WERA_OLD66: Integrated Management of Russian Wheat Aphid and Other Cereal Aphids
(Multistate Research Coordinating Committee and Information Exchange Group)
Status: Inactive/Terminating
WERA_OLD66: Integrated Management of Russian Wheat Aphid and Other Cereal Aphids
Duration: 10/01/2001 to 09/30/2006
Administrative Advisor(s):
NIFA Reps:
Non-Technical Summary
Statement of Issues and Justification
Aphid pests including Russian wheat aphid (RWA), Diuraphis noxia, and Greenbug, Schizaphis graminum, are occasionally serious pests of cereal crops in the U.S. Since being introduced into the United States in 1986, RWA has spread throughout the western Great Plains cereal production area, the Pacific Northwest, and the desert Southwest. The total economic damage in the United States caused by RWA has exceeded $1 billion since 1986, considering crop loss (approximately $394.3 million), cost of pest control (approximately $95.6 million), and lost revenue to rural economies (indirect costs of approximately $517.6 million). Annual losses attributed to greenbug average $12 million per year in the central and western Great Plains and parts of the inter-mountain basin, but can increase to over $100 million per state during severe outbreaks. RWA is a chronic annual pest of cereals in southeastern Colorado and causes localized periodic damage throughout the rest of its distribution range of the western continental U.S. Crop losses from aphid pests are most common on stressed plants grown in marginal soils. Damage from RWA is most common in low rainfall, dryland cereal production areas, where growers tend to have the narrowest profit margins. Damage from greenbug occurs throughout the Western Region, but is most severe when rainfall is low.
Objectives
-
Facilitate integrated pest management approaches at the field and landscape level to manage cereal aphid pests in the western U.S.
-
Coordinate biological control, host plant resistance and cropping system research including evaluation of natural enemy performance and resistant cultivars alone and in combination in order to identify complementary management systems.
-
Coordinate research in genetics, physiology, taxonomy, and ecology of cereal aphids that aids in facilitating implementation of integrated management strategies in diverse agricultural systems.
-
Coordinate research in genetics, physiology, taxonomy, and ecology of cereal aphid natural enemies that will aid in defining the role and enhancing the impact of cereal aphid predators and parasitoids in diverse agricultural systems.
-
Enable Cooperative Extension personnel to exchange information, provide current knowledge of regionally adapted integrated pest management tactics, have input in research prioritization, and evaluate adoption of recommended management strategies.
-
Procedures and Activities
Expected Outcomes and Impacts
- Identify and evaluate complementary integrated management strategies (principally biological control, host plant resistance, cropping system practices, and habitat manipulations) that are principal factors in the regulation of cereal aphids at the field and landscape level.
- Revise previously implemented strategies (principally economic thresholds and insecticide use strategies) to optimize implementation of longer-term more sustainable approaches.
- Meet jointly every other year with the Greenbug Research Consortium to enhance exchange among workers in cereal aphid pest management.
- Publish research findings, stressing joint publication of articles among committee participants from multiple agencies.
Projected Participation
View Appendix E: ParticipationEducational Plan
ed_plan
1. Through participation of Cooperative Extension and other cooperating agencies, enhance implementation of integrated cereal aphid management strategies within states and throughout the western region.
a. Develop a regional aphid IPM web-site that includes aphid management
guidelines, research results, and WCC-066 accomplishments.
b. Develop aphid IPM extension bulletins and support release of popular press
articles.
c. Present WCC-066 research results and management guidelines at state and
national grower meetings.
2. Assess impact of educational plans on adoption and implementation of cereal aphid pest management strategies. This educational objective is based on a funded 5-yr USDA-ARS Areawide Pest Management Program developed by WCC-066 participants.
a. Within several Great Plains states, establish grower focus groups, and gather
preliminary pest, economic, and agronomic data.
b. Over a 5-year period, monitor dissemination of pest management information,
and adoption of pest management strategies"
Organization/Governance
governance
"Committee chair Subcommittees
Chair-Elect Biological Control (with chair)
Secretary Aphid - Plant Interaction and Ecology (with chair)"
Literature Cited