive spraying in mid-summer for spider mites may have had a considerable impact on the development of aphid populations in the same fields. <br /> <br /> <br /> September and October catches this year totaled 269, considerably lower than the same time period in 2004, but ten times greater than the same period in 2001 and 2003. The latter were both followed by summers with low population levels throughout Illinois. The number is high enough to believe that there will be reasonable overwintering in Illinois, however, the traps provide only an indication of the level of over-wintering that is possible. There are many factors that can influence the eventual outcome of this migration such as natural enemies on the winter host, spring weather, and planting time. The current 2005 soybean aphid monitoring data can be seen at: <br /> http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/fieldcrops/insects/soybean_aphids/suction_trap_network/table.php?year=2005.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Dispersal of newly-eclosed European corn borer moths (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from corn into small-grain aggregation plots:</b><br /> Genetically-modified, insecticidal corn hybrids (Bt corn) are used throughout the US Corn Belt for European corn borer, <i>Ostrinia nubilalis</i> (Hübner), control. Development of mitigation-remediation strategies if resistance to Bt evolves, such as mass releases of susceptible moths, requires an understanding of adult dispersal and mating behavior. Because mating often occurs in grass near cornfields where moths aggregate, small-grain plots were planted as aggregation sites in an attempt to retain mass released moths. The objectives of this study were to examine influences of pheromone lure, plant density, and plant species on distributions of feral and newly-emerged, laboratory-reared O. nubilalis among small-grain aggregation plots. Feral moths were collected in aggregation plots in relative abundance, indicating that small-grain plots were acceptable aggregation sites. In contrast, newly-emerged moths that were released weekly as dye marked pupae were rarely found in aggregation plots, with »150 to 1,500-fold fewer moths captured than expected if all released moths had occupied the plots for greater than or equal to 1 d. The majority of newly-emerged adults did not colonize the aggregation plots, suggesting that recently-eclosed adults leave their natal field and do not colonize the first aggregation sites encountered. Mass releases of laboratory-reared pupae in the field may not be a viable remediation tactic because almost all of the newly-emerged moths dispersed beyond 300 m of the release point.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Genetic Structuring of Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Populations in the U.S. Based on Microsatellite Loci Analysis.</b><br /> The western corn rootworm (<i>Diabrotica virgifera virgifera </i>LeConte) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is a major corn insect pest in North America and is spreading in Europe. Seven polymorphic microsatellite loci were surveyed to characterize genetic structuring of <i>D. v. virgifera</i> populations, based on 595 individuals sampled from 10 locations across nine U.S. states (western Texas and Kansas to New York and Delaware). All populations showed high levels of genetic diversity, with mean allelic diversity ranging from 7.3 to 8.6, and mean expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.600 to 0.670. <i>D. v. virgifera</i> populations exhibited little genetic differentiation as a whole across the geographic range sampled, with a global FST of only 0.006. Pairwise FST estimates also revealed little genetic differentiation among populations. Most pairwise FST values were nonsignificant, except for those estimated between the Texas population and all others. There was a positive correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance as a whole, but no signiÞcant correlation for populations from Kansas to the east coast. There was no evidence for a genetic bottleneck in any <i>D. v. virgifera</i> population sampled. Phylogenetic and principal component analyses support the picture of high genetic similarity over much of the United States. Although high migration rates could produce the same pattern and cannot be ruled out, it seems more likely that the <i>D. v. virgifera</i> populations sampled have had insufficient time for substantial genetic structuring to develop since its recent eastward range expansion from the Great Plains that began ~50 yr ago.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Multiple transatlantic introductions of the western corn rootworm:</b><br /> First detected in Europe in 1992, the western corn rootworm (<i>Diabrotica virgifera virgifera</i>), the most destructive pest of maize in the USA, is now present in several European countries. To discriminate between introduction scenarios, genetic variation of European and American western corn rootworm populations was analyzed at eight microsatellite loci, using an Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) framework relying on computer simulations. For each European outbreak, our ABC method allowed quantitative comparison of different introduction scenarios that differ by putative source populations: the USA or one of the other European populations. Our results indicate that three out of the five analyzed western European outbreaks did not originate from the Central Europe spreading area, but from the USA. Moreover these introductions were independent from each other and from the initial European introduction in Central Europe.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Effect of Environmental Disturbance and Canopy Structure on Inter-plant Dispersal of Potato Aphid, <i>Macrosiphum euphorbiae</i> (Thomas):</b> <br /> Potato aphid (<i>Macrosiphum euphorbiae</i> (Thomas)) is the most abundant species colonizing potato plants in Maine. Although not a very efficient virus vector, this species is highly mobile. Therefore, it might still be responsible for infection of a substantial number of potato plants. Similar to other potato-colonizing species, potato aphid has both winged and wingless parthenogenic summer forms. The production of winged summer migrants is encouraged by overcrowding and poor quality of host plants. Because of their high mobility, winged aphids are generally considered to be more of a factor in spreading viruses between plants than wingless aphids. However, there is also considerable evidence that dispersal of wingless aphids can be important for virus spread among potato plants. Short-distance movement of infective aphids may be responsible both for enlarging existing disease foci, as well as for creating new foci within the same field. Effects of simulated rain, wind, mechanical raking, fungicide application, reflective mulch, predator (lady beetle, <i>Harmonia axyridis</i> Pallast) were studied on the interplant movement of wingless adult potato aphids in greenhouse experimental arenas that imitated small segments of a potato field. The number of aphids migrating from the central plant in the arena following tested perturbations was recorded. Experiments were repeated with 3-4 week old plants with non- overlapping canopies and with 4-5 week old plants with overlapping canopies. <br /> <br /> <br /> Aphids moved between potato plants even when canopies did not touch each other, and when there were no environmental perturbations. However, more aphids moved between larger plants with overlapping canopies. Wind, rain, and mechanical raking encouraged aphid movement. The effect was marginally significant on plants with non-overlapping canopies (P=0.0571), but highly significant on plants with non-overlapping canopies (P=0.0001). Regardless of canopy overlap, approximately 65% of aphids moved within the rows. On plants with overlapping canopies, wind encouraged aphid movement between the rows. No such effect was observed for plants with non-overlapping canopies. <br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Development of a Trap for Dispersing Nematodes for Japanese Beetle (JB) Control:</b><br /> Developed mass-inoculation methods for nematodes that result in a high percentage of infection of adult JBs during a short exposure time. Methods for rearing <i>H. marelatus</i> have been developed in the lab of Dr. Melakeberhan. Infectivity trials using sand with a 20% moisture content with 50,000-100,000 Infective Juveniles (IJ's) per 4 ml of water added to each trap tray for 24 h was found to provide the optimal trade-off between nematode population density and beetle mortality. Under these conditions, over 85% of larvae were dead within 48 hours. <br /> <br /> <br /> Designed an auto-dissemination bait-and-kill trap with improved contact between nematodes and adult beetle for effective infection and dispersal. A trap based on the work of Klein & Lacey (1999) was constructed to provide a method for infection of JB. Traps were constructed using a standard Trecé Japanese beetle trap, with an infection box placed between the cone with the pheromone/plant volatile bait, and the collection funnel. A tray of moist sand containing the nematodes was placed in the box from the side, and a clear panel on the end of the box was used to attract the beetles through the nematode infection tray. For the development work described below, traps were used with the collection device intact, whereas this would be absent if this trap was in use.<br /> <br /> <br /> Time-of-residency trials were conducted during 2003 at Trevor Nichols Research Complex (TNRC) and at the MSU Entomology Farm on the MSU campus, Michigan. The residency of male and female JB in traps was determined by adding 100 beetles to the trap and collecting the number of beetles traveling through the trap to the escape point every hour for 11 hours after their insertion. Residency time of male beetles was found to be significantly less than females (Kolmogorov-Smirnov = 0.081, P<0.05), though this difference was small. More than 90% of beetles spent more than 2 hours inside the traps, with most beetles emerging from the traps after 8 hours. <br /> <br /> <br /> Infection of adult JBs by <i>H. marelatus</i> was assessed for two different rates of nematodes and a control (0; 50,000; 100000 IJ's) using the trap described above. Beetles were inserted into the trap and those emerging were collected and held in containers to determine their mortality rates. Infection rates were higher at the MSU campus site than at TNRC, possibly because of the high air temperatures (81-92 oF) experienced during the trial at the former site. <br /> <br /> <br /> Comparisons of infection rates between treatments revealed significant infection in the traps where nematodes were deployed, but no significant difference was found between the two rates of nematodes tested. This indicates that the lower nematode population densities may be effective under field conditions.