Project Number: 6402-22000-034-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 23, 2001
End Date: Aug 31, 2005

Objective:
a) Develop new or improve existing technologies for identifying and characterizing insect resistance in corn and soybean, enhance new insect resistance sources by introgression of the traits into agronomically superior germplasm, determine the genetic control of the resistance traits, cooperate with commercial seed companies in moving traits into commercially available hybrids/varieties, and provide information as to the role and value of the resistant germplasm developed as a component of Integrated Pest Management. Determine the efficacy of plant resistance to insects in suppressing mycotoxin production. b) Develop and integrate non-pesticidal approaches for management of insect pests of southern row crops including behavior-modifying chemicals, trap crops, and inoculative releases and conservation of insect parasites and predators. c) Demonstrate on an area-wide basis the feasibility of managing populations of tarnished plant bug populations that attack cotton by 1) utilizing herbicides and/or mowing to destroy potential hosts which supply plant bugs to cotton, and 2) plantings of cotton with traits tolerant of plant bugs, such as nectariless, to reduce population increase. d) Determine the role of cotton, corn, soybean, and grain sorghum in the population increase of tarnished plant bugs and stink bugs to search for ways to intercept or prevent intercrop movement of these pests. e) Conduct sampling, threshold, ecological, and insecticide effectiveness and resistance monitoring studies of tarnished plant bugs, aphids, and stink bugs in southern row crops. f) Determine the biology and ecology of important insects and other pests on sweetpotato and vegetable crops in the midsouth area of the United States; g) Develop environmentally friendly management strategies and systems approaches for these pests with emphasis on insects.

Approach:
a) Evaluate corn and soybean germplasm for new sources of resistance to insects. Elucidate the biophysical, biochemical, and genetic control of new resistance traits. Use plant breeding methodology to incorporate newly characterized traits into commercial hybrids/varieties. Investigate the role of conventional and transgenic resistance factors in suppressing insect infestations and in reducing mycotoxin production in corn. b) Research the potential role of pheromones and trap crops in reducing populations of plant bugs and stink bugs in corn, cotton, and soybeans. Conduct foreign explorations for natural enemies of these pests, test host range, make releases, document establishment and demonstrate impact. Study potential of conservation biological control for plant bugs and stink bugs by using strip and trap cropping and food supplements to enhance impact of natural enemies. c) Evaluate the value of managing tarnished plant bugs on a large-area basis by reducing their early season populations which develop on wild hosts and move to cotton by application of herbicides and mowing of wild hosts. Ecological influence of these actions on wild life, beneficial arthropods, and other damaging insect pests will also be studied. d) Study the role of cotton, corn, soybeans, grain sorghum, and wild hosts in supplying plant bugs and stink bugs for intercrop movement. Determine potential of strip cropping and other non-pesticidal approaches to intercept and prevent intercrop movement. e) Conduct ecological sampling studies to determine economic threshold levels for mid- to late-season populations of plant bugs and stink bugs. Collect and evaluate with glass vial bioassays and spray table tests the incidence of insecticide resistance in plant bugs and stink bugs to all classes of pesticides used in southern row crops. Conduct field plot evaluations of new insecticides for aphids, tarnished plant bugs, and stink bugs. f) Conduct small plot research on the effect of insecticides, herbicides, nematicides, planting and harvest dates, soil types and irrigation on sweetpotato quality and yield. These treatments will be compared to those practices currently in use by producers to determine the best practices for maximum yield and highest quality.

Project Team

Abel, Craig Snodgrass, Gordon Williams, Livy Gore, Jeffrey

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003   FY 2002   FY 2001

Related National Programs

Crop Protection & Quarantine (304)

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