A People Problem and Plant Disease: The Economics of Pest Management in Citrus Greening
Citrus greening disease is seriously hindering citrus production in the United States, but generating widespread adoption of the best integrated pest management practices among growers is a challenge, especially when livelihoods are on the line. Recognizing the strong economic factors at play in management decisions will help improve plans for increasing IPM adoption.
Integrated Pest Management Pays for Midwestern Watermelon Growers
Entomologists at Purdue University have developed a reliable and cost-effective scouting technique for striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittatum) in watermelon fields. Researchers working with watermelon growers say the method could significantly reduce the unnecessary use of insecticides to manage the pest.
More Than Wheat to Eat: New Zealand’s Wheat Bug Has a Taste for Brassicas, Too
The wheat bug Nysius huttoni is a significant pest of wheat and cereal crops as well as a variety of brassica plants, and it is widely distributed in New Zealand. In a new profile in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management, two New Zealand researchers offer guidance on IPM practices for managing the wheat bug while minimizing potential nontarget impacts.
Battling Bed Bugs and German Cockroaches Requires Cooperation and Continuous Integrated Pest Management Efforts
A new paper shows the benefits of building-wide IPM for reducing indoor pests in low-income, multi-family housing.
People Matter: Why the Human Factor Is Essential for Successful Integrated Pest Management Programs
A new paper in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management highlights the importance of people in successful integrated pest management programs.
Study: More IPM Knowledge Could Help Leafy Amaranth Farmers in East Africa
Leafy amaranth contributes to farmers’ livelihoods and food security in East Africa. A new study points to a need for training in integrated pest management to help these farmers better manage insect pests.
Large-Scale Study Points to Simpler Trap for Monitoring Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs
Tested in more than 100 locations across the U.S., a clear sticky-panel trap proves effective in attracting brown marmorated stink bugs, putting an easier-to-use tool in the hands of growers and IPM professionals for monitoring populations of the invasive pest.
Pecan Nut Casebearer: New Guide Provides IPM Options
Pecan is one of the few plants native to North America that is now an important horticultural crop. One of its most significant pests, however, is the pecan nut casebearer. A new guide in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management profiles the pecan nut casebearer and outlines management methods for it.
Millet Production Is On the Rise, and So Are the Pests That Eat It
Millet is a staple crop in Africa and Asia and increasingly common elsewhere, as demand for whole-grain products continues to rise. At least 150 insect species are known to feed on millet, and a new profile in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management highlights the biology and management options for several of the most significant ones.
Fatal Attraction: A Novel Solution to the Problem of Asian Citrus Psyllid on Residential Citrus
In many areas where the Asian citrus psyllid spreads citrus greening disease to commercial groves, it can evade control efforts by infesting residential citrus trees. A new attract-and-kill device, however, is being evaluated for managing psyllids on citrus in residential areas.
IPM in Hemp: Managing Pests in a “New” Crop
With hemp recently legalized for commercial production in the United States, growers are in need of integrated pest management (IPM) guidance. A new profile in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management offers a current synopsis of existing research on insect and arthropod pests of hemp and notes where future research is needed.
For Mass-Rearing Sterile Fruit Flies, Fewer Males Means More Efficient Mating
Sometimes, less is more. Case in point: the mass-rearing program that produces millions of sterile Mexican fruit flies (Anastrepha ludens) for managing wild populations. Scientists refining the effort find that a lower ratio of males to females in mating cages leads to higher fecundity and fertility in the females—and higher cost-effectiveness for the operation.
Clover Root Curculio: Historic Perspectives Guide Modern Management
Understudied and less well-known than other pests, the clover root curculio damages clover and alfalfa crops across North America. A new profile of the pest and options for managing it is published this month in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management.
Pink Bollworm Versus Bt Cotton: Three Countries, Three Results
A new article in the Journal of Economic Entomology examines varying levels of resistance to Bt toxins developed by the pink bollworm in the United States, China, and India over the last 20 years, illustrating the importance of incorporating refuge crops in Bt systems.
Drosophilid Melting Pot: African Fig Fly Meets Spotted-Wing Drosophila in the U.S.
The African fig fly (Zaprionus indianus) is an invasive fruit fly in North America that has been found commingling with its cousin spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), sometimes even using the latter's egg-laying sites for its own. A new profile in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management highlights the African fig fly's biology and range and offers options for management.
Building-Wide Pest Management Program Stops Cockroaches From Moving Nextdoor
A study of the spatial distribution of German cockroaches in a high-rise apartment building found infestations were clustered in groups of adjacent units. But a building-wide integrated pest management program can be successful in eliminating most infestations and, importantly, stopping the cockroaches from migrating from one apartment to the next.