Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Wednesday, October 5, 2005 10:30 - 11:10 AM Streamlining APHIS permits: Are e-Permits the answer. Bob Flanders, Branch Chief, Biological and Technical Services Pest Permit Evaluations, USDA-APHIS-PPQ. 11:10 - 11:30 AM Automated bulk insect sorting using digital technologies. Jeff Drake, NASA/APHIS Stationed at New Mexico State University 11:30 - 1:00 PM Lunch 1:00 - 1:45 PM Measuring and modeling the spatial spread of biocontrol organisms. Peter McEvoy, Oregon State University. 1:45 - 2:00 PM The impact nitrogen fertilizer may have on biological control in cotton. Tracey Carrillo, New Mexico State University. 2:00 - 3:30 PM Limiting negative interactions between weed and insect biological control Organized by Joe Balciunas, ARS - WRRC · Joe Balciunas, USDA, ARS-WRRC · Russell Messing, University of Hawaii · Hannah Nadel, University of California, Riverside · Hariet Hinz, CABI 3:30 - 5:00 PM The use of predators in biological control and IPM Organized by Steve Naranjo and James Hagler, ARS/Arizona 3:45 - 5:15 PM The use of predators in biological control and IPM Organized by Steve Naranjo and James Hagler, USDA, ARS/Arizona · Valerie Fournier, James Hagler, Kent Daane & Jesse de Leon. USDA-ARS, Phoenix & Weslaco/University of California, Berkeley. Identifying key predators of the glassy-winged sharpshooter using monoclonal antibody and DNA markers: Results from the field. · Renee Prasad & William Snyder. Washington State University. Conservation of generalist predators: Enhancement and efficacy. · Steve Naranjo. USDA-ARS, Phoenix. Contribution of generalist predators to biological control of whitefly in a multi-crop system. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2005 7:30 - 8:30 AM Breakfast 8:30 - 8:45 AM The continuing invasion of Guam: Asian cycad scale, Aulacapsis yasumatsui, devastates the indigenous cycad, Cycas micronesica. Ross Miller, University of Guam. 8:45 - 10:00 AM A Tribute to Alan Kirk Organized by Mike Pitcairn · Ernest "Del" Delfosse, USDA-ARS. Alan Kirk Retrospective. · Mike Pitcairn, CDFA, CA. Yellowstarthistle update. · Charlie Pickett, CDFA, CA. Olive fly update. · John Goolsby, USDA-ARS, Weslaco, TX. Whitefly update. 10:00 - 10:30 Break 10:30 - 12:00 Saltcedar Biological Control  Lessons from a Large Regional Project · Jack DeLoach, USDA-ARS, Temple, TX · Tom Dudley, University of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA · Dan Bean, Colorado Dept. of Agriculture, Palisade, CO · Richard Hansen, USDA-APHIS, Ft. Collins, CO · Roman Jashenko, Institute of Zoology, Almaty, Kazakhstan 12:00 Noon Meeting Adjourned

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: (full individual reports 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: native leafminers in CA; Coccinellid predators associated with pest scales, mealybugs, whiteflies, and aphids and parasitoids of the coconut hispine beetle, Brontispa longissima in American Samoa; Tamarix spp. in China, Israel, Greece and Central Asia; Centaurea solstitialis in Greece, Russia, Europe; lacewings (generalist predators) in the western U.S.; Japanese knotweed in OR; and aphids in Guam and Micronesia. Morphological and molecular identifications were used. Objective 2. Conduct foreign exploration and ecological studies in native range of pest. Several agencies in the western US 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: Hawkweeds, dyers woad, and hoary cress in Europe; perennial pepperweed in China; lacewings (generalist predators) in Brazil and Mexico; rush skeletonweed in Greece; and olive fly in South Africa, southeastern China, the Canary Islands, Morocco, East Africa and Namibia. (see full reports for more information) Objective 3. Determine systematics and biogeography of pests and natural enemies. A database of chloroplast DNA sequences of diffuse and spotted knapweeds (Centaurea diffusa and C. maculosa) from their native and introduced ranges is being developed. Evaluation of the population structure and phylogeography of Brachypterolus pulicarius, an inadvertently introduced biological control agent of Dalmatian and yellow toadflax (Linaria dalmatica and L. vulgaris) continues. The biology and taxonomy of the Cirsium arvense attacking mite, A. anthocoptes and the species status of different isolates of the Gonatocerus morilli parasitoid complex of the Glassy Winged Sharp Shooter (Homoladisca coagulata) from SE US, CA, Mexico and Argentina continue to be refined. Likely sources and routes of entry of newly invading avocado pests was predicted by exploring the population genetics of the most recent invader, avocado thrips, Scirtothrips perseae, with mtDNA and microsatellite markers. Objective 4. Determine environmental safety of exotic candidates prior to release. Host range testing of several olive fly parasitoids revealed Psyttalia lounsburyi as one of the best candidates for release during the first screening of potential parasitoids. Host specificity testing on two parasites, Gonatocerus tuberculifemur and Gonatocerus sp. #6 (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagulate continued. The host range of Rhinusa hispida appears to be