Entomology – Research Highlights

Dr. Anne Averill

This was a particularly good year – We had four major refereed papers published, received two ($55K and $352K) USDA grants with cooperators Vanden Heuvel, Polavarapu (NJ), and Koppenhoffer (NJ), and received $34K from various cranberry commodity groups. Three new graduate students (1 Masters and 2 Ph.D.) started research in summer 2003.
Research/extension activities ran the gamut of problem solving for immediate issues facing growers and longer-range studies of insect biology. We have major projects (detailed below) ongoing for each of the major insect pests in Massachusetts cranberry, with the exception of black-headed fireworm, a new pest. For fireworm, we are doing limited reduced-risk pesticide screening.

Major ongoing research/extension projects:
Cranberry weevil- identification of reduced-risk insecticides to manage resistant weevil populations. All year, the overriding activity for Averill and Sylvia revolved around uncontrolled cranberry weevil in MA bogs. This activity consisted of contacting pesticide registrants to solicit new, available compounds, conducting lab and field screening trials of compounds against both spring and summer generations, completing petitions to state and federal agencies for the use of new compounds, helping growers make informed decisions based on one-on-one information transfer, and making presentation at extension meetings.

Cranberry fruitworm – identification of reduced risk insecticides, biological control, and monitoring options. This insect continues to be the key pest for all Massachusetts growers. We are evaluating pheromone trap monitoring and Masters student McGraw is looking at the impact of cultural controls on indigenous natural enemies. Mass release of commercially available wasps that attack the egg stage of cranberry fruitworm did not show promise this past summer.

Scarab beetles (root-feeding larvae) – identification of reduced risk insecticides and behavioral control studies. There is currently no control for several root-feeding grub species. For oriental beetle, Ph.D. student Wenninger is looking at mating disruption with sex pheromone, an approach that showed great promise this summer. He is also studying the mating behavior of the species, and effort that will enhance application of the disruption techniques.

The cranberry plant pathogen, cranberry false blossom, and its vector, blunt-nosed leafhopper were responsible for devastating losses in cranberry production in the first half of the 20th century. The use of broad spectrum pesticides eliminated the problem during the second half of the century. However, such pesticides will soon be unavailable and reinvasion of commercial bogs may be imminent. Ph.D. student Davis began a study aimed at our eventual ability to gauge the speed and severity of these pests moving into commercial beds. He surveyed populations and evaluated leafhopper dispersal and utilization of alternate hosts.