Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The S-293 Improved Pecan Insect and Mite Pest Management Systems annual meeting was held March 7, 2004 at the Las Cruces Hilton in Las Cruces, NM in conjunction with the Western Pecan Growers Annual Conference. The meeting was called to order by Chair Ted Cottrell at 9:00 am. Minutes of the 2003 meeting, previously submitted to all S-293 members, were put forth for approval by the members with Phil Mulder making a motion to approve and being seconded by John McVay with unanimous approval from the members. The 2005 meeting site and date was discussed with a tentative site and date to be Tunica, MS in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Southeastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America. If, however, the SEB-ESA meeting conflicted with the Western Pecan Growers Annual Conference, then by default the 2005 meeting would be held in Las Cruces, NM. Objectives of the new project, DC-306, were discussed and the timeline for finishing and submitting the full write-up for the new project. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to discussion of research accomplishments during the prior year and research needs and plans for the upcoming season. The meeting was adjourned at 1:15pm.

Georgia - pecan insect and mite pest management research investigated the efficacy of new chemical and biocontrol methods in field and lab experiments. Overall, the 2004 season was unusual with rainfall on 4 of 5 days per week and residual action of chemical controls was very short, # 1 wk. However, 2 new miticides ? Acramite (Crompton-Uniroyal) and Envidor (Bayer) effectively controlled pecan leaf scorch mites for 4 wk. Pecan leaf scorch was ameliorated with soil application, adjacent to the emitters of a drip irrigation system, of the systemic insecticide imidacloprid in ?Kiowa? pecans. Trees treated in mid-summer had significantly less scorch symptoms and better foliage retention than untreated trees. Biocontrol of pecan leaf scorch mite was possible using the predatory mites Phytoseiulis persimilis and Galendromus occidentalis. Release of the predators in the center tree in one acre plots effectively controlled pecan leaf scorch mites in the entire plot. Control took 3 wk for P. persimilis and 4 wk for G. occidentalis. Phytoseiulis persimilis controlled mites equally over the entire plot whereas control by G. occidentalis was more effective in the center of the plot than along the edges. Prionus root borer adult emergence was monitored with light traps. Additional research in Georgia included research for development of an alternative non-chemical control measure for the pecan weevil. ARS scientists from Byron Georgia, in cooperation with University of Georgia, conducted field trials to determine the potential of Beauveria bassiana to suppress adult pecan weevils. The fungus was found capable of causing high mortality in adult pecan weevils. Lab research indicated that the beneficial insect-killing nematode Steinernema carpocapsae, is highly virulent to adult pecan weevils, but the potential of this nematode species as an effective biological control agent varies among strains. Therefore, ARS scientists in Byron Georgia (in collaboration with Univ. of Florida) compared eight different strains of S. carpocapsae for various traits important to biological control. Nematode strains were identified that were most likely to succeed in suppressing the pecan weevil. Lady beetles are primarily beneficial insects that eat pest insect and mite species, but the introduced multicolored Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) has become a pest when it overwinters in homes and is suspected to negatively impact native lady beetle species. Studies were done at Byron, GA to determine the potential for predation by the exotic beetle upon native lady beetle species and vice versa.

Texas - current Pecan IPM programs have reduced insecticide application by 40% over the past 2 decades and are currently using at-risk chemicals for 90+% of their very limited applications organophosphates, carbamates and lindane). Loss of these products will greatly increase use of pyrethroids with increased problems of secondary pests, resistance and costs, jeopardizing the Texas Pecan IPM programs. A pesticide/technology use grower survey was initiated Dec., 2003 to track progress of pecan IPM program. Studies initiated in conjunction with A. Knutson and B. Ree on "Impact of Fire Ants in Pecan" and continued with Dr. Charles Barr. Fire ant management with methoprene baits did not affect foliar pests of pecan. Follow-up work with A. Cognato on pecan-insect interaction and J. Jackman on web based predictions for pecan nut casebearer (PNC). Worked with O. Ochoa and Mech. Eng. students on physical properties of Carya, with Dr. C. Coble in Ag. Eng. on development of an inexpensive clock trap to monitor insect circadian rhythms and initiated a study of chemical properties of hickories with Dr. L. Rooney of Soil and Crop Science. Work with USDA Pecan Breeding Lab on host plant resistance in pecan and with chemical companies continued to develop new materials. Consolidated and published data on PNC pheromone, discovered a cryptic species of nut borer in Mexico (probably Acrobasis caryivorella) and found an attractant having pheromone potential.