<br /> <br /> <br /> Tested the potential for introducing nematode via infected JB adults into simulated larval habitats in the laboratory. Eight artificial "microcosms" were established by placing 10 JB larvae into a 50:50 mix of sand and soil inside a 18 x 9 x 15 cm plastic container. Half of the containers received adult JBs that had been infected by placing them in a suspension of 10,000 infective juveniles in 3ml of distilled water on filter paper in a Petri dish for 24 h. Half of the beetles were treated with distilled water only. Seven days after beetle introduction, grubs were removed and scored for whether they were, or were not, infected by H. marelatus. Between 10 and 50% of grubs were found to be infected, with an average of 27.5%. Mortality of the grubs was significantly greater, at 53% in the infected treatment, compared to 23% in the untreated control. This result demonstrates the potential for transmission of nematodes from beetles infected in traps to the surrounding population.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Emerald Ash Borer Flight Potential:</b><br /> A cooperative research venture between The Ohio State University and USDA-Forest Service is using computer-monitored flight mills with tethered EAB adults to measure flight speed, duration, and periodicity. Preliminary results from 28 adults, flying without rest, food, or water, showed that about half of the tethered beetles flew >50 m with one 3-day old male flying a total of 5.2 km in 40 hrs. Subsequent data have confirmed the maximum flight speed as 1.5 m/sec (3.5 mph) which occurs in bouts of about 1 min each. The individual that flew the furthest in 24 hrs started with 70 sec flight bouts followed by an idle periods of about 130 sec. After about 2 hr, the idle time increased, rising to about 20 min at 24 hr. Although the detailed bout patterns differ between individuals, this overall pattern appears to be the norm. Bigger differences are observed in the length of time spent flying. In particular, females flew twice as far as males in 24 hr (P < 0.002) and mated females flew twice as far as unmated females (P < 0.0001). The average distance flown in 24 hrs by mated females was 1.7 km. The frequency distribution of distance flown by all females in 24 hrs is skewed to the right (mode = 800 m, median = 1 km, mean = 1.7 km, 20% flew >2km, 1% flew > 4km). <br /> <br /> <br /> The discovery that mated females fly longer, further, and faster than either males or unmated females is rather alarming as it suggests females are programmed to make a dispersal flight. The absence of a correlation (R2 = 0.007) between distance flown and size (mg) of female suggests there is no distinct class of migrants (other than mated females).<br /> <br /> <br /> A simple random walk model suggests that ~20% of mated females are displaced >250 m while flying 2 km; ~1% are displaced ~500m while flying 4km. The random walk assumption is probably optimistic; the flight is probably less random which means that these are underestimates of the actual displacement of gravid females in their dispersal flight. In order to determine how significant this is for control and containment efforts, we need to know how directional the flights actually are, and how receptive gravid females are to cues from ash trees to stop their dispersal flight and settle.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Principles of the Atmospheric Pathway for Invasive Species Applied to Soybean Rust:</b><br /> Aerial transport alone is seldom responsible for the introduction of nonindigenous species into distant regions; however, the capacity to use the atmospheric pathway for rapid spread in large part determines the invasive potential of organisms once they are introduced. Because physical and biological features of Earth's surface influence the routes and timing of organisms that use the atmospheric pathway, long-distance movement of aerobiota is largely regular and thus predictable. Soybean rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi), potentially the most destructive foliar disease of soybean, recently invaded North America. Concepts have been published which form the basis of the soybean rust aerobiology prediction system (SRAPS) that was developed to assess potential pathogen movement from South America to the United States. Output from SRAPS guided the scouting operations after the initial discovery of soybean rust in Louisiana. Subsequent observations of P. pachyrhizi in the southeastern United States provide validation of the modeling effort.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Websites related to NCR-148 objectives maintained by Penn State University/ZedX researchers:</b><br /> USDA Soybean Rust Information system (Public website) sbrusa.net/<br /> USDA Soybean Rust Information system (observer/researcher/specialist/administrator website)<br /> aphis.zedxinc.com<br /> Aerobiology Risk Analysis for Soybean Rust: netfiles.uiuc.edu/ariatti/www/SBR/index.htm<br /> Pest Watch of Sweet Corn: http://www.pestwatch.psu.edu/<br /> Wheat Fusarium Head Blight Predication Center: http://www.wheatscab.psu.edu/<br /> USDA Citrus Greening website: http://citrusgreening.com/<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>NSF-ITR: Advanced Imaging and Information Technology for Assessing the Ecological and Economic Impact of Brazilian Free-tailed Bats on Agroecosystems:</b><br /> The distribution of Texas bluebonnet and Indian paintbrush wildflowers was surveyed beginning in mid-March 2005. Wildflower distributions in the Winter Garden west of Castroville, TX, were very sparse because of a plant fungus exacerbated by prior heavy precipitation. Wildflower blooming periods and insect infestations and emergence from the wildflowers was surveyed; eggs were found but no larvae were found. Pest insect surveys were conducted on four commercial farms that produce corn and cotton at Castroville, Hondo, Uvalde, and Batesville, Texas, twice weekly from Mar. 15 to Oct. 15. Seasonal patterns of capture of adult male corn earworms (CEW), tobacco budworms (TBW), all armyworms (FAW) and beet armyworms (BAW) in pheromone traps were compiled. An interesting outcome is that there was no major peak capture of corn earworms from fruiting corn (on approximately July 1). Overall, the pest surveys documented the flight activity, egg laying, and development of pest insects, and their dispersal from corn and subsequent infestation in cotton. Weather stations measured air temperature, soil temperature, wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, solar radiation, and precipitation on the farms at Uvalde and Castroville. Thermocrons measured air temperature and soil temperature on the farms at Hondo and Batesville.<br /> <br /> <br /> Intensive field research was conducted nightly from June 25 to July 8 on a commercial farm that produces corn and cotton in an area of high bat activity near Frio Cave, about 15 km north of Uvalde, Texas. Four traps baited with pheromone lures were placed along a road between a cotton field and a corn field to capture adult male CEW, TBW, FAW, and BAW. Four additional traps were baited with Mix M, an insect feeding attractant patented by Dr. Juan Lopez (ARS), and a light trap was operated to capture adult males and females of the four target species of moths and other insect species that were flying at night.<br /> <br /> <br /> Infrared- and visible-illumination videographic recordings monitored flight activity of pest insects approximately 3 m above corn and cotton canopies. Flying insects and bats were counted and identified. The flight orientation of insects and bats were noted to reveal patterns of directed flight toward different habitats. Insect and bat flight activity data will be correlated with bat flight and feeding data obtained from thermal imaging cameras and ultrasonic detectors operated by Drs. Tom Kunz and Gary McCracken, respectively. Although the thermal cameras were primarily used to detect bats, the feasibility of using the thermal cameras to view flying moths against a relative cool background (i.e., irrigated cotton) was demonstrated. A weather station measured air temperature, soil temperature, wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, solar radiation, and precipitation and stored data at 15-minute intervals. The weather data was correlated with insect and bat flight activity data obtained from the nightly videographic recordings.<br /> <br /> <br /> <b>Dispersal of whiteflies and one of its parasitoids:</b><br /> Dispersal and migration (directed flight with defined behavior and physiology) by small (i.e., < 100 mg) insects have been understudied. Examination of small insects, dispersing a few kilometers, is of greater importance to Arizona producers. As year-around residents they need not reinvade our agroecosystems each year. We have found: In a vertical flight chamber, whitefly flight fits accepted behavioral criteria for migration. Most importantly, they temporarily ignore station-keeping cues; In field experiments whiteflies can disperse > 7 km in a 4-hour period; Whitefly flight is cyclical with most movement taking place early in the day, during periods of minimal turbulence; The lifetime window for whitefly flight is narrow. The maximum is at day 5, after which indirect flight muscles deteriorate. Whiteflies do not delay reproduction in favor of flight; Whitefly flight is modulated by wind speeds as low as 3 cm/sec; <i>Eretmocerus eremicus</i>, a commercially promoted, endemic whitefly parasitoid has limited ability to disperse (< 100 m per day); <i>E. eremicus</i> releases under field conditions have no impact on whitefly population levels.<br />

