2006 Annual Report 1.What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? This project is aligned with National Program 304 (Crop Production and Quarantine). Horticultural crops are important components of US agriculture. According to the USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service, the estimated value of small fruit crops-- blueberries, blackberries, red and black raspberries, grapes, cranberries and strawberries--was $4.8 billion in 2003. Nursery and greenhouse crops are the fastest growing segment of US agriculture. Nationally, in terms of economic output, nursery and greenhouse crops rank third among all sectors of US agriculture and among the highest in net farm income. These crops contribute significantly to the agricultural economy of the Pacific Northwest region, which is number one in the US for Christmas tree and caneberry production, number two in wine grape production, and number three in nursery crop production. Insects and other arthropod pests cause economic damage through sales loss to these crops in a number of ways: root feeding, stem and crown boring, leaf damage and fruit damage. Many cause major economic damage to a particular grower or growing area while others impact production throughout the region. Root feeders, explicitly root weevils (Otiorhynchus spp.), symphylans (Scutigerella spp.), fungus gnats (Sciaridae) and grape phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) are of premier importance to the small fruit, greenhouse and nursery industries. Root and vine weevils are responsible for >85% of the insecticides applied to small fruits and > 40% of the insecticides applied to nursery crops in the Pacific Northwest. These insects cost the nursery and berry industries > $5 million/year. In Oregon and Washington the number of vineyards with grape phylloxera has gone from 8 in 1990 to >75 in 2005. There are no controls for this insect except for planting new plants on grape phylloxera resistant rootstock. However, nearly 45,000 producing acres of grapes in the Pacific Northwest are not planted with resistant rootstock. Replanting would cost over $2 billion. In the 1920s and 1950s, garden symphylans caused over $10 million/year in damage to horticultural crops in the Pacific Northwest. Concern by both the small fruit and nursery industries has increased due to the loss of registration of most pesticides that ameliorated the problem over the past 45 years. The cryptic nature of these pests has eluded conventional methods of detection, monitoring and control. The project has two objectives: . 1) Evaluate rhizosphere-competent isolates of entomopathogenic fungi for biological control of BVW on nursery crops. . 2)Develop a monitoring and management program for BVW that uses biological control agents (entomopathogenic fungi) and reduced rates of chemical insecticides. The major customers of this technology will be the growers of woody ornamental plants (conifers, rhododendrons, azalea, yews, deciduous trees, etc.), greenhouse ornamentals, and small fruit crops (caneberries, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, etc.). The state of Oregon has over 2,000 wholesale and retail nursery-greenhouse operations that have more than 20,000 employees and garner nearly $1 billion in sales. The small fruit and wine grape industries of the Pacific Northwest are nearly as big. Public and private entomologists, agricultural advisors and pest managers, particularly those servicing the nursery, greenhouse, small fruit and wine grape industries in Northeastern and Northwestern US will benefit from basic knowledge of pest biology and ecology, species demographics, entomopathogen biology and implementation of novel control strategies. Wholesale and retail customers demanding ornamental plants free of pesticide residue as well as safe and wholesome small fruit products may also benefit. Knowledge and methods produced by this research will provide benefits to growers, retailers, scientists and the public with increased economic growth, improved plant quality and reduced use of chemical insecticides. Improved monitoring and detection methods and knowledge of these pests will allow for improved timing and targeting of control measures. Development of microbial and cultural control tactics will reduce grower reliance on chemical insecticides, lessen chemical residues and increase sustainability. 2.List by year the currently approved milestones (indicators of research progress) FY2005: Objective 1: Rhizosphere competence of fungal isolates Spatial distribution Persistence Objective 2: Adult BVW monitoring FY2006: Objective1: Rhizosphere competence of fungal isolates Rhizosphere competence and efficacy Spatial distribution Persistence Media components Objective 2: Adult BVW monitoring FY2007: Objective 1: Rhizosphere competence of fungal isolates Rhizosphere competence and efficacy Spatial distribution Persistence Media components Microbial interactions Objective 2: Adult BVW monitoring BVW larval control with entomopathogens BVW management with reduced chemical applications FY2008: Objective 1: Rhizosphere competence and efficacy Persistence Media components Microbial interactions Objective 2: Adult BVW monitoring BVW larval control with entomopathogens BVW management with reduced chemical applications FY2009: Objective 1: Rhizosphere competence and efficacy Persistence Microbial interactions Objective 2: Adult BVW monitoring BVW larval control with entomopathogens BVW management with reduced chemical applications 4a.List the single most significant research accomplishment during FY 2006. Identification of a novel tritrophic interaction. We have discovered a tritrophic interaction between plant roots, Metarhizium anisopliae and BVW larvae that differed significantly from those previously reported. In our studies, it was not the natural enemy of the pest whose behavior was altered, but the behavior of the pest itself. These data will be critical in developing a biologically-based pest management program for root-feeding pests of ornamental crops. Research was performed at the Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory in collaboration with Oregon State University. Elucidating the mechanism of this system will help lead to the selection and development of rhizosphere competent entomopathogenic fungi for the control of root-feeding insects on a variety of crops. (NP304, Insects and Mites, Component 3). 