Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: (full individual reports for 2002 can be found on the W-1185 website or can be obtained via the W-1185 Administrative Advisor, Dr. Donald Cooksey (Donald.cooksey@ucr.edu). Goal A: Import and Establish Effective Natural Enemies Objective 1. Survey indigenous natural enemies. Surveys for natural enemies of arthropod and weed pests were conducted either in the native home of the pest or within the country of invasion. Pests for which surveys were conducted over that last year include: Delairea odorata in California; A. colemani and D. rapae on Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan; Aphis gossypii in the Federated States of Micronesia; whiteflies on Guam; and Spodoptera litura, Liriomyza spp., and Plutella xylostella in American Samoa. Objective 2. Conduct foreign exploration and ecological studies in native range of pest. Several agencies in the western states conducted foreign exploration and importation of natural enemies for both new and established arthropod and weed pests this past year. The following list includes pests for which exploratory research was conducted: Eucayptolyma maideni in Australia; Bemisia tabaci in India; Objective 3. Determine systematics and biogeography of pests and natural enemies. Efforts were directed at determining morphological characters that may be used to identify the three genetic types of Salsola tragus in the western United States. Specimens of the three types of S. tragus and two forms of S. paulsenii were grown and plant samples were obtained at several times during the growing season. In 2002, the plant samples were examined by a plant taxonomist and the objective is to develop a morphological key that will provide identification of these types. The previously unknown larvae and biology of the genus Chrysopodes were described, and a publication for identifying the U.S.A. species was developed. Objective 4. Determine environmental safety of exotic candidates prior to release. CAB International (CABI) conducted host-specificity studies on two cynipid gall wasps (Xestophanes spp.) and an unidentified gall midge (Cecidomyidae) for biocontrol of sulfur cinquefoil, Potentilla recta. CABI also continued host-specificity tests on three insect species for biocontrol of houndstongue, Cynoglossum officinale. These insects include a seed weevil, M. borraginis; a stem weevil, M. trisignatus; and a root fly, Cheilosia pasquorum. Screening has been completed on the root weevil, Mogulones cruciger and a root beetle, Longitarsus quadriguttatus. Objective 5. Release, establish and redistribute natural enemies. Rearing efforts were continued on three biocontrol agents introduced against spotted knapweed, Centaurea maculosa: the root moth Agapeta zoegana, the root weevil Cyphocleonus achates, and the root moth Pelochrista medullana. Numerous releases of A. zoegana and C. achates were made throughout Montana. In Oregon, a total of 22,818 insects were released at 67 sites from 1997 through 2002 for the control of purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria, a weed of wetlands, and about 76% of releases are found to be persistent and detectable in follow-up studies to date. Adult Eustenopus villosus weevils were released for knapweeds at field sites in 16 counties throughout California. Both meadow and black knapweeds occur in northern California and are considered invasive weeds. Post-release surveys in 2002 showed that L. minutus was recovered in good numbers from black knapweed and in good numbers from meadow knapweed. Also, the knapweed gall fly, Urophora quadrifasciata was found well established on both black and meadow knapweeds in northern California. An established population of the eriophyid gall mite, Aceria malherbae, was recovered from field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) at a release site on the Kansas State University campus for the sixth consecutive summer. One species of parasitoid of Pink Hibiscus Mealybug is being produced in CA and supplied for release in infested areas near the US/Mexico border and in Florida. Two imported Gonatocerus spp. egg parasitoids of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca coagulata, Say are mass-reared and released in GWSS infested regions in CA. Colonies of L. testaceipes collected on Guam continue to be reared in an insectary on the UOG campus and released on A. gossypii and T. citricida at agricultural sites in northern and southern Guam. Objective 6. Evaluate natural enemy efficacy and study ecological/physiological basis for interactions. Numerous studies have been conducted to determine the potential efficacy of natural enemies against invasive and indigenous pest species. Current work includes: Studies on the impact of C. achates and