restricted to a few species in the genus Linaria in choice conditions, but it may be necessary to assess the impact of gall induction on the target plant as well as on some native North American Nuttallanthus and Sairocarpus species even when no complete larval development occurred. Host specificity testing was suspended on the houndstongue root fly, Cheilosia pascuorum, by CABI Bioscience because the insect developed on two North American plants, Hackelia californica and Amsinckia grandiflora (a federally-listed T&E species). Objective 5. Release, establish and redistribute natural enemies. Numerous releases and redistributions were carried out on insect and weed pests this year. For a complete list see the W-1185 website. Some examples include the following: Diorhabda elongata was released on infestations of T. ramossisima in most of the western US (excluding AZ and most of NM). APHIS has initiated insectaries and full scale implementation will begin next season. Asian cycad scale (A. yasumatsui) has rapidly spread throughout populations of introduced C. revoluta and indigenous Cycas micronesica (fadang) in Guam. The entire Guam population of 1.5 million C. micronesica are at risk. The coccinellid Rhyzobius lophanthae was collected on Maui and transported to Guam where the beetles were reared in quarantine for 30 days and then released against A. yasumatsui. In spring and late summer 2005, 16,000 Longitarsus eggs and 1800 adult beetles of Swiss origin were released in Montana. Adults were recovered at 11 of 24 sites during surveys conducted in Aug/Sept 2005. A 2nd population of Longitarsus has also been established in MT. This population was imported from established populations from OR (originally from Italy). Approximately 73,755 Aphelinus near paramali and 4,500 Aphelinus gossypii were released against Olive fly, Bactrocerus oleae, and Cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii, in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Three species of parasites were released throughout the Pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus, infested area. Species included two Encyrtid wasps: Anagyrus kamali (292,000 released) and Gyranusoidea indica (287,000 released), and a Platygastrid, Allotropa sp. nr. mecrida (316,000 released). CDFA was contracted to produce parasitoids for USDA-APHIS for release in Florida and elsewhere as needed. The yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) rust disease, Puccinia jaceae var. solstitialis has been released in 77 sites in 37 counties. Numerous releases were made on the following weeds -- purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), mediterranean sage (Salvia aethiopis), dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica), diffuse and spotted knapweed (Centaurea diffusa and C. stoebe ssp.micranthos), rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea), Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius), St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum), yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis), Russian thistle (Salsola tragus), tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea). 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: monitoring the abundance and impact of six biological control agents released for yellow starthistle control in ID, CA, and WA. Studies of interspecific competition between selected yellow starthistle biocontrol agents were also continued. Both larval and adult feeding studies were conducted for the saltcedar leafbeetles, in numerous locations in the western US. Evaluated the performance of an inadvertently introduced biocontrol agent (Brachypterolus pulicarius) on the invasive Dalmatian and yellow toadflax (Linaria dalmatica and L. vulgaris). Offspring of beetles collected from both hosts generally performed better on yellow toadflax. The impact of several seedhead infesting bioagents of diffuse, spotted, and squarrose knapweeds (Centaurea diffusa, C. maculosa, C. virgata ssp. squarrosa) were evaluated in UT, CA, MT, NM, and ID. Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) weevils are being studied in CA. The impact of the parasite complex on the density of pink hibiscus mealybugs (Maconellicoccus hirsutus) is being monitored throughout the infested area in CA. Biocontrol agents of red gum lerp psyllid were imported and screened in CA. Peristenus stygicus was recovered for the first time in CA on the central coast from Lygus hesperus infested strawberries. Surveys show that Eretmocerus mundus parasitoids attacking biotype B of B. tabaci in southern California. Of 385 cotton fields, 23 were infested with whiteflies, of which 8 sites were positive. Seasonally varying levels of parasitism of the cereal leaf beetle by the parasitoid Tetrastichus julius (Eulophidae) were assessed in UT. Cardinium hertigii, a newly described symbiont, causes multiple effects on reproduction in Encarsia parasitoids of armored scale and whiteflies. In AZ, E. inaron is doubly infected with Wolbachia and Cardinium. Both symbionts together cause cytoplasmic incompatibility. 