Project Number: 5352-22000-017-28
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: Jun 01, 2007
End Date: May 31, 2010

Objective:
Estimate levels of psylla biological control in large plots of a legume cover crop vs control (grass understory) plots; manipulate cover crop habitat (by mowing) or tree habitat (by use of volatile predator attractants) to change relative attractiveness of those two habitats, in efforts to prompt higher rates of movement from cover crop into tree; in all studies, estimate movement rates of predators from cover crop to tree and determine whether colonizing predators will then attack pear psylla (by simultaneous use of protein markers and gut contents analysis.

Approach:
Densities of pest and predatory insects will be monitored in a pear orchard having a legume cover crop or a control grass understory. Movement rates of insects between cover crop and tree by predators will be determined by marking arthropods using new marker technology developed by personnel at Washington State University. Gut contents of predators will be assessed using recently developed molecular methods. Documents Trust with WA Tree Fruit Research Commission. Log 32970.