Pheromone-Based Tools for Management of the Invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Specialty Crops Tracy C. Leskey Research Entomologist USDA-ARS Appalachian Fruit Research Station Kearneysville, WV 25430 USA
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Life History Deposit eggs on undersides of leaves. Five nymphal stages. One to two generations per year in areas where it is established. Over 100 host plants including tree fruit, small fruit, grapes, vegetables, legumes, and ornamentals. Egg Mass 1 st Limited biological control from native natural enemies. 2 nd 3 rd 4 th 5 th Adult Male Adult Female
Current Distribution of BMSB in North America
$37 Million In Losses to Mid-Atlantic Apple Growers
Landscape-Level Threat To Crops and IPM Programs Invasive Tree-of-Heaven Native Woody Hosts Corn Apple Photo Courtesy of Chris Bergh Biology, Ecology, and Management of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Orchard Crops, Small Fruit, Grapes, Vegetables, and Ornamentals USDA-NIFA SCRI Coordinated Agricultural Project
What Have We Learned So Far?
Post-2010 Progress There is a huge range of insecticide effects within chemical classes. No chemical class uniformly outperformed all others, but representatives of each major class demonstrated potential value for field use. Even at highest doses of the most effective insecticides, BMSB are very hard to kill via contact with a dry residue. Potential for recovery from moribund state was demonstrated for some pyrethroids and neonicotinoids. Residual activity in the field is very short. Mitigated immediate threat but with significant consequences. Increased inputs (as much as 4-fold greater) and labor. Increased costs and frequent secondary pest outbreaks. IPM programs devastated.
Insecticides Used Against BMSB in Tree Fruit Insecticide Lethality Residual Activity (3d) Beneficials Methomyl (Lannate) Endosulfan (Thionex) Bifenthrin (Brigade) Fenpropathrin (Danitol) Lambda-Cyhalothrin (Warrior) Clothianidin (Belay) Dinotefuran (Scorpion, Venom) Thiamethoxam (Actara) HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH MODERATE MODERATE HIGH MODERATE LOW - MODERATE LOW LOW LOW LOW MODERATE LOW LOW - MODERATE
Development of Effective Detection and Monitoring Tools Tools that provide accurate measurements of presence, abundance, and seasonal activity of BMSB. Growers can make informed management decisions.
Key Components of Trap-Based Monitoring Visual Stimulus Large black pyramid (trunkmimicking stimulus) Olfactory Stimulus? Capture Mechanism Tapered pyramid attached to inverted funnel jar with DDVP strip Deployment Strategy Traps placed in peripheral row of orchard
Prior to 2012, One Attractant Available Methyl (2E, 4E, 6Z)- decatrieonate is an attractant produced by the Asian stink bug, Plautia stali. Cross attractive to BMSB and other pentatomids.
In 2011, We Confirmed Limitations of MDT Mean No. Per Trap 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Serious Early-Season Adult Invasion Period Sample Date Attractive to BMSB adults in the Late-Season Only
Two-Component BMSB Aggregation Pheromone and Synergist Main component of BMSB aggregation pheromone (3S,6S,7R,10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol Minor component of BMSB aggregation pheromone (3R,6S,7R,10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol + Methyl (E,E,Z)-2,4,6-decatrienoate (MDT) acts as a synergist for BMSB pheromone = Synergism
Season-Long Attraction To Baited Traps Early Season Mid-April to Mid-June Mean number of BMSB / trap / week Mid Season Mid-June to Mid-August Late Season Mid-August to Mid-October
Development of a Trap-Based Treatment Threshold for BMSB in Apple Visual Stimulus Black pyramid trap Olfactory Stimulus BMSB Pheromone + MDT Capture Mechanism Tapered pyramid to inverted funnel jar with DDVP toxicant strip Deployment Strategy Traps placed in perimeter row of orchard
Can we use trap captures to guide management decisions? 15 apple blocks and five treatments. Each block was monitored with baited traps; one deployed at the border and one at the center. Traps checked weekly. When captures of adults in either trap reached a treatment threshold, the block was treated with BMSB material (ARM). Block treated again 7-d later. Threshold was then reset. Twice-monthly fruit samples Sprays Triggered at: 1) 1 Adult / Trap 2) 10 Adults / Trap 3) 20 Adults / Trap 4) Treated Every 7 d 5) No Spray (Control)
Injury at Harvest Using Trap-Based Treatment Thresholds for Managing BMSB Treatment Threshold Mean No. ARM Sprays Per Block % Injury (Whole Plot Sample) Severity (Mean # Injury Sites Per Fruit) Weekly ARM 21.0 ± 0.0 12.9 ± 4.4 a 2.3 ± 0.9 a 1 Adult/Trap 19.0 ± 1.0 (10%) 9.0 ± 2.6 a 2.3 ± 0.1 a 10 Adults/Trap 12.7 ± 0.7 (40%) 7.9 ± 2.6 a 2.5 ± 0.9 a 20 Adults/Trap 10.3 ± 0.3 (50%) 38.8 ± 8.1 b 3.4 ± 0.6 a Control 0.0 ± 0.0 (100%) 47.8 ± 5.4 b 5.1 ± 2.1 a
Tentative Conclusions Baited traps can be used to make management decisions for BMSB. A threshold of 10 adults/trap reduced insecticide applications by 40% with no significant difference in injury at harvest compared with Weekly ARM. Repeating experiment in 2014. Working with growers using a provisional threshold. Increased injury in nearest neighbor trees to baited trap, as this is an aggregation pheromone.