Kansas/Missouri - The impact of a sawfly outbreak and subsequent defoliation on pecan pistillate flower abortion was studied on 4 cultivars. Fruit drop from trees defoliated by sawflies were compared to trees that sustained little or no sawfly damage. Early season defoliation by sawfly larvae did not influence fruit drop by the cultivars Chetopa, Pawnee, and Posey. Fruit drop was increased 4x following sawfly defoliation of the cultivar, Giles. Giles trees not infested with sawfly larvae dropped 0.7 nuts per cluster following pollination while heavily infested trees dropped 2.8 nuts/cluster. Additionally, a study of normal pecan fruit abortion following pollination in native pecans revealed that abortion rates are much higher during ?off? years than in ?on? years. Over the same time period, percent of clusters damaged by PNC larvae was greater during ?off? years than ?on? years. Pistillate flower abortion rate provides a tool for predicting nut set and for predicting the need for casebearer control measures.

Alabama - pecan orchards across production areas in AL were monitored with pheromone traps for PNC, light traps for hickory shuckworm and emergence traps for pecan weevil. Direct counts were made to determine relative populations of yellow aphids, the black pecan aphid and the pecan leaf scorch mite. Traps were serviced daily and reported weekly, while direct counts were made weekly.

Louisiana - Two varieties of Round-Up Ready soybeans (Garst 588RR/N, Asgrow AG6101)were planted as stink bug trap crops in mid-June. Sweep net samples for stink bugs were taken weekly, beginning at pod formation. When sweep net samples were taken, 100 nut clusters were inspected for stink bugs. Sweep net sampling indicated attractiveness of the soybeans to stink bugs. However, the soybeans proved to be unattractive to Leptoglosus phyllopus. No statistically significant differences could be detected in the number of nuts damaged on trees in the area around the trap crop and on trees where there was no trap crop. Damage levels were low, ranging from 2 to 8 %. Insecticide trials were conducted for control of pecan nut PNC and hickory shuckworm (HSW). PNC trials were conducted at a commercial pecan orchard located south of Benton, LA. Significantly fewer nut clusters were damaged by first and second generation PNC on trees treated with Dimilin 2L (.126 lb[ai]/acre), Lorsban 4E (1.0 lb[ai]/acre), Spintor 2SC (0.06 lb[ai]/acre), and Imidan 70WSB (1.4 lb[ai]/acre) than on the untreated control trees. HSW trials were conducted at the Pecan Research-Extension Station orchard located south of Shreveport, LA. Although shuckworm damage levels were low (four percent on the untreated control trees) significantly fewer nuts were damaged on trees treated with Spintor 2SC (0.06 lb[ai]/acre), Intrepid 2F (0.06,0.12 lb[ai]/acre), Baythroid 2EC (0.022 lb[ai]/acre), Lorsban 4E (1.0 lb[ai]/acre), and Confirm 2F (0.12 lb[ai]/acre) than on the untreated control trees.

Oklahoma: Use of Circle trap technology has proven useful for Oklahoma growers attempting to make treatment decisions for pecan weevil. Field evaluations of this trapping system have resulted in development of a threshold utilizing these traps in pecan. Field evaluations have also shown effective control of PNC with Spintor, Confirm, Intrepid, and Lorsban. A 3rd yr of work was completed on developing a degree-day based model for pecan phylloxera in native and improved pecan cultivars in Oklahoma and Louisiana. Studies were completed on the effects of grazing legume-based or native orchard floors in flood-prone and non-flood prone areas. Pecan weevil populations were greater in non-flood prone areas than in the flood plane. Pecan aphid populations were greater and beneficial organisms were slightly lower in areas with native grasses, compared to sites with legumes. PNC adult populations were similar in flooded and non-flooded areas. These same populations were greater in grazed areas than in ungrazed sites. In addition, adult casebearer populations were greater in areas overseeded with legumes as opposed to areas with native vegetation. Damage from PNC larvae was similar across all treatments.