Publications

Impact Statements

1. Due to information disseminated through the USDA Soybean Rust Information website, sprays for soybean rust were minimized and consequently saved growers spray expenses. An estimated 10 to 20 million acres of soybeans that were not sprayed suffered no yield loss from soybean rust. Hundreds of individuals and several agencies including USDA-APHIS, USDA-ARS, USDA-CSREES, USDA-RMA, state Departments of Agriculture, LGUs and industry contributed to the success of the project.
2. The USDA Soybean Rust Information System constructed and operated by Joe Russo and Scott Isard had a major impact on the U.S. soybean industry in 2005. So much so that the USDA Risk Management Agency has contributed $2.4 million to expand it into the Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education (PIPE) for 2006, including additional pests and crops.
3. Researchers have determined that large colonies of Brazilian free-tailed bats, which are predators of crop insect pests, save cotton producers in the Texas Winter Garden region about $740,000 annually in the form of avoided crop losses and pesticide treatments.
4. Discovery that a corn-wheat crop rotation allows corn production without use of soil insecticide for rotation-resistant western corn rootworm management will save growers $17/acre.
5. Knowing that intrafield movement rates for western corn rootworm adults are somewhat limited played a role in the requirement that non-transgenic (Bt) refuges for western corn rootworm be placed in or immediately adjacent to rootworm Bt corn. Information that properly places refuge corn in relation to transgenic corn helps preserve pest susceptibility to Bt.
6. A recent genetics study using DNA markers has demonstrated that western corn rootworm is being repeatedly introduced to Europe from North America. These results highlight the role of transoceanic transport of harmful pest species and suggest that more attention should be paid to controlling pest species on intercontinental flights.
7. Demonstration of genetic similarity of western corn rootworm populations in US led to modification of designs and objectives of ongoing population and gene flow studies in Illinois, France, and at EPA.
8. Development of beetle-infecting nematode traps for improved control of Japanese beetles will help reduce the economic impact of this invasive pest in nursery and fruit crops, home lawns, and public landscapes.
9. Understanding the dispersal capabilities of emerald ash borer beetles will provide information critical to the deployment of appropriate management strategies aimed at minimizing further spread of this pest into the United States and Canada.
10. Dissemination of principles of aerobiology as they have been applied to soybean rust, through the recent paper in BioScience, will increase international awareness of research into pest movement and the collaborative work of members of NCERA-148.
11. Research on migration and dispersal of aster leafhopper, vector of aster yellows disease of vegetable crops, has led to a pest monitoring and management program that has greatly reduced unnecessary applications of insecticides in Ohio vegetable crops and prevented disease loss particularly in lettuce crops, saving Ohio growers well over $1 million dollars in the last 10 years.
12. The sweet potato whitefly, <i>Bemisia tabaci</i>, is a major pest in the Southwest, as well as in other parts of the world because of its ability to extract photosynthates and serve as a vector for viral pathogens. As a consequence, information concerning its migrational range and movement of its natural enemies is important to Arizona growers.

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Annalisa Ariatti, David Byrne, Manuel Colunga-Garcia, Joe Dauer, Erick DeWolf, Nick Dufault, Howard Fescemeyer, Shelby Fleischer, Regula Gehrig, Julie Golod, Rick Hellmich, David Hogg (Administrative Advisor), Casey Hoy, Bill Hutchison, Scott Isard, Tim Leslie, Rick Meyer (USDA-CSREES), Dave Mortensen, Forrest Nutter, Megan ORourke, Matt Royer, Joe Russo, Tom Sappington, Elson Shields, Joe Spencer, Elwynn Taylor, Rob Venette, John Westbrook, Jeremy Zivek.

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Accomplishments

Publications

Beanland, L., Madden, L. V., Hoy, C. W., Miller, S. A., and Nault, L. 2005. Temporal distribution of aster leafhopper (Macrosteles quadrilineatus) sex ratios and spatial pattern of aster yellows phytoplasma disease in lettuce. Annals Entomological Society of America 98: 756-762.<br /> <br /> Cleveland, C.J., Betke, M., Federico, P., Frank, J.D., Hallam, T.G., Horn, J., Lopez, J.D., Jr., McCracken, G.F., Medellin, R.A., Moreno-Valdez, A., Sansone, C.G., Westbrook, J.K., and Kunz, T.H. 2006. Estimation of the economic value of the pest control service provided by the Brazilian free-tailed bat in the Winter Garden region of south-central Texas. Front. Ecol. Environ. 4(5): 238-243.<br /> <br /> Crowder, D. W., D.W. Onstad, M.E. Gray, P.D. Mitchell, J.L. Spencer, and R.J. Brazee. 2005. Economic analysis of dynamic management strategies utilizing transgenic corn for control of western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chysomelidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 98: 961-975.<br /> <br /> Dauer J.T., D.A. Mortensen and R. Humston, 2006. Controlled experiments to predict horseweed (Conyza canadensis) dispersal distances. Weed Science 54: 484-489. <br /> <br /> Fleischer, S. G. Payne, T. Kuhar, A. Herbert, Jr., S. Malone, J. Whalen, G. Dively, D. Johnson, J.A. Hebberger, J. Ingerson-Mahar, D. Miller and S. Isard, In Press. H. zea trends from the northeast: Suggestions towards collaborative mapping of migration and pyrethroid susceptibility. Plant Health Progress.<br /> <br /> Friederici, P. 2006. Graveyard shift. Audubon 108(5): 48-53.<br /> <br /> Isard, S.A., E.D. DeWolf, J.M. Russo, 2006. The Establishment of a National Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education Online. Plant Health Progress. doi:10.1094/PHP-2006-0915-01-RV.<br /> <br /> Isard, S.A., N.S. Dufault, M.R. Miles, G.L. Hartman, J.M. Russo, E.D. De Wolf, and W. Morel, 2006. The effect of solar irradiance on the mortality of Phakopsora pachyrhizi urediniospores. Plant Disease 90:941-945.<br /> <br /> Isard, S.A., S.H. Gage, P. Comtois, and J. Russo, 2005. Principles of aerobiology applied to soybean rust as an invasive species. BioScience 55:851-861.<br /> <br /> Jallow, M. and C. W. Hoy. 2006. Quantitative genetics of adult behavioral response and larval physiological tolerance to permethrin in diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Pluutellidae) J. Econ. Entomol. 99(4): 1388-1395.<br /> <br /> Jallow, M. and C. W. Hoy. Indirect Selection for Increased Susceptibility to Permethrin in Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). In Press.<br /> <br /> Jallow, M. F. A. and C. W. Hoy. 2005. Phenotypic variation in adult behavioral response and offspring fitness in Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in response to permethrin. J. Econ. Entomol. 98: 2195-2202.<br /> <br /> Kim, K. S., and T. W. Sappington. 2006. Molecular genetic variation of boll weevil populations in North America estimated with microsatellites: Implications for patterns of dispersal. Genetica 127: 143-161.<br /> <br /> Kim, K. S., P. Cano-Ríos, and T. W. Sappington. 2006. Forum: Using genetic markers and population assignment techniques to infer origin of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) unexpectedly captured near an eradication zone in Mexico. Environ. Entomol. 35: 813-826.<br /> <br /> Knolhoff, L., D. Onstad, J. Spencer, and E. Levine. 2006. Behavioral differences between rotation-resistant and wild-type Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Environmental Entomology. 35(4):1049-1057.<br /> <br /> Levine, E., J.L. Spencer, T.R. Mabry, and S.A. Isard. 2005. Soybean virus transmission by rootworms. INHS Reports, Winter 2005, No. 382, p.5.<br /> <br /> Narayandas, G. and A. Alyokhin. 2006. Diurnal patterns in host finding by potato aphids, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Homoptera: Aphididae). Journal of Insect Behavior 19: 347-356<br /> <br /> Reardon, B. J., D. V. Sumerford, and T. W. Sappington. 2006. Dispersal of newly-eclosed European corn borer moths (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from corn into small-grain aggregation plots. J. Econ. Entomol. 99: 1641-1650.<br /> <br /> Reardon, B. J., D. V. Sumerford, and T. W. Sappington. 2006. Impact of trap design, windbreaks, and weather on captures of European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in pheromone-baited traps. Environ. Entomol. (In press)<br /> <br /> S. Ortiz-Garc1´a, E. Ezcurra, B. Schoel, F. Acevedo, J. Sobero´ n, and A. A. Snow. 2005. Absence of detectable transgenes in local landraces of maize in Oaxaca, Mexico (20032004). PNAS Early Edition (Online)<br /> <br /> Sappington, T. W. 2005. First-flight adult European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) distribution in roadside vegetation relative to cropping patterns and corn phenology. Environ. Entomol. 34: 1541-1548<br /> <br /> Sappington, T. W., M. D. Arnold, A. D. Brashears, M. N. Parajulee, S. C. Carroll, A. E. Knutson, and J. W. Norman Jr. 2006. Dispersal of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from cotton modules before ginning. J. Econ. Entomol. 99: 67-75.<br /> <br /> Spencer, J.L. 2006. Tracking movement of mate-seeking WCR males between refuges and transgenic corn. INHS Reports, Summer 2006, No. 388, p.1. <br /> <br /> Spencer, J.L., S.A. Isard, and E. Levine. 2005. Movement of western corn rootworm adults within and between fields: implications for resistance management, p. 28-34. In Proceedings of the Illinois Crop Protection Technology Conference. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.<br /> <br /> Spencer, J.L., T.R. Mabry, E. Levine, and S.A. Isard. 2005. Movement, Dispersal, and Behavior of Western Corn Rootworm Adults in Rotated Corn and Soybean Fields. In Western Corn Rootworm: Ecology and Management. S. Vidal, U. Kuhlmann, and C. R. Edwards, eds. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK. Pp. 121-144.<br /> <br /> Stuart, R. J., M. E. Barbercheck, P. S. Grewal , R. A. J. Taylor , and C. W. Hoy. 2006. Population Biology of Entomopathogenic Nematodes: Concepts, Issues and Models. Biological Control. In Press<br />