Aggregation Vs. Sex Pheromone Area Response Attractive To Males, Females and Nymphs Point Source Attractive to Males Only
Development of Attract-and-Kill Strategies for BMSB in Apple Orchards
Behavioral Basis for Attract and Kill Attraction To A Spatially Precise Location Area of Activity Extends <2.5 m From Source Long Retention Time Time Spent on Baited Apple Trees >20h while Unbaited trees ~3h Effective Killing Mechanism Season-Long Date of Application BMSB Trade Name A.I. Recommended Rate/A Gal/A Restrictions Season Max Max applications Min spray interval PHI Program 15 May Lannate For SP methomyl Attract 1 lb 50 gal/a 5 lb/a 5 7 d 14 d 22 May Mustang Maxx zeta cypermethrin 4 oz 20 gal/a 24 oz/a none 7 d 14 d 29 May Lannate SP methomyl 1 lb 50 gal/a 5 lb/a 5 7 d 14 d 5 Jun Mustang Maxx zeta cypermethrin 4 oz 20 gal/a 24 oz/a none 7 d 14 d 12 Jun Lannate SP methomyl 1 lb 50 gal/a 5 lb/a 5 7 d 14 d and Kill Sites 19 Jun Bifenture EC bifenthrin 6.4 oz 50 gal/a 32 oz/a none 30 d 14 d 26 Jun Lannate SP methomyl 1 lb 50 gal/a 5 lb/a 5 7 d 14 d 3 Jul Endigo ZCX thiamethoxam + lam6 oz 20 gal/a 28 oz/a none 10 d 35 d 10 Jul Danitol fenpropathrin 21 oz none 42.666 oz/a none 10 d 14 d 17 Jul Endigo thiamethoxam lam6 oz 20 gal/a 28 oz/a none 10 d 35 d ZCX + 24 Jul Bifenture EC bifenthrin 6.4 oz 50 gal/a 32 oz/a none 30 d 14 d 31 Jul Endigo ZCX thiamethoxam lam6 oz 20 gal/a 28 oz/a none 10 d 35 d + 7 Aug Danitol fenpropathrin 21 oz none 42.666 oz/a none 10 d 14 d 14 Aug Belay clothianidin 6 oz 100? 12 oz/a none 10 d 7 d 21 Aug Endigo thiamethoxam lam6 oz 20 gal/a 28 oz/a none 10 d 35 d ZCX + 28 Aug Belay clothianidin 6 oz 100? 12 oz/a none 10 d 7 d 4 Sep Bifenture EC bifenthrin 6.4 oz 50 gal/a 32 oz/a none 30 d 14 d 11 Sep Venom dinotefuran 6.75 oz 50 gal/a 13.5 oz/a 2 7 d 3 d 18 Sep Leverage 2.7 imidacloprid 5.1 oz 100 gal/a 5.1 oz none 14 d 7 d + cyflu 25 Sep Venom dinotefuran 6.75 oz 50 gal/a 13.5 oz/a 7 d 3 d 2
Can we create spatially-precise attract-and-kill sites? Baited apples trees with 10, 100 or 1000 mg pheromone + synergist along with unbaited control. Treated trees with bifenthrin 48h later. Counted number of bugs 6h and 6d after treatment.
Recovering and Counting BMSBs
BMSB do show a strong dosedependent response to the pheromone + synergist. Tentative Conclusions Mean No. Adults Continuous killing over the course of a week. 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 b ab ab 3000 Control 10mg 100mg 1000mg a Attract-and-kill hold promise based on preliminary results in 2013. 2014 in progress. Mean No. Nymphs 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 a a a a Control 10mg 100mg 1000mg
Acknowledgements BMSB SCRI CAP Team and Leskey Lab USDA NIFA Specialty Crops Research Initiative Award # 2011-51181-30937 USDA-ARS USDA-APHIS