Location: Crop Improvement and Protection Research
Project Number: 2038-22000-020-023-N
Project Type: Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2024
End Date: Sep 30, 2029
Objective:
Objective 1: Improve the biological control of insect pests of vegetable crops. ARS and Cooperator will work together to deliver biological control agents (beneficial insects, nematodes, and fungi) and biologically-based extracts and chemicals to vegetables and assess their efficacy.
Objective 2: Improve the control of insect pests of vegetable crops using conventional methods. ARS and Cooperator will work together to assess the efficacy of conventional chemicals for managing insect pests of vegetables. Work also consists of improving the efficacy of existing materials by improving their delivery and use.
Objective 3: Improve the knowledge of insect pest-pathogen-plant-ecosystem interactions. ARS and Cooperator will work together to characterize the interactions between insect pests, pathogens, plants (crops and non-crops), and their environment.
Approach:
Objective 1: Biological control agents will be delivered using a variety of methods, including boom sprayer, backpack sprayer, drone, hand-release, drip tape injection, and at-planting soil integration. Plants will be assessed for the presence of insect pests and biological agents at various time points after application (e.g., 0, 7, 14, 28, 56 days) and at the time of crop harvest. Study crops include but are not limited to lettuce and broccoli and will be performed in randomized complete block designs when appropriate. Efficacy of the biological agents will be compared to appropriate controls (e.g., untreated and conventionally-treated plots).
Objective 2: Conventional chemicals will be delivered using a variety of methods, including boom sprayer, backpack sprayer, drone, and drip tape injection. Plants will be assessed for the presence of insect pests and biological agents at various time points after application (e.g., 0, 7, 14, 28, 56 days) and at the time of crop harvest. Study crops include but are not limited to lettuce and broccoli and will be performed in randomized complete block designs when appropriate. Efficacy of the biological agents will be compared to appropriate controls (e.g., untreated and conventionally-treated plots).
Objective 3: Abundance of agriculturally-important insect pests, pathogens, beneficial insects (e.g., pollinators and parasitoids) will be characterized in crops and non-crops. Crops include but are not limited to lettuce, broccoli, and cover crops, while non-crops include insectary plantings and hedgerows. Insect sampling will be performed using a variety methods, including, sweep netting, vacuuming, pan traps, and sticky cards.