Impact Statements

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Report Information

Participants

Magarey, Roger-North Carolina; Standstrom, Mike-Northern Illinois University; Chagnon, David-Northern Illinois University; Ellis, Katie-Penn State; Fleischer, Shelby-Penn State; Meagher, Bob-Florida; Nagoshi, Rod-Florida; Miller, Nick-USDA ARS Iowa; Seok Kim, Kyung-USDA ARS Iowa; MacRae, Ian-Minnesota; Hutchison, Bill-Minnesota; Westbrook, John-Texas; Isard, Scott-Penn State; Venette, Rob-Penn State; Meyer, Rick-USDA; Ravlin, Bill-The Ohio State University; Michel, Andy-The Ohio State University; Asplin, Mark-University of Minnesota; Sappington, Tom-Iowa State University

Brief Summary of Minutes

Minutes of the 2007 NCERA-148 Annual Meeting
Saint Paul, MN, Oct. 4-5, 2007


Chairman Tom Sappington opened the meeting at 8:30 AM on Oct. 4, 2007.


Bill Hutchison provided local arrangements information. Attendees briefly introduced themselves.


Tom Sappington asked that we recognize the work of Pete Lingren, a retired USDA-ARS research entomologist and long-time NCR-148 member who died on Sep. 8, 2007. John Westbrook discussed the history and work of Dr. Lingren related to dispersal, to NCERA-148, and to other scientific organizations dealing with aerobiology. Several members noted the strong influence that Pete Lingren had on the initiation and development of their careers.


Minutes of the 2006 meeting were unanimously approved.


Membership Committee (Scott Isard and Rob Venette)


Membership has increased dramatically. Much of this is due to the initiation of a working group focusing on migratory lepidopterans, now known as LAMS (Lepidoptera Aerobiology Modeling Systems) Working Group, and the affiliation of this group with NCERA-148.


Venette will participate on this committee.


Meagher asked about ARS scientists acting as state reps in areas where no other person serves in that capacity. Policies currently vary among states. Land-grant administrators may be reluctant to commit travel resources for ARS scientists, and ARS scientist typically are not requesting travel funds. Our NCERA-148 group strongly welcomes ARS scientists, whether or not they are allowed to function as state reps. The value of serving as state reps occurs when no other person is serving in that capacity, thus helping communicate activities and information beyond the ARS lab per se.


Magarey may be able to become the state rep from North Carolina.


Venette will ask about Wisconsin state-rep status.


Meagher will probably not represent Florida, but would like to remain active in NCERA-148.


Magarey noted the need for more representation from Plant Pathology, and agreed to help recruit Plant Pathologists.


Website Committee (Rob Venette and Scott Isard)


Last years decision to move the NCERA-148 Web site to Penn State University with Annalisa Ariatti serving as site manager has been completed. This website is at www.ncera148.psu.edu/


Contact Annalisa Ariatti using aua15@pus.edu.


Participants expressed much appreciation for Annalisa's efforts and praise for the new website.


State reports (as pdfs) are posted.


LAMS minutes, and a dependency network built through Netweaver, are posted.


Future upgrades would be to link this website to NIMMS.


Venette suggested that links to participants programs websites be sent to Annalisa and linked to the NCERA website.


Reprints related to migration and dispersal can be posted to the website. Reprint pdfs for posting should be sent to Annalisa.


Fleischer moved that the email distribution list be transferred to the webmaster (Annalisa at present). The intent is to have one person maintaining changes to that list. Currently, that list is transferred annually to the incoming secretary. Moving this to the webmaster could improve continuity, and enable links to emails of all participants. Motion passed unanimously.


Awards Committee (previously Casey Hoy and David Byrne)


No report. Need replacement chair.


Hutchison volunteered. Also David Byrne was volunteered to continue on the committee.


A list of previous awardees has been prepared, but needs posted on website.


Impact Writing Committee (Rick Hellmich)


Ravlin and Meyer emphasized the meaning and utility of impact statements. They represent the current currency with federal and state legislatures, often transmitted through legislative aides and Congressional liasons.


Impact statements need to be short, written for a lay audience.


Nomination Committee (John Westbrook and Shelby Fleischer)


John Westbrook and Shelby Fleischer nominated Roger Magarey as the candidate for secretary/treasurer, who was elected by a unanimous vote.


Site Committee (site proposed during the 2006 NCERA-148 meeting)


Roger Magarey recommended the CPHST (Center for Plant Health Science and Technology, USDA, APHIS) in Raleigh, North Carolina, as the site for the 2008 Annual Meeting, which was unanimously approved. The meeting will be held during Oct.


NCERA-148 meetings have traditionally alternated between states within and outside the North Central region, so North Carolina would be appropriate for 2008.


CSREES Report (Richard Meyer)


2008 Federal budget currently on a continuing resolution through November, which means currently revert to authorized levels for 2007.