a study to assess the effect of the herbicides, 2,4-D and Transline on knapweed root insects. Oregon scientists combined large-scale field experiments and mathematical models to show that weed biocontrol can be made more effective by targeting and disrupting key transitions in weed life cycles and by exploiting the combinatorial ecology of biocontrol through coordinated manipulation of disturbance, plant competition, and natural enemy regimes. Another Oregon monitoring study found purple loosestrife populations declined to <11% of pre-control levels following release of leaf beetles Galerucella pusilla and G. calmariensis. Studies to determine the impact of biological control agents released at a California spotted knapweed infestation continued in 2002. Six knapweed insects were previously released at this site: U. quadrifasciata, U. affinis, L. minutus, Terellia virens, Agapeta zoegana, and C. achates. Most of the seed head insects now show good attack rates at this site except for T. virens whose attack rate remains less than 3%. The weevil, L. minutus has the highest attack rate (>60%) followed by U. affinis and U. quadrifasciata, respectively. Surveys of whiteflies and their parasitoids on urban landscape plants in the Imperial Valley of CA are complete. Exotic parasitoids continue to be recovered two years after releases were terminated. Field-cage evaluations in CA citrus of imported species of glassy-winged sharpshooter egg parasitoids were conducted to measure rates of parasitism, establishment probability & competitive interactions with native species. Monitoring of eugenia psyllid and previously established Tamarixia sp. parasitoid populations continued in Berkeley, CA, and a study was initiated to test different pruning methods to encourage parasitoid activity. High rates of hyperparasitism by Encarsia transvena and short development times on Eretmocerus mundus suggest incompatibility in developing biological control programs in India Goal B: Conserve Natural Enemies to Increase Biological Control of Target Pests. Objective 7. Characterize and identify pest and natural enemy communities and their interactions. Many approaches are being utilized to determine the role of natural enemies within the host community. Current studies include: quantifying natural enemy populations and other sources of mortality impacting pest populations; examining feeding behavior of natural enemies among different crop varieties; using monoclonal antibodies to screen predators for the presence of pest species in their guts; conducting host discrimination studies; investigating parasitoid guilds; determining actual field parasitization rates; evaluating various pest management tactics that permit the preservation of the natural enemy complexes associated with established pest complexes; and knowledge of the selectivity of currently available pesticides and how their impact affects host availability. Results include: larval and adult chrysopids and hemerobiids associated with pests in fruit and nut orchards, field and row crops, as well as nurseries were identified. Objective 8. Identify and assess factors potentially disruptive to biological control. Pesticides and transgenic crops are just a few of the factors being evaluated with respect to disruption of biological control. Specific studies include: an Oregon study that found that biocontrol of purple loosestrife is largely unaffected by other weed control treatments (mowing, tilling, herbicide, and burning) applied on local scales for the control of reed canary grass. An extensive 4-year field study found that two insect growth regulators (buprofezin and pyriproxyfen) are relatively selective for control of Bemisia tabaci and are highly compatible with conservation biological control in cotton. A 3 year study has failed to demonstrate any consistent negative effects of transgenic Bt cotton on natural enemy abundance, diversity or function in Arizona. Several reduced risk insecticides with potential against scab moth have been identified, and improved application equipment has been obtained. Objective 9. Implement and evaluate habitat modification, horticultural practices, and pest suppression tactics to conserve natural enemy activity. A ten-year field study at NY-CUAES showed that the Colorado potato beetle is not likely to evolve resistance to crop rotation quickly and that this tactic, if well-practiced, should remain a valuable tactic for pest suppression. Goal C: Augment Natural Enemies to Increase Biological Control Efficacy. Objective 10. Assess biological characteristics of natural enemies. Researchers at the NY-CUAES (in collaboration with colleagues in Brazil) evaluated and summarized the biological control potential of two chrysopid genera (Chrysoperla and Ceraeochrysa) that