Classical biological control

Transcription

1 Technical Approaches: Research in low-input, environmentally appropriate methods for disease and insect control. Dr. Stephen L. Lapointe Research Entomologist USDA, Agricultural Research Service U.S. Horticultural Research lab Fort Pierce, FL In the 21st Century, some of the best practices for Agriculture should include the use of applied science and technology in the improvement of agricultural yield and productivity in Africa. One of the challenges faced by most African countries in the 21st century is their inability to gain access to appropriate technological innovations and new scientific discoveries that would be useful in the effort to increase agricultural production, enhance food security, food safety and ultimately to stimulate economic activities throughout Africa. The relevant technologies would include, but not be limited to, genetic manipulation of agricultural species, irrigation and water resources management, biological control of pests and diseases of plants and animals, applications of GIS and modeling, fertilizer practices for nutrient balance, crop nutrient uptake and partitioning techniques, and the ICT to facilitate information banking and transfer of knowledge. Classical biological control Damage to cassava caused by the cassava mealybug, Phenococcus herreni, in northeastern Brazil. 1

2 Classical biological control of cassava green mite in Africa by phytoseiid predator mites Typhlodromalus aripo Introduced from NE Brazil into Benin 1993; Now established in 10 African countries. Farmer Participatory Research CGM populations declined significantly where predator established, resulting in 30-40% productivity increase; US$60 added value/ha/season; extrapolated over W. African cassava zone: additional production ~$50 million/yr T. aripo is ideal for national programs because it can be easily multiplied in field plots, distributed to new fields through infested shoot tips, tracked by monitoring incidence and distribution of infested shoot tips. U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory Ft. Pierce, FL 2001 South Rock Road Ft. Pierce, Florida Founded in 1892 in Eustis, FL and relocated in the 1920 s to Orlando. Relocated to Ft. Pierce in Biochemical analysis & elucidation Insectary & Plant Pathology Quarantine Laboratories Aerial view of U. S. Horticultural Research Laboratory Analytical & DNA Sequencing Laboratories Cold Storage & Growth Chambers 2

3 Research Farm Sites: Leesburg, Florida: 500 Acres leased from Florida Citrus Research Foundation Ft. Pierce Farm: 330 Acres leased from UF and St. Lucie County School Board Header Canal, Ft. Pierce: 50 acres leased from Triangle Farms. 32 Greenhouses Leesburg Ft. Pierce Header Canal Examples of current research at USHRL Subtropical Insects Research Unit 1) IPM for exotic insect pests (pink hibiscus mealybug, brown citrus aphid, thrips, psyllids, whiteflies, mites, etc) of subtropical horticultural crops. David Hall, Ph.D. Biological control Stephen Lapointe, Ph.D. Host plant resistance, insect-plant interactions Robert Shatters, Ph.D. Molecular biology Allen Weathersbee, Ph.D. Biological control, bacterial pathogens Cindy McKenzie, Ph.D. Whitefly pests of horticultural crops 2) Biology and ecology of insect vectors of Pierce s disease and causative Xylella fastidiosa bacterium. Wayne Hunter, Ph.D. Vector biology, insect-plant-pathogen interactions. 3

4 Anagyrus kamali (Encyrtidae) Solitary endoparasitoid of the pink hibiscus mealybug Biological control of the pink hibiscus mealybug S. L. Lapointe D. G. Hall D. Meyerdirk, USDA, APHIS, PPQ Florida Department of Plant Industry Biological control of the pink hibiscus mealybug PHM is a cosmopolitan pest of ornamentals, cotton, citrus, grapes, and many fruit crops. ARS scientists have developed rearing methods for PHM and its natural enemies, and have distributed parasitoids world-wide. Recently, an interdisciplinary team isolated and identified the binary female sex pheromone, useful for monitoring, detection, O and control. S R Egg Adult female (R) -maconelliyl (S )-2- methylbutanoate S H O H O O H H R Elucidating the mechanism of resistance to whiteflies S. L. Lapointe A. C. Bellotti Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) Cali, Colombia Nymph (R) -lavandulyl (S )-2-methylbutanoate Zhang, A., D. Amalin, S. Shirali, M. Serrano, R. Franqui, J. Oliver, J. Klun, J. Aldrich, D. Meyerdirk, S. Lapointe Sex pheromone of the pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus, contains an unusual cyclobutanoid monoterpene. PNAS 101: Elucidating the mechanism of resistance to whiteflies Species of whiteflies are global pests of many commodities. By collaborating with scientists from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), ARS scientists are describing biochemical and biophysical mechanisms of resistance found in wild cassava germplasm. Understanding the genetic control of such traits will be used for improvement of cassava and many other crops. Resistant Susceptible Subtropical Plant Pathology Research Unit Whitefly adults Whitefly eggs 4

