pest management concepts for urban ornamentals & turf david j. shetlar, ph.d. the bugdoc...
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Pest Management Concepts for
Urban Ornamentals & Turf
David J. Shetlar, Ph.D.The BugDoc
Landscape EntomologistThe Ohio State University
Traditional Approaches(based on crops)
sample pest populations on a regular basis.
develop pest economic injury levels.
determine economic threshold levels (action thresholds) for each crop and pest.
IPM Principles and Concepts
Problems Applying Field Crop Concepts to Urban Areas
urban areas are aesthetic “crops”
general public fear or distaste of pests (“I don’t like bugs!”)
extremely diverse habitats are involved, not monocultures.
IPM Principles and Concepts
IPM Principles and Concepts
How do we handle diverse habitats?
Number of Plants – urban landscapes can contain over 100 species of plants!
Number of Pests – each plant may host 1 to 5 pests each!
Urban Approaches(for landscapes, Raupp et al.)
Key Plants - plants prone to damaging pest problems.
Key Pests - pests that can cause serious damage or plant loss.
IPM Principles and Concepts
“Traditional” Ornamental Plant Maintenance Program
Fertilize spring and fall – all plants treated the same.
Mulch in spring and put down preemerg-ence herbicide (crab grass and other annual weeds)!
Visit landscape 4-5 times per year and use “cover spray” (contains mixture of miticide, fungicide and insecticide)!
Sell other services – pruning, weeding, etc.
Current Approach to Ornamental Plant Maintenance
MAP landscape, identifying key plants and key pests.
Evaluate individual plants and consult with owner about desires for plants – maintenance, push growth, etc.
Use targeted pesticide applications.
Recommend “crop” rotation!?
Plant Health CareCurrent Thinking
In Plant Health Care (PHC), the concept of
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is only
ONE component of the system - the one
dealing with "intervention" after a plant
stress has been identified as being
caused by a pest.
Environmentally Based??
Sustainable environment?
Plant Health?
Urban habitat health?
Reduced toxic risk?
Sustainable Environments
Need little or no inputs
Resistant to change
Tolerate stresses
Plant Health Care
Stress (or Pest)Management
Plant Evaluation
PlantPlant ClientClient
Intervention?
Integrated Pest Management
MONITORMONITORPESTSPESTS
InsectsInsectsDiseasesDiseases
WeedsWeeds
Chemical Controls
Cultural ControlsBiological Controls
Plant Client
Stress (or Pest)Management
Plant Evaluation
Intervention?
In Plant Health Care,
the PLANT and its OWNER
(client, manager, etc.) are
the central focus of the
system
MONITORPESTS
InsectsDiseases
Weeds
Chemical Controls
Cultural ControlsBiological Controls
In Integrated Pest Management,
the PESTS are the central
focus of the system
Our “concept” of urban landscapes try to mimic outside habitats. Notice the similarities? Trees on the outside perimeter, short-cut plants in the foreground and a “water feature.”
Most urban landscapes put stresses on the ornamental plants, thereby making them more prone to insect damage. These oaks were planted three-in-a-spot (four foot squares in the parking lot). They were being killed by borers and the manager was “mystified”!!
Typical school landscape with insect-prone plants.
Environmentally Based Lawns and Landscapes
Ideal World Reality
Select plant for site
Amend soil before plant
Use new plants
Pest controls do not affect non-targets
"Healthy" plants defend themselves
Plants already installed
Amend after plant
Deal with old plants
Pesticides affect non-targets
"Healthy" plants are better able to defend
Selecting EnvironmentallyBased Products - Insecticides
Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) toxins
Spinosad (Conserve)
Avermectin (Avid)
Soaps and Oils
IGR's
Natural Botanicals - Synthetics
Selecting EnvironmentallyBased Products - Plants
Native - Imported
Perennial - Annual
Wet - Dry Tolerant
Sun - Shade Tolerant
Pests Rare or Common
Pest Tolerant or Intolerant
Environmentally-BasedProgram (an example)
Soil Sample and Characteristics
Site Characteristics
Plant Inventory - identify & map
Pest Inventory - "key pests“
Client Needs and Desires
Short & Long Term Interventions
What about biological control?