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: Life table studies of Bemisia tabaci that showed that predation and dislodgement were consistently the largest sources of mortality. Glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) (Homalodisca coagulata)-specific ELISA and PCR assays have been developed. Key predators of GWSS will be identified by analyzing their gut contents for the presence of GWSS remains using these assays. Laboratory studies were completed to determine rates of consumption of the two principal insect pests of alfalfa in Utah, the alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica) and the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), by indigenous and naturalized lady beetles (Coccinellidae). Objective 8. Identify and assess factors potentially disruptive to biological control. Pesticides, transgenic crops, and ant activity are just a few of the factors being evaluated with respect to disruption of biological control. Specific studies include: The effect of the herbicides, 2,4-D and Transline on knapweed root showed that application of either herbicide in the fall or in the spring rosette stage are very detrimental to larvae of the root insects C. achates and Agapeta zoegana. Field studies were initiated to study the selectivity of a new insecticide (spiromesifen) for whitefly control. Preliminary results suggest that spiromesifen has little to no activity against generalist predators of aphelinid parasitoids and may be useful in integrated control programs for Bemisia tabaci. The selective insecticide, spinosad, was shown to be compatible with the spider mite predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis, in on greenhouse floricultural plants. Results indicate that in addition to host-symbiont interactions, interactions among the symbionts themselves likely play a critical role in determining the distributions of symbionts in natural populations. Facultative symbionts in pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) may confer resistance to parasitism by (Aphidius ervi). Objective 9. Implement and evaluate habitat modification, horticultural practices, and pest suppression tactics to conserve natural enemy activity. Conducted field trials of reduced risk insecticides for use against melon aphid, Aphis gossypii on cucumbers. A complex of natural enemies often suppresses A. gossypii populations sufficiently, but insecticide applications are sometimes needed on young plants. The specific aphicide pymetrozine shows good efficacy and may provide early season control without decimating predators. Goal C: Augment Natural Enemies to Increase Biological Control Efficacy. Objective 10. Assess biological characteristics of natural enemies. Research included: A series of experiments were conducted at various spatial scales, including a simulated retail store environment, to compare the foraging efficiency and impact of three Trichogramma species (T. deion, T. pretiosum and T. ostriniae) on the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella. Laboratory experiments to test the efficacy of the fungal pathogen, Beauveria bassiana, against the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) showed that when the pathogen was applied alone or in a solution of the wetting agent, Silwet, the median concentration of conidia required to kill red flour beetles was twice that of applications of B. bassiana combined in mineral oil. Evaluating the potential of two chrysopid genera for mass-rearing and release in the USA and Latin America. Theory suggests that strictly vertically transmitted yeast symbionts should contribute to the fitness of encyrid parasitoids, or manipulate host reproduction in ways that enhance symbiont transmission. Experiments with heat and fungicides continue in an attempt to cure the wasp of its yeast symbiont. 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. Greenhouse experiments revealed both technical and economic advantages of using a mechanical blower compared to hand-releasing the spider mite predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis. Results also showed that certain models resulted in higher survival of both P. persimilis and another predatory mite, Amblyseius cucumeris, which is used to control the western flower thrips. Mass rearing facilities for Bradyrrhoa gilveolella (Pyralidae), a recently introduced root- boring moth for the control of rush skeletonweed has been set up in ID. Objective 13. Implement augmentation programs and evaluate efficacy of natural enemies. No new progress to report. Goal D: Evaluate Environmental and Economic Impacts of Biological Control. Objective 14. Evaluate the environmental impacts of biological control agents. Host-specificity testing of the houndstongue seed weevil Mogulones borraginis is close to completion. This agent has a much narrower host range compared to the houndstongue root weevil. Long-term population censuses of native lady beetle species were continued in alfalfa fields of UT to evaluate effects on these species of the introduction and establishment of the exotic lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata. Objective 15. Evaluate the economic impacts of target pests and their biological control. No new progress to report.