2007 Omnibus budget zerod all special earmarks, moved funds to Hatch.


Current House / Senate vary with respect to where CSREES funds fall  into or out of NRI. Differences currently exist in eligibility of 406 and NRI programs, which needs to be reconciled. Could delay Request for Applications (RFA). Usually 406 program RFA comes out in Feb., paneled in May. If 406 programs pulled into NRI, then it is currently unclear how that process might be affected.


Farm Bill underway. Both REE agencies change in current drafts. CSREES changed to a newly formed National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Director will be a political appointee with a 6-year term. This model is more similar to NIH and NSF. The hope is to have greater influence, appropriation, and growth under this new model. The risk is to be more greatly influenced by the political process.


CREATE21 website was discussed.


Recent staff changes include a new Secretary of Ag (Chuck Connors) as the recent one resigned to run for a political office; a new undersecretary (Gail Buchanan), and two National Program Leader vacancies due to retirements (Horticulture, Agronomy). Amy Rhodes position is being refilled.


Anticipate that many earmark programs will return, but with sunset provisions.



Administrative Advisor (Bill Ravlin)


Bill Ravlin, who is replacing D. Hogg, introduced himself. He brings scientific expertise in entomology, professional experience as a faculty member and Experiment Station Research Director, and institutional experience from Michigan State, Virginia Tech, and Ohio State. He noted that he appreciates this assignment for its multiple disciplines, institutions, and activities, and because it is directly relevant to some of his scientific interests and past experiences, notably with gypsy moth.


State Reports. Bullet summaries are listed below; extensive State Reports are provided separately and will be uploaded to the website (http://www.ncera148.psu.edu/index.htm ). State reports due to secretary (Fleischer) by Nov. 1.


Florida (Rob Meagher and Rod Nagoshi)


Monitoring exotic Spodoptera spp. Found S. littura in Homestead, outside of inspection area. Started mass trapping. Taxonomy requires characters from male genitalia.


Mitochondrial CO1 gene is polymorphic for the corn strain, and haplotype ratios among able to distinguish between TX versus FL source locations. Northward tracking from these sources using haplotype ratios underway.


Minnesota (Bill Hutchison, Ian MacRae, Rob Venette)


Used Helicoverpa zea dispersal information with growers, via the NIU
forecasting (~2,500 hits/day during the summer) and Pestwatch (expanded to ~540 sites).


Western bean cutworm continuing eastward expansion. Growing pheromone network run through Iowa state, organized through Marlin Rice. Becky Simmon has CO1 species diagnostic marker.


HYSPLITused to understand/project green peach aphid migration into Red River Valley, which is important due to virus-vectoring in potatoes and seed potatoes. Results published in Ag Forest Meterology.


Northern Illinois University (Dave Chagnon and Mike Sandstrom).


Synoptic patterns of Helicoverpa zea migration into Midwest defined from ~20yr weather events from Brian Flood, Del Monte Foods. Used to develop synoptic forecasting system. Information on source critical, Pestwatch system helps. Forecasting requires machine / human interface.


Iowa (Tom Sappington)


Demonstrated patterns of interference among several lepidopterans in their attraction to pheromone traps when traps contain lures of >1 species.


Flight mill studies with European corn borer defined behavioral patterns, flight durations, duration of longest flight, and speed. Considered influence of mating status, gender, age.


Demonstrated evidence of an obligatory flight phase in European corn borer. Stronger for females. Dispersal propensity and capacity is high for both sexes at all ages whether mated or not. Lifetime capacity, at least 150 miles based on genetic marker data.


Gene flow studies with Dr. Kyung Seok Kim and Dr. Nick Miller (boll weevil, European corn borer, western corn rootworm).


With Dr. Kyung Seok Kim, boll weevil population assignment studies conducted on boll weevils being captured in central Texas eradicated zone to help identify source region of immigrants. Ten microsatellites used to profile populations from southern US. Data suggest captures in Lubbock area in 2006 coming from low-density endemic population.


Minnesota (Rob Venette)


Invasion biology work on Mediterrean pine engraver, 1st found in US in California in 2004. Data suggesting wide host range, including ability to complete development. Climex modeling, along with data on supercooling point (-20 C) used to estimate potential geographic range. Mark-release-recapture studies initiated.


Molecular diagnostics of Copitars decolra, an invasive noctuid, ongoing, using CO1 gene.


Classical biocontrol initiated for soybean aphid. Looking into potential of parasitoid in alate.


North Carolina (Roger Magarey)


Noted need to be aware of both human- and atmospheric-mediated dispersal. CPHST considers both, and uses Pest Risk Assessment methods through their Risk Analysis Lab.


Some recent / current work includes soybean rust, Scirtothrips dorsalis, currant-lettuce aphid, gladiolus rust, downy mildew forecasting.


Both NAPPFAST and PIPE technologies advanced and used.


Suggested broader participation, beyond academic researchers and Extension, to include, for example, industry, seed companies (e.g., ASTA), crop consultants, government.


Suggested adding a day to the next NCERA-148 meeting to develop engagement with this broader group of stakeholders. Perhaps through, or leading to, a conference (NSF or NRI funding?), tentatively named Industry PIPE Stakeholders Meeting. Roger agreed to lead this effort. Scott, Ian, Shelby agreed to participate.


Ohio (Andrew Michel)


Replacing Casey Hoy as the Ohio representative to NCERA-148. Brings population genetics.


Range expansion currently being defined in western Ohio for Western bean cutworm, the rotation-resistant variant of Western corn rootworm, soybean aphid.


Overviewed work with Rhagoletis pomonella, advancing understanding of sympatric speciation though host and geographic associations, and life stage synchronies.


Ohio State is currently advertising for faculty position in Molecular Insect-Plant Interactions.


Anticipate two additional positions: Landscape Ecologist; and Insect biologist.


Pennnsylvania (Scott Isard)


Three graduate students completed degrees, from three disciplines: T. Leslie (Entomology), J. Dauer (Crop and Soil Science), J. Zidek.


Seven relevant websites on-line.


Soybean rust: improving parameterization of aerobiology models through research on escape of rust spores, microclimate and rate of within-field spore dispersal, wet- and dry- deposition, adhesion of spores.


Evaluation of spore trapping methods.


Integrated Aerobiology Modeling System (IAMS) operating and its structure, domain, and data sources discussed.


Used in Legume PIPE: 17,797 observations from ~2,000 sites.


HYSPLITforecasts produced daily, archived.


Meteorology undergrad interns, working with P. Knight, develop daily risk maps. Consider source, transport, deposition, infection potential.


Ragweed project developing. Weed invading Europe. Pollen data network, plant phenology model, pollen production. Pollen transport to be added.


Lepidopteran Aerobiology Modeling System (LAMS) intitiated.


Texas (Westbrook)


Announced Aerobiology Symposium scheduled for San Antonio in early January.


Boll weevil: HYSPLITand pollen in use to define dispersal relevant to eradication efforts.


P. Pietrantonio defined spatio-temporal dynamic patterns of pyrethroids resistance in Helicoverpa zea, and HYSPLITmodeling integrated with these data to explain dispersal patterns influencing these genetic/phenotypic dynamics.


Diurnal dispersal and feeding of Brazilian freetail bats being determined, and its influence on crop protection through feeding on noctuids (corn earworm, fall armyworm, tobacco budworm, beet armyworm) being defined. Effects show economic savings to growers through bat conservation.


Meeting adjourned for October 4, 2007.


Meeting opened on October 5, 2007 at 8:30 am. A series of invited presentations followed:


Shelby Fleischer (Penn State) delivered a presentation on the Lepidoptera Aerobiology and Modeling System (LAMS) initiative.


David Changnon and Mike Sandstrom (Northern Illinois Initiative) delivered a presentation on Forecasting Helicoverpa zea long distance migration.


John Westbrook (USDA-ARS, Texas) delivered a presentation on HYSPLITatmospheric dispersal model: Utility for aerobiology.