5 1) Alternatives to Methyl Bromide. Impact of management practices on functional diversity of soil microflora and weeds, competitive interactions, and effects on crop health Nancy Burelle, Ecologist: Transplant enhancements and ecological impacts of alternatives Dan Chellemi, Plant Pathologist: Alternative cropping systems, chemistry, and application technology Erin Rosskopf, Microbiologist: Chemical, cultural & biocontrol of diseases & weeds in vegetables & ornamentals. Greg Church, Nematologist: chemical and biological control of nematodes of floriculture crops 2) Plant Diseases - Detect, identify, combat, and manage domestic, emerging and exotic bacterial diseases of U. S. horticultural crops. Tim Gottwald, Research Leader/Plant Pathologist: Epidemiology of citrus and stone fruit diseases Scott Adkins, Plant Pathologist Ornamental and vegetable virology Mark Hilf, Plant Pathologist - Citrus virology Management of soilborne pests Most treatments must be applied prior to planting. Thus, pest ID should be determined at the end of the preceding crop; Assessment of pest damage in root systems is labor intensive; Determination of inoculum densities in soil is difficult and expensive for many soilborne pests; Damage thresholds (economic injury level) have not been determined for many soilborne pests. APPROACHES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF SOILBORNE PESTS Single tactic approach (magic bullet or industrial approach) Single tactic 'magic bullet' Integrated Pest Management Proactive Pest Management The routine application of a single pesticide treatment to eliminate all potential pest problems. Goal eradicate all pest species. Shank injection of fumigants as planting beds are prepared Advantages Eliminates the need to collect and manage biological information; Eliminates the need for decision making; Reduces the risk of crop failure. 5

6 Disadvantages Requires high amount of inputs; Fosters dependence on a single chemical leaving growers vulnerable to changes in regulatory or market issues; Results in superfluous application of pesticide; Re-infestation of treated soil by plant pathogens is inevitable and can lead to resurgence. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) The coordinated use of multiple pest management tactics to maintain damage from specific pests below an economic threshold and to conserve beneficial organisms. Soil solarization being conducted on a commercial pepper farm Advantages Provides growers with multiple options, minimizing the impact of regulatory or market issues governing the use of specific pesticides. Disadvantages Growers are responsible for collecting and managing biological information on pest populations; Growers must make difficult decisions regarding the selection and timing of pest control tactics; Increases the financial risk due to failure to implement effective IPM program. PROACTIVE PEST MANAGEMENT Production system is designed to minimize outbreak of soilborne pests; Goal is to reduce need for intervention; Part of a production system designed to achieve multiple economic, ecological and social goals. 6

7 Tomato production in bahiagrass pasture using strip tillage Horticulture and Breeding Research Unit Citrus Scion Genetics and Breeding 1) Citrus Breeding and Genetics Randall Niedz, Ph.D. Plant cell culture Michael Bausher, Ph.D. Gene arrays and promoter isolation Kim Bowman, Ph.D. Citrus rootstock breeder Vacant, Ph.D. Citrus scion breeder Greg McCollum, Ph.D. Postharvest plant physiology Sweet orange early ripening juice quality cold hardiness Grapefruit Mandarins early ripening late ripening seedlessness easy peeling firmness flesh and peel color cold hardiness 2) Plant Nutrition and Water Quality Joseph Albano, Ph.D. Plant nutrition and nutrient pollution T. J. Evens, Ph.D. Ecologist and agrochemical pollution early ripening low acidity low bitterness cold hardiness Citrus Scion Genetics and Breeding Citrus Rootstock Genetics and Breeding Existing germplasm is being screened for plants with superior traits. Novel germplasm is being generated through breeding and irradiation. Information on the genetic control of traits such as fruit flavor, flesh and peel color, cold hardiness, and ripening date is being generated. Objectives Develop new citrus rootstocks. Determine the genetic basis of important commercial traits. Develop molecular markers to aid in rapid and accurate selection. Breeding efficiency is being improved through the development of molecular markers for use in the selection of superior types. Propagated selections 2 nd stage field testing 7

8 Citrus Cell, Tissue & Organ Culture Citrus Cell, Tissue & Organ Culture Development of in vitro methods for the molecular or cellular manipulation of citrus cells, tissues, or organs. 35S-35S AMV pars bp Nos-T Amp SS EGFP HDEL Applications mass propagation virus elimination soil culture not possible haploids/dihaploids cell selection genetic engineering Citrus Postharvest Physiology Plant Nutrition & Water Quality Determine the physiological and biochemical changes induced in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. Develop management practices and production systems to conserve water, reduce runoff, and maximize the efficient use of nutrients. Develop methods to purify reclaimed agricultural water for nutrients, agrochemicals, sediments, and plant pathogens. Interior and exterior canopy position fruit. Develop management practices and production systems to maximize the use of saline water in the production of horticultural crops in Florida. Citrus fruit are treated postharvest with fungicides. Consumers want to eliminate fungicides; how will we prevent decay? New USDA Rootstocks USDA Program Goals Increase citrus productivity by creating new hybrids with potential as rootstocks for Florida; Develop and apply methods to rapidly select the most promising genotypes. Kim D. Bowman USHRL, ARS, USDA, Ft. Pierce Test promising rootstock selections in field trials at multiple locations; Release the top performing new rootstocks for use by Florida growers. 8

9 USDA Release in 2001 US-812 Rootstock Hybrid of Sunki mandarin with Benecke trifoliate Resistant to CTV Some resistance to blight and tolerance of high ph Makes a moderately vigorous tree Excellent yields and fruit quality in several trials Easily propagated by seed Val/Sour Val/US-812 Polk County 12 years old Rootstock US Vangasay lemon Swingle Carrizo Sun Chu Sha Gou Tou Sour orange Valencia Trial in Polk County Tree height (feet) Pounds S.S. per box Pounds S.S. per acre per year 4,500 3,300 3,500 3,500 3,000 2,700 1,000 Fallglo Trial in Lake County Planted in 1992 Rootstock US 812 Carrizo Swingle Cleopatra Sun Chu Sha total Pounds fruit per tree average total 1, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service U. S. Horticultural Research Laboratory Fort Pierce, Florida 9