In it’s most simple definition, biological control is using naturally occurring organisms to control pests, whether the pests be vertebrates (fish, birds, reptiles, or mammals), diseases (usually plant pathogens – fungi), weeds, or arthropods (insects and mites).
Biological controls are usually predators, parasites, or diseases (pathogens), but some biological control experts also include competitors.
Biocontrol or "BioBased"?
Paenibacillus popillae – grub milky disease
Bacillus thuringiensis – δ-endotoxin
Saccharopolyspora spinosa – spinosyns (=Conserve™)
Classic Insect Biocontrols
Predators
Parasites
Pathogens
Ants & WaspsBeetlesSpiders
Bugs (damsel, bigeyed, stink)MitesOthers
Wasps Flies
VirusFungiBacteria
Entomopathogenic Nematodes
Chinese mantis, a common imported predator
Convergent lady beetle eating aphids
What is this?
Keys to Successful Biocontrols
Easy to recognize
Easy to use
Public acceptance
Cost effective
Shelf life
Polistes wasp eating black cutworm
Using Biocontrols in Landscapes
Introduction
Augmentation
Conservation
Conserving Biological Controls
Learn to recognize biocontrols
Provide food and habitat
Use least toxic chemicals
Target chemicals WHERE needed
Educate customer
BE PATIENT!!
Selecting Least Toxic Insecticides
Soaps and Oils (kill by contact only)
Use short residual products
Use IGR-type products (very selective)
Use neonicotinoids ??
Use microbial products
??
Insecticide LD50s
Acephate (Orthene) 980Chlorpyrifos (Dursban) 270Diazinon 400Ethoprop (Mocap) 62Fonofos (Crusade) 18Isofenphos (Oftanol) 20Isazofos (Triumph) 40-60Malathion 1000Trichlorfon (Dylox/Proxol) 250
Organophosphates (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors)
Bendiocarb (Turcam) 156Carbaryl (Sevin) 246
Bifenthrin (Talstar) 375Cyfluthrin (Tempo) 826Fluvalinate (Mavrik) 282L-cyhalothrin (Scimitar) 79Permethrin (Astro) 430
Pyrethroids (disrupt nerve sodium pump)
Carbamates (acetylcholinesterase inhibitors)
Insecticide LD50s
Halofenozide (MACH2) 2850Diacylhydrazine (molt accelerating compound, induces molt)
Spinosads (Conserve) 3783-5000Spinosad (synaptic stimulation nicotinic acetycholine sites)
Fipronil (Chipco Choice) 97Phenylpyrazoles (GABA receptor disruption)
New Insecticide LD50s
Azadirachtin A & B (Azatrol, Neem, etc.)>3540
Tetranortriterpenoid (ecdysone blocker; antifeedant)
Imidacloprid (Merit) 450Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
Thiamethoxam (Meridian) 1563Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
New Insecticide LD50s
Clothianidin (Arena) >5000Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
The Neonicotinoids
Acetamiprid (TriStar) 217Pyridylmethylamine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
Dinotefuran (Safari) >2000Nitroguanidine (post-synaptic block, nicotinic ACH sites)
Urban Landscape Ecology Program – ULEPA new approach
Interdisciplinary team (over 40 faculty & staff including representatives from Public Health, Education, Architecture, Engineering, Psychology, CBS & FAES)
Use campuses as model ecological landscapes (demonstrate proper plant materials and conversion techniques)
Establish model communities with commercial developer (currently working with Dominion Homes)
Establish a university major
Dominion Homes Burr Oak Development – proposed plan including wetland, a bio-swale water conservation area (will also be a park), as well as low and medium density homes and condo sites. In Upper Darby Watershead.