Nick Miller (USDA-ARS, Iowa) delivered a presentation on Population genetics strategies for characterizing insect movement.


Kyung Seok Kim (USDA-ARS, Iowa) delivered a presentation on Spatial and temporal characterization of gene flow among European corn borer populations using microsatellite markers.


Katie Ellis (Penn State) delivered a presentation on Effects of wind direction and crop maturity on intra- and inter-field dispersal of European corn borer females.


Mark Asplin, J. Hardin, and D. Byrne (Univ. MN, Univ. AZ) delivered a presentation on The relationship between pre-ovipositional flight behavior and reproduction in female whitefly parasitoids.


Final business meeting:


Roger Magarey nominated for secretary for 2008. Motion approved unanimously.
The Committee expressed thanks to Bill Hutchison and Rob Venette for handling all the local arrangements. Tom Sappington thanked Shelby Fleisher and John Westbrook for their efforts as Secretary and Vice Chair.
John Westbrook thanked Tom Sappington for leadership of NCERA-148.


Meeting adjourned at 12:35 PM on Oct. 5, 2007.

Accomplishments

Not applicable to NCERA 148.

Publications

Dauer J.T., D.A. Mortensen, and R. Humston. 2006. Controlled experiments to predict horseweed (Conyza canadensis) dispersal distances. Weed Science 54: 484-489.<br /> <br /> <br /> DeWolf, E.D., and S.A. Isard. 2007. Disease cycle approach to plant disease prediction. Annual Review of Phytopathology 45:9.1-9.18.<br /> <br /> <br /> Fleischer, S. J., G. Payne, T. Kuhar, A. Herbert, Jr., S. Malone, J. Whalen, G. Dively, D. Johnson, J. A. Hebberger, J. Ingerson-Mahar, D. Miller, and S. Isard. 2007. H. zea trends from the northeast: Suggestions towards collaborative mapping of migration and pyrethroid susceptibility. Plant Health Progress, doi:10.1094/PHP-2007-0719-03-RV.<br /> <br /> <br /> Isard, S.A., E.D. DeWolf, J.M. Russo, 2006. The Establishment of a National Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education Online. Plant Health Progress, doi:10.1094/PHP-2006-0915-01-RV.<br /> <br /> <br /> Isard, S.A., N.S. Dufault, M.R. Miles, G.L. Hartman, J.M. Russo, E.D. De Wolf, and W. Morel, 2006. The effect of solar irradiance on the mortality of Phakopsora pachyrhizi urediniospores. Plant Disease 90:941-945.<br /> <br /> <br /> Isard, S.A., J.M. Russo, and A. Arriatti. 2007. Aerial transport of soybean rust spores into the Ohio River Valley during September 2006. Aerobiologia, (in press).<br /> <br /> <br /> Isard, S.A., D.A. Mortensen, S.J. Fleischer, and E.D. DeWolf. 2008. Application of Aerobiology to IPM. Radcliff, E. and W. Hutchinson (eds.), IPM Textbook, Cambridge Press, (in press).<br /> <br /> <br /> Jallow, M. F. A., and C. W. Hoy. 2005. Phenotypic variation in adult behavioral response and offspring fitness in Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in response to permethrin. Journal of Economic Entomology, 98: 2195-2202.<br /> <br /> <br /> Jallow, M., and C. W. Hoy. 2006. Quantitative genetics of adult behavioral response and larval physiological tolerance to permethrin in diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) Journal of Economic Entomology, 99(4): 1388-1395.<br /> <br /> <br /> Jallow, M., and C. W. Hoy. 2007. Indirect Selection for Increased Susceptibility to Permethrin in Diamondback Moth (Plutella xylostella) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae). Journal of Economic Entomology, 100(2): 526-533.<br /> <br /> <br /> Kim, K. S., B. S. Coates, R. L. Hellmich, D. V. Sumerford, and T. W. Sappington. 2007. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Molecular Ecology Notes, OnlineEarly Article, doi: 10.1111/j.1471-8286.2007.01974.x.<br /> <br /> <br /> Kim, K. S., S. T. Ratcliffe, B. W. French, L. Liu, and T. W. Sappington. 2007. Suitability of EST-derived microsatellites as population genetics markers in a beetle. Journal of Heredity (in press).<br /> <br /> <br /> Leslie, T. W., G. A. Hoheisel, D. J. Biddinger, J. R. Rohr, and S. J. Fleischer. 2007. Transgenes sustain epigeal insect biodiversity in diversified vegetable farm systems. Environmental Entomology 36: 234-244.<br /> <br /> <br /> Leslie, T. W., W. van der Werf, F. J. J. A. Bianchi, and A. Honek. 2008. Evidence for coupled population dynamics of three aphid species and a shared predator. Agricultural and Forest Entomology (in press).<br /> <br /> <br /> Magarey, R. D., D. M. Borchert, G. L Fowler, T.G. Sutton, M. Colunga-Garcia, and J. A. Simpson. 2007. NAPPFAST, an internet system for the weather-based mapping of plant pathogens. Plant Disease 91:336-345.<br /> <br /> <br /> Miller, N. J., M. Ciosi, T. W. Sappington, S. T. Ratcliffe, J. L. Spencer, and T. Guillemaud. 2007. Genome scan of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera for genetic variation associated with crop rotation tolerance. Journal of Applied Entomology 131: 378-385.<br /> <br /> <br /> Nietshcke, B., R. D. Magarey, D. M. Borchert, D. D. Calvin, and E. M. Jones. 2007. A developmental database to support insect phenology models. Crop Protection 26: 1444-1448.<br /> <br /> <br /> Nietshcke, B., D. M. Borchert, R. D.Magarey, and M. A. Ciomperlik. 2007. Climatological potential for Scirtothrips dorsalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) establishment in the United States. Florida Entomologist (in press).<br /> <br /> <br /> Pietrantonio, P. V., T. A. Junek, R. Parker, D. Mott, K. Siders, N. Troxclair, J. Vargas-Camplis, J. K. Westbrook, V. A. Vassiliou. 2007. Detection and evolution of resistance to the pyrethroid cypermethrin in bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in Texas. Environmental Entomology 36: 1174-1188.<br /> <br /> <br /> Reardon, B. J., and T. W. Sappington. 2007. Effect of age and mating status on adult European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) dispersal from small-grain aggregation plots. Journal of Economic Entomology 100: 1116-1123.<br /> Spencer, J.L. 2006. Tracking movement of mate-seeking WCR males between refuges and transgenic corn. Illinois Natural History Survey Reports, Summer 2006, No. 388, p.1.<br /> <br /> <br /> Westbrook, J.K., R.S. Eyster, C.T. Allen. 2007. A model evaluation of long-distance dispersal of boll weevils. pp. 337-344. In: Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences, New Orleans, LA, Jan. 9-12, 2007.<br /> <br /> <br /> Dissertation/theses in movement and dispersal arena:<br /> <br /> <br /> Tim Leslie dissertation: Insect diversity and dynamics in agroecosystems adopting transgenic crops. Pennsylvania State University.<br /> <br /> <br /> Joe Dauer dissertation: From emergence to impact: the role of the environment in facilitating dispersal of Conyza Canadensis. Pennsylvania State University.<br /> <br /> <br /> Jeremy Zidek, M.S. thesis: Phakopsora pachyrhizi urediniospore escape for a soybean canopy. Pennsylvania State University.<br /> <br /> <br /> David L. Dorhout, M.S. thesis: Ecological and behavioral studies of the western bean cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in corn. Iowa State University.<br /> <br /> <br /> Websites related to NCERA-148 objectives maintained by PSU/ZedX researchers:<br /> <br /> <br /> NCERA-148 Migration and Dispersal of Biota www.ncera148.psu.edu/<br /> <br /> <br /> Pest Watch of Sweet Corn: www.pestwatch.psu.edu<br /> <br /> <br /> Ragweed Forecasting System; www.ceal.psu.edu/ragweed.htm<br /> <br /> <br /> Computational Epidemiology and Aerobiology Laboratory (CEAL) www.ceal.psu.edu<br /> <br /> <br /> Pan-American Aerobiology Association: www.paaa.org<br /> <br /> <br /> IPM PIPE (Public website) sbrusa.net<br /> <br /> <br /> IPM PIPE (Restricted access website) aphis.zedxinc.com<br /> <br />

