Project Number: 5436-22000-010-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Oct 01, 2003
End Date: Aug 31, 2005

Objective:
Grasshoppers cause serious losses in the continental U.S. Sustainable grasshopper management systems will be developed using grazing management, ecological processes and other management tactics. Wheat stem sawfly and sugar beet root maggot are also key pests in the northern great plains. This project will find and develop effective biological control agents for these two pests. Linkages will be established with appropriate federal, state, and international cooperators.

Approach:
For grasshoppers, cultural tactics, such as grazing system, and other management strategies will be integrated and evaluated. Interactions among grasshoppers, vegetation, pathogens, climate, and livestock grazing will be examined as they support sustainable management. Computer models will be refined to better predict grasshopper growth rates, population trends and impact. Long-term impacts of grazing systems on grasshopper population dynamics will be studied in the continental U.S. basic ecology and population dynamics of the wheat stem sawfly will be studied. Non-native biological control agents will be collected and evaluated for use against the wheat stem sawfly. Strains and species of host specific pathogens for the sugar beet root maggot will be evaluated for efficiency and commercial potential.