are being mass-reared for release in the U.S.A. and Latin America. The reproductive biology of Gryon obesum Masner (Scelionidae) was investigated in the laboratory using eggs of Euschistus conspersus Uhler (Pentatomidae) as hosts. Mean female longevity was 47.3 days when males and hosts were present, compared to 61.7 days for females that were deprived of males and host eggs. Because G. obesum has a shorter generation time and a greater lifetime fecundity than E. conspersus, it has great potential in augmentative biological control of this pest in crops such as processing tomato in northern California. Objective 11. Conduct experimental releases to assess feasibility. Studies have been reported under many of the other objectives. Objective 12. Develop procedures for rearing, storing, quality control and release of natural enemies. Mass-rearing techniques were developed for egg parasitoids of the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca coagulata, Say. Objective 13. Implement augmentation programs and evaluate efficacy of natural enemies. For the twospotted mite (Tetranychus urticae) on ivy geraniums, releases of its predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis, were determined first by developing a reliable, efficient, presence-absence sampling program for twospotted mite. Subsequently, predator-to-prey release ratios were developed which specified minimum numbers of predators to provide adequate pest suppression to produce commercially acceptable ornamental plants. The range of ratios that were most effective fell between 1:4 and 1:20. Goal D: Evaluate Environmental and Economic Impacts of Biological Control. Objective 14. Evaluate the environmental impacts of biological control agents. In Oregon, a regional survey and a local field-experiment suggests that nontarget effects of the cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae on native plants in the genera Senecio and Packera are infrequent and of limited consequence. An estimated 9 of 20 native plant species in these genera were exposed to the cinnabar moth, 3 of 9 exposed species were damaged, and damage levels within and between attacked sites were low. Most species in these genera are likely unused because of geographic isolation from the moth, habitat selection by the moth, or asynchrony between the moth and non-target-plant phonologies. Whiteflies and their parasitoids were sampled in California from four crop types during 2001-2002. Parasites are identified using traditional and molecular taxonomic techniques. Crops, land use, and insecticide use surrounding the sampled fields were factored into a multivariate analysis. Differences in distribution of surrounding crop and insecticide use factors are being correlated to whitefly, indigenous parasitoid, and exotic parasitoid populations. A survey was begun to compare insect populations among riparian vegetation types along the lower Colorado River. This information will be used to estimate potential impact of Saltcedar biocontrol on non-target insect populations. A study was begun to examine potential non-target impacts resulting from vertebrate predation on Saltcedar natural enemies. Objective 15. Evaluate the economic impacts of target pests and their biological control. In Oregon biological control of ragwort Senecio jacobaea has returned economic benefits valued as $5 million per yr (benefit: cost ratio of 13:1) and environmental benefits including recovery of a threatened native wildflower, the hairy-stemmed checker mallow Sidalcia hirtipes. WORK PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR: In 2002, research addressed all fifteen objectives. Research will continue on all goals and objectives for a variety of target arthropod and weed pests throughout the Western United States and affiliated areas. Exploration for new biological control agents will continue, as will release, redistribution, and evaluation of establishment and efficacy. Improvements in conservation and augmentation methods and technologies will continue; these will provide better opportunities for incorporating biological control into integrated pest management programs. Increased emphasis will be placed on evaluating the economic and environmental impacts of biological control. Strong collaboration and communication among researchers in the regional project will continue to lead to significant advances in biological pest control technology. This will result in more environmentally and economically sound solutions to regional pest problems.

