Project Number: 6618-22000-034-18
Project Type: General Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 14, 2009
End Date: Jun 30, 2011

Objective:
1) Demonstrate the utility of applying a whitefly-knockdown treatment just prior to crop destruction to prevent the mass migration of whiteflies to neighboring crops; and 2) Characterize the spatial and temporal dynamics of SqVYV, CuLCrV and CYSDV in commercial and experimental watermelon fields, and identify factors that influence epidemic development.

Approach:
Glades Crop Care (GCC), with the assistance of Dr. Turechek, will lead the knockdown trials by establishing sites (2.5 acre blocks) in commercial vegetable of our grower cooperators. Whitefly activity will be monitored in each field for the entirety of the experiment by placing 5-inch square yellow sticky traps in select locations and the traps will be collected weekly and stored at 4 degrees C until counted using a stereo microscope. To one of the blocks in each pair an insecticide (to be determined) to knock down the population of whiteflies will be applied prior to destruction of the crop residue. The other block will be left untreated. After crop destruction, whitefly population will continue to be monitored for one week, and the number of whiteflies detected during this crop destruction period will be compared to numbers collected throughout the season. To characterize patterns, Glades Crop Care will be responsible for monitoring whitefly and possibly virus populations in fallow fields and hedgerows, and may be taking more detailed information in individual fields. GCC will also be integral in the development of the decision support system by providing input in to the types of GPS units we purchase, and troubleshooting programs that we develop.