2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) With production of sweetpotatoes on the increase on small farms in the Delta of Mississippi, new knowledge is needed on the prevalence of damaging insects in this crop and the potential loss in yield due to their feeding. A 2-year survey of the species and distribution of wireworms and whitefringed beetles will be conducted to determine their intensity and distribution in Bolivar County, Mississippi. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) Sticky board and pitfall traps will be used to sample 6-8 fields of sweetpotatoes throughout the 2001-2002 growing season to determine species and prevalence of wireworms and whitefringed beetles in the area. In addition, sweetpotatoes will be sampled from early season through harvest to correlate numbers collected with potential damage to sweetpotatoes. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between Alcorn State University and ARS. Additional details for this subordinate project may be found in the in-house project 6402-22000-045-00D, “Integrated Pest Management for Mid-South Area Row Crops.” Funds supplied to the cooperator’s Demostration Farm in Mound Bayou, MS, were used to provide labor and supplies to support research on sweet potatoes by scientists from Mississippi State University and ARS at Stoneville, MS. This agreement was monitored by numerous site visits.