Project Number: 5352-22000-017-36
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: Mar 31, 2008
End Date: Apr 01, 2010

Objective:
1. Characterize the phenology of key natural enemies using banding studies in the fall and orchard sampling during the spring. 2. Evaluate various semiochemicals as a method of monitoring natural enemy abundance / phenology and impacts of control treatments. 3. Use video monitoring to identify predator species attacking codling moth and develop a polyclonal antibody for expanded predator gut content analysis of codling moth. 4. Further investigate the life history of tachinid parasitoids of leafrollers and their potential for enhancing management of leafrollers. 5. Integrate the information on natural enemy phenology and abundance into the WSU-Decision Aid System to help users gauge the impact of pesticide sprays at different times of the season.

Approach:
1) Natural enemies will be captured in trap bands in fall and emergence monitored in the spring from bands and by sampling in orchards. 2) Semiochemicals¿baited traps will be placed in apple orchards in the Wenatchee and Yakima regions of Washington and in the Canadian Okanagon. Trapped insects will be enumerated and identified weekly. 3) Video recording of sentinel cocooned and tethered codling moth larvae will be used to identify key predators of this pest. A polyclonal antibody to a specific peptide from codling moth will be developed and used for gut content studies for a broad sample of predators. 5) The phenological data developed in objective 1 will be integrated into the phonological analysis and presentation system (WSU-Decision Aid System). Documents Trust with WA Tree Fruit Research Commission. Log 35137.