Due to space limitations, this is only a partial publication list. See the W-1185 website for the full 2002 publication list. Antony, B., M.S. Palaniswami, and T.J. Henneberry. 2001. Hyperparasitism by an autoparasitoid, Encarsia transvena (Timberlake) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) and its implications for the biological control of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, In D. Muraleedharan, K. Nair, N. Mohandas, P. Tandon, M. Palaniswami & M. Jacob [eds.], Entomon (special issue): 80-85. Balciunas, J., Villegas, B. 2001. The unintentionally-released yellow starthistle seed-head fly, Chaetorellia succinea (Diptera: Tephritidae): is this natural enemy of yellow starthistle a threat to safflower growers? Environmental Entomology. 30(5): 953-963. Balciunas, J. K, M. J. Grodowitz, A. F. Cofrancesco, and J. F. Shearer. (in press). Hydrilla. pp. 95-118 In R. van Driesche (ed.), Biological Control of Weeds in the Eastern United States. U.S. Forest Service, New York, NY. Balciunas, J. K., C. N. Mehelis, and M. Chau. 2002. Joe Balciunas Research Report (Jan. 2001 through March 2002). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA. 56 pp. Boyd, E. A. 2002. Life history and impact assessment of Nanophyes marmoratus Goeze on Lythrum salicaria L. in Washington State. M. S. thesis, Washington State Univ., Pullman. 56 p. Coombs, E. and G. Piper. 2002. Biological control of weeds--A tool for forest management. West. Forester 47 (3): 8-10. Coombs, E. and G. Piper. 2002. Biological control of weeds--A tool for forest management. Northwest Woodlands 18 (3): 16-17. Coombs, E. M., G. L. Piper, and L. M. Wilson. 2002. Biological control, pp. 4-7. In: R. D. William, D. Ball, T. L. Miller, R. Parker, J. P. Yenish, T. W. Miller, D. W. Morishita, & P. J. S. Hutchinson (eds.), Pacific Northwest Weed Management Handbook. Wash. State Univ. Coop. Ext. Serv., Pullman. Coulson, J. R., DeLoach, C. J., Carruthers, C., Hackett, K.J. 2000. Accomplishments and current status of ARS Research on Classical Biological Control of Arthropods and Weeds, pp. 145-157. In Coulson, J.R., editor. 110 Years of Biological Control Research and Development in the US Department of Agriculture. USDA-ARS. DeLoach, C. J., R. I. Carruthers, J. E. Lovich, T. L. Dudley, and S. Smith. (2001). Biological control of saltcedar: progress in research and ecological evaluation. Avian Biology (in press). Dreistadt, S.H. and D.L. Dahlsten. 2001. Psyllids, Univ. Calif. Agric. Nat. Res. Publ. 7403, 4pp. Dudley, T. L., C. J. DeLoach, P. A. Lewis and R. I. Carruthers. 2001. Cage tests and field studies indicate leaf-eating beetle may control saltcedar. Ecological Restoration 19:260-261. Ehler, L. E. 2002. An evaluation of some natural enemies of Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in northern California. BioControl 47: 309-325. Ehler, L. E., L. B. Maller, and Y. Hirose. 2002. Reproductive biology of Gryon obesum Masner (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae). J. Hym. Res. 11: 1-4. Godfrey, K., D. Steinkraus, and M. McGuire. 2001. Fungal pathogens of the cotton and green peach aphids in the San Joaquin Valley. Southwestern Entomol. 26: 297 - 303. Godfrey, K., K. Daane, W. Bentley, R. Gill, and R. Malakar-Kuenen. 2002. Mealybugs in California Vineyards. UC-ANR Pub. No. 21612. Grobbelaar, E., J. K. Balciunas, O. Neser, and S. Neser. (in press). South African insects for biological control of Delairea odorata. pp. xx-xx In M. Kelly (ed.) Proceedings, 2000 CalEPPC Symposium, Volume 6, 6-8 October 2000, Concord, CA. Hagler, JR and E Miller. 2002. An alternative to conventional insect marking procedures: detection of a protein mark on pink bollworm by ELISA. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 103: 1-9. Hagler, JR, S Machtley, and J Leggett. 2002. Parasitoid mark-release-recapture techniques. I. Development of a battery-operated suction trap for collecting minute insects. Biocontrol Sci. Technol. (In press). Hagler, JR, CG Jackson, TJ Henneberry, and JR Gould. 2002. Parasitoid mark-release-recapture techniques. II. Development and application of a protein marking technique for Eretmocerus spp., parasitoids of Bemisia argentifolii. Biocontrol Sci. Technol. (In press). Hagler, JR. 2002. Foraging behavior, host stage selection and gut content analysis of field collected Drapetis nr. divergens: A predatory fly of Bemisia argentifolii. Southwest. Entomol. (In press). Hagler, JR, H Costa, and K Daane. 2002. A monoclonal antibody specific to glassy-winged sharpshooter egg protein: A tool for predator gut analysis and early detection of pest infestation. Symp. Proceedings, Pierces Disease Research Symposium. P. 37-39. Larking, T. S., Carruthers, R. I., Legaspi, B. C. 2000. A computational method for simulating insect pathogenesis. Transactions of the Society for Computer Simulation. 17: 25-33. McGuire, M.R., K. E. Godfrey, and D. C. Steinkraus. 2001. Entomopathogenic fungi for control of aphids and lygus in California. Proc. Beltwide Cotton Conf. 2: 960-961. Messenger, M. T., L. L. Buschman and J. R. Nechols. 