New Mexico - the importance of ground covers on the complex of beneficial insects that feed on PNC was determined in addition to the efficacy of Deraeocris nebulosis in controlling the pecan aphid complex. An eleven acre, seven yr old pecan orchard was divided into PNC paintball pheromone and check treatments. Each treated tree received three-four PNC pheromone paintballs. Shots were targeted at the low, mid and upper canopy. Five nutlet clusters per tree and 25 trees per replication were examined for infestation after the first and second PNC generation. All trap data was collected using the ISCA Technologies Moritor System. Trap data can be easily transferred from the PDA directly to the Moritor web site. The mean number of moths caught over the season showed that pheromone disruption occurred after treatments were applied and resulted in a reduction of infested pecan nut clusters. Infestations were reduced in both generations in treated plots. Paintball pheromone treated pecan trees significantly (p reduced the number of moths caught in traps and reduced infested versus untreated pecan trees. When the pheromone was depleted there was an increase in trap catches. Data was averaged by replication, descriptive statistics were derived and a test of significance performed to compare statistical differences. Pheromone disruption is a novel insect control method that may prove to be valuable in integrated pest management of PNC, particularly in small orchards and home owner settings. Continued research need to be conducted to increase longevity, determine efficacy of control on larger trees and acreages and to determine cost effectiveness.

Cottrell, T. E. and D. I. Shapiro-Ilan. 2003. Susceptibility of a native and an exotic lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to Beauveria bassiana. J. Invert. Path. 84: 137-144.

Cottrell, T. E. and B. W. Wood. 2003. Pecan weevil management: past, present and toward a future strategy. Southw. Entomologist. Suppl No. 27. 142 pp.

Cottrell, T.E., J.K. Greene, R.F. Mizell, C.E. Yonce and B.W. Wood. Using pheromone traps to sample stink bugs in and around pecan orchards. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Assoc. 2003. P. 14-27.

Dutcher, J. D., M. K. Harris, and D. A. Dean. (Eds.) 2003. Integration of Chemical and Biological Insect Control in Native, Seedling, and Improved Pecan Production. Southw. Entomologist. Suppl. No. 27. 142 pp.

Dutcher, J. D., G. W. Hudson, and H.C. Ellis. 2003. Recent advances in pecan pest management in improved and seedling pecan orchards. P. 21-38. In Dutcher, J. D., M. K. Harris, and D. A. Dean. (Eds.) 2003. Integration of Chemical and Biological Insect Control in Native, Seedling, and Improved Pecan Production. Southw. Entomologist. Suppl. No. 27. 142 pp.

Dutcher, J. D. and W. Hudson. 2003. Pecan Nut Casebearer Control with Insect Growth Regulator Insecticides. Southeastern Pecan Growers Proceedings ? Articles & Information 96: 62-67.

Dutcher, J. D. 2003. Keep pecan leaves healthy. Research Spotlight. The Pecan Grower. V. 14(3): 10-11.

Dutcher, J. D. 2003. Pecan entomology field notes from 2002. Research Spotlight. The Pecan Grower. V. 14(4): 17-18.

Dutcher, J. D. 2003. Environmental factors loom over orchard management. Research Spotlight. The Pecan Grower. V. 15(1): 10.

Dutcher, J. D. 2003. Pecan leaf scorch mite, an increasingly important problem. Research Spotlight. The Pecan Grower. V. 15(2): 26-27.

Ellington, J. and T. Carrillo. 2003. Black Aphid Control. XXXVIV Annual Western Pecan Conference Proceedings.

Hall, M. J. 2003. Evaluation of three insecticides for control of yellow aphids on pecan in Louisiana, Pp.71-72. In, M. Hall and R. S. Sanderlin [eds.], Citrus, Fruit, and Nut ACE Group Research Summary. LAES Res. Sum. 147. 104p.

Hall, M. J. 2003. Evaluation of four insecticides for control of first and second generation pecan nut casebearer in a commercial pecan orchard in Louisiana, Pp. 73-74. In, M. Hall and R. S. Sanderlin [eds.], Citrus, Fruit, and Nut ACE Group Research Summary. LAES Res. Sum. 147. 104p.