Impact Statements

1. Not applicable for NCERA 148.

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Report Information

Participants

Blanco, Carlos, Carlos.Blanco@ars.usda.gov,USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS;
Byrne, David N., byrne@ag.Arizona.edu, University of Arizona;
Colunga-Garcia, Manuel, colunga@msu.edu, Michigan State University;
Ellis, Katie, kag298@psu.edu, Penn State University;
Fleischer, Shelby, sjf4@psu.edu, Penn State University;
Golod, Julie, golod@zedxinc.com, Penn State University;
Holmes, Gerald, gerald_holmes@ncsu.edu, NCSU;
Hutchison, William D., hutch002@umn.edu, University of Minnesota;
Isard, Scott A., sai10@psu.edu, Penn State University;
Magarey, Roger D., Roger.D.Magarey@aphis.usda.gov, USDA-ARS, NCSU;
Main, Charlie, CE_MAIN@ncsu.edu, NCSU;
Meagher, Robert L, rob.meagher@ars.usda.gov, USDA-ARS CMAVE;
Meyer, Rick H.J., hmeyer@csrees.usda.gov, USDA, CSREES;
Michel, Andrew P., michel.70@osu.edu, Ohio state Unitversity;
Nagoshi, Rodney, Rodney.Nagoshi@ars.usda.gov, USDA-ARS;
Nutter, Forrest W., fwn@iastate.edu, Iowa State University;
Ravlin, Bill, koshar.3@osu.edu, Ohio state Unitversity;
Russo, Joe, russo@zedxinc.com, ZedX;
Sappington, Tom, Tom.Sappington@ars.usda.gov, USDA-ARS;
Schmale III, David G., dschmale@vt.edu, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University;
Spencer, Joe, spencer1@uiuc.edu, Illinois Natural History Survey;
Taylor, S. Elwynn, setaylor@iastate.edu, Iowa State University;
Westbrook, John K., John.Westbrook@ars.usda.gov, USDA-ARS

Brief Summary of Minutes

Thurs., 16 Oct.


Opening comments


The group agreed that the powerpoints would be placed on the PSU NCERA 148 site as pdf files. Roger will send the pdfs to Annalisa Ariatti . Participants who do not want their powerpoints to be displayed or changed should contact Annalisa or send her a new pdf.


No registration fee will be charged for this years meeting. Food and beverages are courtesy of the NCSU center for IPM. John Westcott is thanked for providing the funding for the award and David Byrne for arranging the award.
Administrative Advisors report (Rick Meyer and Bill Ravlin)


Ric Meyer gave the group a briefing on the change from CSREES to the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. The director of the agency will be a political appointee. There will be some changes to the NRI program, it will now be called the Agricultural Food Research Initiative. There are some changes to eligibility and now projects may run up to 10 years. Bill indicated that the group should collaborate to seek funding where possible. Examples were given of successful group collaborations.


Draft of project re-write (John Westbrook)


A draft of the project renewal has been circulated to the group.
Assignment of ad hoc nomination committees for officer (Hutchinson, Westbrook), meeting site (Schmale, Fleischer) and awards (Byrne, Isard).


Keynote presentation  Gerald Holmes (NC): Forecasting long-distance movement of plant diseases: the case for cucurbit downy mildew. Gerald is the recipient of funding from ipmPIPE. Gerald described the development of the cucurbit downy mildew PIPE and the basic biological research such as spore survival. Gerald is exploring new techniques such as email and text alerts to speed the message to stakeholders.


State reports: Theme 1  Pathogens


PA (Isard): Soybean and wheat stem rusts: progress toward forecasting long-distance aerial movement. Isard has two grants for wheat rust (UG 99) modeling critical issues ($90K) and NRI ($999K). The research techniques integrate aerobiological modeling with PCR diagnostics from samples from the National Atmospheric Dispersion network.


VA (Schmale): Tracking the movement of the potato late blight pathogen, Phytophthora infestans, in the lower atmosphere. Schmale described his NRI PB project to examine the aerobiology of P. infestans through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and other techniques.


State reports: Theme 2  Arthropods


MI (Colunga) Enhancing the Early Detection of Human-Mediated Invasions. Colunga described his NRI program for predicting hot zones for introduction of invasive pests. The techniques uses urbanicity, crop and trade data to predict the locations of the best locations for pest surveillance.


AZ (Byrne) Estimating flight performance by Bemisia tabaci based on laboratory and field populations. Examining insects from field crops provide the truest measures of actual migratory behavior. Estimates derived based on observations made of colonized insects provide useful starting points, but are limited in their usefulness.


TX (Sappington): Multidisciplinary Fingerprints for Forensic Reconstruction of a Boll Weevil Reinvasion. An interdisciplinary team used atmospheric trajectories, genetic fingerprinting and pollen analysis to identify the most likely source of a boll weevil re-infestation in the Southern Rolling Plains of Texas during 2007.


PA (Fleischer): Impact of greenhouse gas emission scenarios on voltinism of grape berry moth. Genetic analysis was used to look at the flight performance of noctuid moths.


Sate reports: Theme 3  Population Genetics


FL (Meagher): Capture of noctuid moths in Florida with floral compounds. The efficacy of binary combinations of floral compounds was tested as attractants. Can these compounds be used for trapping females in migration research? More studies will follow with possible expansion to Mississippi.


FL (Nagoshi): Migration and population genetics of fall armyworm. Genetic analysis has revealed two distinct migration pathways and populations. The most important one for central US is from Brazil into the south-central US with a minor pathway from Puerto Rico into Florida. There are two distinct strains, one infesting corn and another infesting turf.


IA (Miller & Sappington): Using genetic markers to understand the role of dispersal in the ongoing range expansion of the western bean cutworm.


MS (Blanco): Genetic analysis of H. zea and H. virescens populations obtained from different geographies and hosts in Mexico and the U.S. Genetic studies show the significance of local populations. This finding has implications for the development of insecticide resistance.


OH (Michel): Testing molecular markers in the soybean aphid for population differentiation. Genetic studies were used to test hypothesis about migration patterns in North America and from potential off-shore locations.


IL (Spencer): Use of transgenic corn tissue as a marker to determine the movement of western corn rootworm from refuges to transgenic corn. Males can travel 10s of rows to mate but the surprising results are that they are often mating with older females also from refuges. Spencer is also studying the natural movement of Japanese beetles from rural areas to urban areas by looking for round-up ready tissue in the beetles.


State reports: Theme 4  Computer Information Systems and Aerobiological Data


PA/NC (Russo/Magarey): A cyberinfrastructure for aerobiological modeling. An information architecture design that uses a generic architecture to share development costs. A cyberinfrastructure could potentially be used to share data and model output within NCERA-148, with stakeholders and with other research groups.


KS (Margosian): A GIS based spread model for exotic pests. The model uses a cost of movement algorithm which is based on host availability. Host data was obtained from NASS. The model has potential application for emergency response planning. Users who wish to try the model can go to http://129.130.86.197/spreadmodel/


Committee elections and selections


Official selection


Bill Hutchinson nominated, and John Westbrook seconded, Andy Michel as a candidate for Secretary-Treasurer. The vote was carried by acclamation.


Site selection


Shelby Fleischer and David Schmale recommended Virginia Tech as the site for the 2009 NCERA-148 meeting. There is a 45-minute commute from the airport. The first two weeks of October would be the best option to avoid football schedule. Avoid Columbus Day (federal holiday).