4b.List other significant research accomplishment(s), if any. Microsporidian infecting the black vine weevil. A microsporidian was found infecting BVW. The discovery of this new pathogen presents a new array of control alternatives to researchers working to develop biologically-based management programs for the BVW. The pathogen is extremely virulent to BVW larvae with low dosages (<100 spores) killing >90% in as little as ten days. The microsporidian was discovered at a commercial wholesale nursery in McMinnville, OR and the research on the biology and a formal description of the pathogen has taken place at the Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory and the Illinois Natural History Survey. (NP 304, Insects and Mites, Components 3 and 6). 4c.List significant activities that support special target populations. None 4d.Progress report. None. 5.Describe the major accomplishments to date and their predicted or actual impact. These studies were conducted to determine the persistence and ecology of the entomopathogen Metarhizium anisopliae incorporated into peat and bark-based potting mediums with and without a crab meal amendment in container grown Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’. Rooted cuttings of P. abies were planted into potting medium incorporated with M. anisopliae (1 g of formulated product/L; ~ 6 log10 cfu/g dry potting medium). The fungal population in the bulk potting medium was quantitatively determined using selective media at 14, 21, 28, 35, 49, 63, 77, 91, 105, 119, 143, 175, 203, 231, 258, 287 and 342 d. The fungal population in the rhizosphere soil was quantitatively determined at 203, 231, 258, 287 and 342 d. M. anisopliae colonized the rhizosphere of P. abies and the fungal population in the rhizosphere soil was significantly greater than in the surrounding bulk soil. M. anisopliae persisted in the peat and bark-based potting mediums at 6.22 and 5.74 log10 cfu 342 d after incorporation, respectively. Bioassays using bark and peat-based potting mediums inoculated with M. anisopliae at 6 log10 cfu/g dry potting medium resulted in 93.5 and 97.5% infection of last instar BVW, respectively. Roots of P. abies inoculated with M. anisopliae as a sole source of incolum infected 76% of 2nd-3rd instar BVW. The ability of inoculated roots to serve as a delivery system for M. anisopliae represents a new method for delivering entomopathogens and would greatly reduce application costs. Understanding factors associated with entomopathogen biology outside their host may be more important when selecting an isolate than its virulence in a laboratory bioassay. (NP304, Insects and Mites, Component 2, Problem Statement A; and Component 3, Problem Statement A). The first continuous mass rearing system for BVW was devised. The system produces over 10,000 eggs, 1500 larvae and >500 adults/week. Even though BVW has been a world-wide pest of nursery, small fruits and garden crops for over 100 years, their one year life cycle (10 months from egg to adult), has hampered progress in studies on the biology, natural enemies, detection and the development adequate control methods for this pest. Because of mass rearing, we now have the ability to experiment with many thousands of insects over a short period of time and to use or study any life stage at any time during the year. This is a major breakthrough for accelerated progress in developing control strategies and for additional studies on the biology of this pest. Development of this system was the culmination of nearly 6 years of trial and error research evolving from natural food hosts, various nursery and small fruit leaves (adults) and roots (larvae), to a nearly chemically defined artificial diet. (NP304, Insects and Mites, Component 2, Problem Statement B). 6.What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end-user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? Details on the mass rearing method for black vine weevils have been sought from US universities, an ARS laboratory and internationally from Ireland, England, New Zealand and Nova Scotia, Canada. 7.List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). Bruck, D.J. 2005. Integrating fungal biology into a black vine weevil management program. Paper Presentation. Entomological Society of America, National Meeting. Fort Lauderdale, FL. Bruck, D.J, and L. Solter. 2006. A microsporidian infecting the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Poster Presentation. Entomological Society of America, Pacific Branch Meeting. Maui, HI. Bruck, D. J. 2006. Weevil management: Working to develop a comprehensive program. Presented at: .2006 Farwest Show sponsored by the Oregon Association of Nurseries. R.L. Rosetta, J.E. Altland, and S. Scarborough. 2006. Efficacy of a pre-emergence application for management of Rose Midge, Dasineura rhodophaga. Research Reports of the 65th Annual Pacific Northwest Insect Management Conference. Portland, OR. Tanigoshi, L. K. and J. R. Bergen. 2005. Control of rough strawberry root weevil in strawberry. 64th Annual Pacific Northwest Insect Management Conference, Portland, OR, pp. 36-38. Tangioshi, L. K. and J. R. Bergen. 2005. Lab and field trials to control root weevil larvae in small fruits. 64th Annual Pacific Northwest Insect Management Conference, Portland, OR, pp. 39-41. Gerdeman, B. S., L. K. Tanigoshi and J. R. Bergen. 2005. Western Washington field guide to common small fruit root weevils. WSU EB 1990. Tanigoshi, L. K. 2006. Biology and management of root weevils in small fruits. 96th Annual Western Washington Horticultural Association Convention, Seattle, WA, pp. 73-76. Review Publications Bruck, D.J. 2006. Effect of potting media components on the infectivity of Metarhizium anisopliae against the black vine weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 24(2):91-94. Bruck, D.J., Shapiro Ilan, D.I., Lewis, E.E. 2005. Evaluation of application technologies of entomopathogenic nematodes for control of the black vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus. Journal of Economic Entomology. 98(6):1884-1889. Lopez, M.D., Prasifka, J.R., Bruck, D.J., Lewis, L.C. 2005. Utility of ground beetle species in field tests of potential non-target effects of Bt crops. Environmental Entomology. 34(5):1317-1324. Bruck, D.J., Snelling, J., Dreves, Jaronski, S. 2005. Laboratory bioassays of entomopathogenic fungi for control of Delia Radicum (L.) larvae. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 89:179-183. Bruck, D.J. 2005. Ecology of Metarhizium anisopliae in soilless potting medium and the rhizosphere: implications for pest management. Biological Control. 32:155-163.