This presentation was delivered on February 20, 2010 at the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association meeting at Auburn, AL.

1. IPM in Tomatoes, BEANS & Peas, ASPARAGUS Dr. Ayanava Majumdar Ext. Entomologist, State SARE Coordinator Gulf Coast Research & Ext. Center 8300 State Hwy 104, Fairhope AL 36532 Tel: (251) 331-8416 bugdoctor@auburn.edu

2. Presentation layout Status of IPM in vegetables (AL) General listing of insect pests: Pest ID Insect monitoring/forecasting program Insecticidal recommendations* Non-insecticidal management of insects New insecticidal mode of action Extension resources in Alabama

3. General listing of pests

5. IPM is currently insecticide-intensive…

6. Loss of tomatoes in the absence of insecticides: 95% (AL)*

7. Nationally, average gain from IPM is $19 for every dollar spent (field crops)*

8. Insecticide use in AL, 1992-2002: asparagus (-30%), green peas (-73%), green beans (-36%), tomatoes (-20%)…

9. Major damage to crop is caused by:

10. Lack of early detection

11. Insecticide resistance*L. Gianessi, 2009. Crop Protection Research Institute.

14. Trapping period: June-October

16. TOMATO INSECT PESTS

17. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Sample ten plants in several locations Yellow sticky traps at edge of field Like cool, dry weather Watch for ants and lady beetles ET = 50% leaves with aphids Potato aphid, Macrosiphumeuphorbiae Green peach aphid, Myzuspersicae

18. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Use sticky cards (yellow, blue) Bag and shake technique No action threshold Use resistant varieties (BHN 444, 589, 640, Bella Rosa) Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca

19. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Monitor level of defoliation Sample small plants with sweep net during morning hours Observe activity of parasitoids, predators (sweep net) ET = 5-10% defoliation early season, 25-30% defoliation mid-season Flea beetles (tobacco-Epitrixhertipennis, pale striped, etc.)

20. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Start looking on border rows Scout intensely short crop (<6 inch) Estimate no. of insects on 10 plants ET = 5 beetles per 10 seedling or 10% defoliation in short crop Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsadecemlineata Larva of lady beetle (beneficial insect!)

21. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Examine green fruit, stem terminals Scout for egg masses or larvae Use pheromone traps to detect first flight; ET = 5-10 moths per night when temp. is <85F ET is ½ if temp. is >85F Threat is high if one fruit each plant is damaged Tomato fruitworm, Helicoverpazea Tobacco budworm, Heliothisvirescens

22. Corn earworm Insect density (overall) per site 6 3 17 Monthly average activity (statewide) 10 8 25 3 7 12 5 8 16 11 Year 2009

23. Tobacco budworm Insect density (overall) per site 3 3 Monthly average activity (statewide) 2 1 7 6 20 3 6 15 3 Year 2009

24. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Minor foliar pest (ET = 5 larvae per 10 plants) Easy to collect & identify – shake and collect Watch for sun scald on fruits, esp. 20% defoliation Look for fecal pellets on leaves Cabbage looper, Trichoplusiani Soybean looper, Pseudoplusiaincludens

25. Cabbage looper 5 Monthly average activity (statewide) 3 3 10 2 3 12 9

26. Soybean looper Monthly average activity (statewide) 2 6 1 2 15 14

27. What is it? Southern green stink bug, Nezaraviridula Monitoring/scouting techniques: Know the good species (next slide) Use a sweep net Use pheromone trap (expensive?) Intensify scouting at fruit setting ET = 0.25 bugs per 10 plants (green fruit stage) Green stink bug, Acrosternumhilare Brown stink bug, Euschistusservus

29. Abundant in orchards, thick crop canopies, weedy borders

30. Voracious feeders of caterpillars

31. Watch numbers: a sudden increase may indicated pest presenceSB feeding on armyworm Podisusmaculiventris Euthyrhynchusfloridanus Alcaeorrhynchusgrandis Source: R. Mizell, UFL Extension. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in534

32. BEAN/PEA INSECT PESTS

33. International experience India is a major producer of beans in the world. A farm family sorts extra-long green beans in India before sale in market.

34. Uniqueness of Pea/Bean plants Produce abundant foliage (30% leaf loss prior to bloom is OK) Rapid growing, profusely flowering…attracts many insects

35. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Sample ten plants in several locations Yellow sticky traps at edge of field Like cool, dry weather ET = 50% leaves with aphids Potato aphid, Macrosiphumeuphorbiae Green peach aphid, Myzuspersicae

36. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Use sticky cards (yellow, blue) Bag and shake technique No action threshold Use resistant varieties Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca

37. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Late planted crop in dry areas!! Uproot the plant and look near the soil line Look for silken tubes near entrance hole in stem Use pheromone traps (strongly recommended) Our finding: very high moth activity throughout the southern and central counties Lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpuslignosellus

38. Why early detection of pests is useful? Lesser cornstalk borer in many crops (Clarke, Washington, Escambia Co., Henry Counties)

39. Lesser cornstalk borer Insect density (overall) per site Monthly average activity (statewide) 142 119 76 46 77 116 143 Year 2009

40. What is it? Mexican bean beetle, Epilachnavarivestis Monitoring/scouting techniques: Extensive defoliation (ladder form) Look for yellow to orange clusters of eggs Intensify scouting during June-July

41. What is it? Pod damage on soybean Bean leaf beetle, Cerotomatrifurcata Monitoring/scouting techniques: Beetles appear in red or yellow, use sweep net Watch for damage on pods Round holes on leaves, root damage by larvae

42. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Minor foliar pest (ET = 5 larvae per 10 plants) Easy to collect & identify – shake and collect Watch for sun scald on fruits, esp. 20% defoliation Look for fecal pellets on leaves Cabbage looper, Trichoplusiani Soybean looper, Pseudoplusiaincludens

43. What is it? Monitoring/scouting techniques: Very destructive on peas (pod damage) Check field edges, shelter belts Difficult to control insect – timely detection vital Cowpea curculio, Chalcodermusaeneus

44. What is it? Southern green stink bug, Nezaraviridula Monitoring/scouting techniques: Direct pod damage – leaves a scar on pods/seed Watch for aborted flowers due to injected toxins Use a sweep net to estimate populations (ten swings) ET = 1 per six feet row (South Carolina) Lygus bug, Lyguslineolaris

45. Insect pests of Asparagus Beet armyworm, Spodopteraexigua Common asparagus beetle, Criocerisasparagi Asparagus aphid, Brachycorynellaasparagi Fall armyworm, Spodopterafrugiperda

46. Outbreak of armyworms in soybean, peanuts (2009)

47. Beet armyworm Insect density (overall) per site 4 Monthly average activity (statewide) 10 27 21 19 33 25 25 8 49 36 Year 2009

48. Fall armyworm Insect density (overall) per site 20 17 Monthly average activity (statewide) 19 29 15 27 32 16 12 13 48 36 Year 2009

49. Diagnosis of A Pest Problem Five steps to be a smart scout Step 1. Define the problem (ecosystem approach) Step 2. Look for patterns (early detection) Step 3. Use recommended scouting procedures (econ. threshold) Step 4. Monitor problem development (sample frequently) Step 5. Determine causes of injury , insect identification

50. NEW ONLINE RESOURCES

52. “AU Pest Alert” (direct email): May-October

53. Web outreach: Blogs, YouTube, AlabamaCrops.com, AGFAX.COM

54. IPM Hotline (messages): 1-800-446-0375

55. Make sure you see the AL IPM EXHIBIT