2001. Survey and evaluation of native and released predators of the Banks grass mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) in corn and surrounding vegetation. J. Kansas Ent. Soc. 73: 112-122. Miller, R.H., K.S. Pike and P. Stary. 2002. Aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) on Guam. Micronesica 34(2): 87-103 Naranjo, S. E., P. C. Ellsworth, C. C. Chu & T. J. Henneberry. 2002. Conservation of predatory arthropods in cotton: Role of action thresholds for Bemisia tabaci. J. Econ. Entomol. 95: 682-692. Naranjo, S. E. 2001. Conservation and evaluation of natural enemies in IPM systems for Bemisia tabaci. Crop Prot. 20(Special Issue): 835-852. Naranjo, S. E., G. D. Butler, Jr. & T. J. Henneberry. 2002. A bibliography of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders). U.S. Dept. Agric., Agric. Res. Service, Bibliographies and Literature of Agriculture No. 136. Naranjo, S. E. 2002. Arthropod communities and transgenic cotton in the Western US. pp. 33-38. In M. Hoddle, (ed.), Proceedings 3rd California Conference on Biological Control, 15-16 August 2002, Davis, CA. Naranjo, S. E., G. D. Butler, Jr. & T. J. Henneberry. 2002. Complete bibliography of Bemisia tabaci and Bemisia argentifolii. pp. 227-415. In Silverleaf whitefly: National research, action and technology transfer plan, 1997-2001; Fourth annual review of the second 5-year plan and final report for 1992-2002. USDA-ARS, June 2002. Naranjo, S. E. and P. C. Ellsworth. 2002. Arthropod communities and transgenic cotton in the western USA: Implications for biological control. In First International Symposium on Biological Control of Arthropods, 13-18 January 2002, Honolulu, Hawaii, R. Van Driesche (ed.). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Morgantown, West Virginia. Naranjo, S. E. and P. C. Ellsworth. 2002. Looking for functional non-target differences between transgenic and conventional cottons: Implications for biological control. pp. 158-163. In Cotton, A College of Agriculture Report, Univ. Arizona, Tucson, Series P-130. Orr, M.R., S.H. Seike, W.W. Benson and D.L. Dahlsten. 2001. Host specificity of Pseudacteon (Diptera: Phoridae) parasitoids that attack Linepithema in South America. Environmental Entomology 30(4):742-747. Pickett, C. H., J. Brown, G. Simmons, J. Goolsby, and B. Abel.Releases of exotic parasitoids for permanent establishment in central California, In: Silverleaf Whitefly: National Research, Action, and Technology Transfer Plan: Fourth Annual Review of the Second 5-Year Plan and Final Report for 1992-2002. 1992-2002. USDA-ARS publ. 438 pp. Piper, G. L. 2002. Hopping on a bad weed--Insect biocontrol of Dalmatian toadflax in Washington. Agrichem. Environ. News 196: 8-11. Online at: http://aenews.wsu.edu. Pitcairn, M. J., J. A. Young, C. D. Clements, and J. K. Balciunas. 2002. Purple starthistle (Centaurea calcitrapa) seed germination. Weed Technology. 16: 452-456. Roltsch, W.J. Establishment of introduced parasitoids of the silverleaf whitefly in Imperial Valley, Ca. . In: Silverleaf Whitefly: National Research, Action, and Technology Transfer Plan, 1992-2002: Third Annual Review of the Second 5-Year Plan. USDA-ARS publ. 200 pp. Story, J. M., Smith, L., Good, W. R. 2001. Relationship Among Growth Attributes of Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) in Western Montana. Weed Technology 15: 750-761. Tauber, M. J. and C. A. Tauber. 2002. Prolonged dormancy in Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae): a ten-year field study with implications for crop rotation. Environ. Entomol 31: 499-504. Tauber, C. A., M. J. Tauber and G. S. Albuquerque. 2003. Neuroptera. In: V. H. Resh and R. Carde (eds.) Encyclopedia of Insects, Academic Press. Whaley, D. K. 2002. Colonization, dispersal, and impact of Larinus minutus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on Centaurea diffusa Lam. and C. maculosa Lam. (Asteraceae) populations in eastern Washington. M. S. thesis, Washington State Univ., Pullman. 138 p. Whaley, D. K. and G. L. Piper. 2002. Defusing diffuse knapweed--Biological control of an explosive weed. Agrichem. Environ. News 194: 1-8. Online at: http://aenews.wsu.edu. Woods, D. M. (ed.) 2002. Biological Control Program Annual Summary, 2001. California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Health and Pest Prevention Services, Sacramento, California. 77pp. Wraight, S. P., R. I. Carruthers, S. Jaronski, C. A. Bradley, C. J. Garza and S. Galaini-Wraight (2000). Efficacy of foliar spray applications of Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus against the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii infesting vegetable crops in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Biological Control (in press).