Hall, M. J. 2003. A comparison of two miticides for control of pecan leaf scorch mite in a commercial pecan orchard in Louisiana, Pp. 75-76. In, M. Hall and R. S. Sanderlin [eds.], Citrus, Fruit, and Nut ACE Group Research Summary. LAES Res. Sum. 147. 104p.

Harris, M.K. 2003. Pecan Nut Casebearer Management in the Far West. 37th West. Pec. Conf. Proc., Las Cruces. pp 11-16.

Harris, M. K., and D. A. Dean. 2003. Horticultural and Floricultural Entomology/Field Crop Entomology. CD-ROM (self-published).

Harris, M., A. Knutson, A. Calixto, A. Dean, L. Brooks, and B. Ree. 2003. Impact of red imported fire ant on foliar herbivores and natural enemies. In Integration of chemical and biological insect control in native, seedling, and improved pecan production. eds. J.D. Dutcher, M. K. Harris and D.A. Dean. 2003. Southwest. Entomol. Supplement No. 27: 123-34

Kulkarni, R., J. Brewer, O. Ochoa and M. Harris. 2003. Anisotropy in Hickory Shells. Proceedings of the American Society of Composites 18th Ann. Tech. Conf. Oct. 2003.

McCraw, B.D. and P.G. Mulder, Jr. 2003. Pecan management e-learning on the Internet. http://pecan.okstate.edu

Mulder, P.G., W. Reid, R.A. Grantham, S. Landgraff, L. Talleferro, M.E. Payton, and A. Knutson. 2003. Evaluation of trap design and pheromone formulation used for monitoring pecan weevil, Curculio caryae. Southwestern Entomol. (in press)

Shapiro-Ilan, D. I., W. A. Gardner, J. R. Fuxa, B. W. Wood, K. B. Nguyen, B. J. Adams, R. A. Humber, and M. J. Hall. 2003. Survey of entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi endemic to pecan orchards in the southeastern United States and their virulence to the pecan weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Environ. Entomol: 32(1):187-195.

Shapiro-Ilan, D.I., Gouge, D.H.,Koppenhofer., A.M. Factors affecting commercial success: case studies in cotton, turf, and citrus. Gaugler, R. editor. New York, NY: CABI Publishing; Chapter 16. 2002. p.333-355 Entomopathogenic Nematology.

Shapiro-Ilan, D.I., Gardner, W., Fuxa, J.R., Wood, B.W., Nguyen, K., Adams, B., Humber, R.A., Hall, M.J.. Microbial control research for the suppression of the pecan weevil. Proceedings of the Western Pecan Conference, 2002. p. 2-15.

Shapiro-Ilan, D.I., Reilly, C.C., Hotchkiss, M.W., Wood., B.W. The beneficial insect-killing fungus, Beauveria bassiana, can overcome effects of fungicide sprays. Pecan Grower. 2003. v.14(4). p. 24-27.

Smith, D., M. Harris and T. Liu. 2003. IPM practices by vegetable growers. Am. Entomol. 48: 236-242.

Stevenson, D. E., A. E. Knutson, W. Ree, J. A. Jackman, A. Dean, J. H. Matis, J. McVay, M. Mesbitt, R. Mizell, J. D. Dutcher, W. Reid, M. Hall, D. Barlow, M. T. Smith, P. Mulder, M. W. Smith, J. G. Milar and M. K. Harris. 2003. Pecan nut casebearer pheromone monitoring and degree-day model validation across the pecan belt. P. 57-74. In Dutcher, J. D., M. K. Harris, and D. A. Dean. (Eds.) 2003. Integration of Chemical and Biological Insect Control in Native, Seedling, and Improved Pecan Production. Southw. Entomologist. Suppl. No. 27. 142 pp.

Reid, W. and P.G. Mulder. 2003. Insect pest management systems for native pecans. Southwestern Entomologist (in Press).

Reid, W. 2003. Current pest management systems for pecan. Oklahoma Pecan Growers Newsletter 44(2): 3-8.

Reid, W. 2003. Spray What? Pecan South 36(4):12-17.