Awards


Charlie Main received the award 2008 NCERA 148 Recognition award. The award is given in recognition of DR Charles E. Main North Carolina State University, to the mission of NCERA 148. His development of a dispersal model for tobacco blue mold, Personospora tabacina serves as a prime example of combining basic and applied science. Without a thorough understanding of the biology of this plant pathogen such a program would not be possible. Charlies effort provided growers along the eastern seaboard a valuable tool with which to manage this pest. We also thank Charlie for his kind nature and wit.


Discussion of emerging challenges and prospective collaborations for aerobiological research and extension


Lepidopteran Aerobiology Modeling System (LAMS) Workshop: Status report and plans


MN (Hutchinson): The Zea Map site has moth flight updates, migration forecasts, educational material.


Future of LAMS should it continue to exist as a working group? Industry provides substantial funding. These funds have been used to purchase traps ($30,000 from one contributor). Industry also makes in kind funding. Two grant proposals were ranked high but not funded. Sustainably was questioned. Perhaps grant should focus on research, and drop inclusion of spatio-temporal database, assuming that will emerge from somewhere else. As in Precision Ag, technology is not scale-neutral: Where such a database would emerge from would influence data quality and geographic relevance.. The cost of establishing, maintaining, and providing quality data from a site was estimated at $1700 over two years. This represents $2 million in matching contribution on the part of cooperators. Maintaining the structure will help the group apply for funding.


Is there a chance of a USDA program to support cyberinfrastructure? Rick Meyer does not think so. Precision agriculture is rapidly maturing and some chemical companies will be giving out tools for monitoring. What is the role of Extension and researchers when federal funding is stagnant and decline, and industry is stepping in to provide more of the infrastructure.


Shelby Fleischer is considering a change in leadership for the LAMS workshop. Resubmission to specialty crops will be best because it allowed inclusion of research objectives.


Discussion of emerging challenges and prospective collaborations for aerobiological research and extension


Interacting with precision agriculture and the challenges it brings could be part of the future for NCERA 148. Precision agriculture includes pest monitoring. Precision agriculture is moving towards total farm management. Crop consultants are leading the charge. Variable rate application is now old hat but more farm level management, including pest management is coming. One proposal is to approach industry to establish and maintain spatiotemporal databases for all pests. In return for the data, researchers will provide technical information to industry (and growers!) but the funding mechanism was providing this support was undefined, and it would probably not be research, but Extension, that would be able to best supply relevant information. Data from industry will be supplied at the county level to protect identity, which represents a decrease in data resolution from current Extension programs. The national data would not be shared with the public, instead interpretations would be shared which is what the public wants and currently obtains from


Extension: the mechanism for funding Extension workings in such a plan was undefined. Researchers and Extension staff can help scale up the data. Extension can provide a framework for setting up the network.


Has the group come up with a list of what pests are of priority? This could be used as a way to help set funding priorities. This could be examined through previous reports. It may also be interesting to see how these priorities match up with industries. We also need to consider emerging and exotic pests.


The National Phenology Network is a good example of a project being designed correctly with handoffs to cooperators. The challenge is to develop an infrastructure/protocol that supports data sharing with industry.


Maintaining extension is problematic due to shrinking federal and state budgets and increased pressure by Extension workers to operate from competitive funds for both operations and salaries. If industry creates PIPE-like structures, should Extension work in this area, and under what funding mechanism?


Graduate student presentations


Allison Leidner, NCSU. Habitat fragmentation and dispersal of the Crystal Skipper moth. Genetic fingerprinting and mark recapture studies were used to study the influence of habitat fragmentation on a crystal butterfly associated with coastal dunes. The results showed that natural features such as forest and water were important barriers to movement as well as urban areas.


Katie Ellis  Penn State University Effects of wind direction and crop maturity on inter and intra-field dispersal of European corn borer. The objective was to characterize local dispersal (directional and distance from release). To confirm plant maturity preferences and to look at influence of plot mosaic on oviposition in individual plots


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Please see attached document. Thank you.

Brief Summary of Minutes

NCERA-148 Meeting Minutes Blacksburg, VA


Virginia Tech University


October 20-21, 2009


Tuesday, October 20


Opening Business
Thanking of organizing committee and chair, Dr. David Schmale III
Participants agreed to post presentations on the NCERA-148 website (http://ncera148.psu.edu/index.htm)


Administrative Advisors report (Rick Meyer and Bill Ravlin)
Rick Meyer presented an update regarding the switch from CSREES to the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. The director of the agency will be a political appointee. Rick also discussed the changes in the goals and priorities of NIFA and how this group could attract possible funding through workshops and conference grants.
Bill Ravlin concurred with Rick, and offered suggestions on how to seek funding.


Assignment of ad hoc nomination committees for officer and meeting site (Magarey, Michel).


Keynote Presentation: Patrick Tobin- The ecology, geopolitics, and economics of area-wide management of invading gypsy moth populations. Dr. Tobin discussed the history of the Slow the Spread program for control and management of the Gypsy Moth invasion.


State reports (Most presentations have been uploaded to the NCERA-148 website):


Theme 1  Pathogens
IA: Nutter, F. Balloon/spore trap platforms to quantify the strength of the source of spores that escape the plant canopy
VA: Schmale III, D. Monitoring the spread of the potato late blight pathogen in the lower atmosphere
NY: Shields, E. Developing tools for aerial sampling


-Theme 2  Arthropods
TX: Westbrook, J. Attraction of dispersing boll weevils from surrounding habitats relative to simulated pheromone diffusion from traps
IA: Sappington, T. Comparative flight performance of Bt-resistant and Bt-susceptible European corn borer
IA: Jiang. Ecological, physiological, hormonal, genetic, and molecular regulation of migration in the Oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker)
IL: Spencer, J.
Australia: Weiss, J. Real time spatial - temporal modeling of pest insect dispersal: Can TOPS improve predictions?
Australia: Feutrill, C. (via Weiss, J.). Establishing a tall suction trap network in south eastern Australia.
FL: Meagher R. and R. Nagoshi. Fall armyworm: male attraction to commercial pherormone lures.
PA: Fleischer S. Alates moving CMV, Lepidopterans, and mapping with excessive zeros.


Theme 3  Population Genetics
IA: Sappington T.W., K.S. Kim and N.J. Miller. Gene flow and population structure in western corn rootworm.
IA: Jiang. Insect migration in China: Evidence from molecular genetic markers
FL: Nagoshi R. and R. Meagher. Fall armyworm migration.
OH: Michel, A. Soybean aphid population genetics and rapid expansion of molecular tools


-Theme 4 Information Systems for Aerobiology and Biosecurity
PA: Isard S. and N. Dufault. Comparison of IAMS spore deposition predictions and SBR spore collections.
VA: Ross: Atmospheric transport barriers: analysis and visualization tool for geographically constraining the population structure of airborne microorganisms
NC: Magarey, R. Update on biosecurity cyberinfrastructure and international collaboration


Wednesday, October 21


Graduate student presentation
Laszlo Techy, Ph.D. Candidate, Virginia Tech University. Unmanned aerial vehicle coordination and path planning for aerobiological sampling applications


Committee elections and selections : David Schmale III was nominated, selected and confirmed as new Secretary-Treasurer. Rick Meyer and Roger Magarey were chosen to organize the 2010 in Washington, D.C.


-Open discussion: How can NCERA-148 foster international and industry collaborations, attract funding, and extend knowledge to the scientific community, and general public? R. Magarey, discussion leader.


-Discussion was focused on the long term goal of an international Migration and Dispersal international workshop for 2012, with the inclusion of teaching modules. Short term goals and benchmarks were discussed, including planning for future meetings (AZ in 2011, and D.C. in 2012 to host the conference). R. Magarey, A. Michel, D. Schmale II, S. Isard and S. Fleischer were chosen to help organize the future meetings. Full details can be found on the NCERA-148 website.


Closing Business


Adjournment of Meeting


Tour of Virginia Techs Kentland Farm and Demonstration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

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