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Drosophila suzukii Matsumura is an economically important pest of small and stone fruits. Its establishment in the Americas and Europe marked an important turning point in crop management programs. Ten years after its first detection, an effective integrated pest management program has yet to be developed and pesticides are mainly used to control this pest. Here we test a new behavioral control tool, with the aim to develop an alternative pest control strategy. A food-grade gum matrix, was evaluated under controlled and open field conditions for its ability to attract the pest and protect the ripening fruit. Here, we report that the gum effectively reduces fruit infestation when used under managed conditions. We show that a single point source can affect D. suzukii behavior over a 3.6 m radius and last for up to 21 d. Open field data reveal that the efficacy of the gum is significantly impacted by water content. We discuss these results in respect to the future implications for D. suzukii management, along with important considerations on gum mechanism of action, possible application strategies and economic suitability for growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a global pest attacking various berry crops. D. suzukii lays eggs in damaged and in intact wine grape berries of the most soft-skinned varieties. Here, we describe the relative host utilization of different wine grape cultivars grown in Northern Italy and Oregon. Assessments of host berry utilization were performed in both field and laboratory settings. Results were correlated to physiological changes occurring during grape berry development starting at veraison and concluding during harvest. We found that oviposition increased with an increase in sugar content and a decrease of acidity levels. Oviposition increased with a decrease of penetration force. Penetration force, as a measure of skin hardness, is a critical component of host selection among the D. suzukii-exposed cultivars. We demonstrated that incised berries are more favorable for D. suzukii oviposition and as a nutrient substrate. Increased presence on wine grapes, as indicated by egg laying and increased longevity, was observed for flies that were exposed to incised berries as opposed to fully intact berries. D. suzukii flies can be found feeding on damaged wine grapes during the harvest period, especially when the skins of berries are negatively impacted due to cracking, disease, hail injury, and bird damage. Such an increase of feeding and oviposition may increase the likelihood of spoilage bacteria vectoring due to D. suzukii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halyomorpha halys Stål, the brown marmorated stink bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is an invasive pest with established populations in Oregon. The generalist feeding habits of H. halys suggest it has the potential to be a pest of many specialty crops grown in Oregon, including hazelnuts, Corylus avellana L. The objectives of this study were to: 1) characterize the damage to developing hazelnut kernels resulting from feeding by H. halys adults, 2) determine how the timing of feeding during kernel development influences damage to kernels, and 3) determine if hazelnut shell thickness has an effect on feeding frequency on kernels. Adult brown marmorated stink bugs were allowed to feed on developing nuts for 1-wk periods from initial kernel development (spring) until harvest (fall). Developing nuts not exposed to feeding by H. halys served as a control treatment. The degree of damage and diagnostic symptoms corresponded with the hazelnut kernels' physiological development. Our results demonstrated that when H. halys fed on hazelnuts before kernel expansion, development of the kernels could cease, resulting in empty shells. When stink bugs fed during kernel expansion, kernels appeared malformed. When stink bugs fed on mature nuts the kernels exhibited corky, necrotic areas. Although significant differences in shell thickness were observed among the cultivars, no significant differences occurred in the proportions of damaged kernels based on field tests and laboratory choice tests. The results of these studies demonstrated that commercial hazelnuts are susceptible to damage caused by the feeding of H. halys throughout the entire period of kernel development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape mealybug, Pseudococcus maritimus (Ehrhorn) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is a pest of grape vines, Vitis vinifera (Vitales: Vitaceae) and a known vector of several strains of grapevine leafroll-associated virus. Seasonal increase and decline of Ps. maritimus populations on wine grapes is described in each of three important grape growing regions in Oregon using pheromone-baited traps and visual monitoring. Delta traps and genomic verification of collected sessile stages found that only Ps. maritimus is present in Oregon vineyards. Seasonal pheromone-baited trapping and visual surveys during 2010 and 2011 identified two population peaks for adult male flight and sessile developmental stages on vines in Southern Oregon and the Columbia Basin. Willamette Valley vineyards identified one peak male flight period using pheromone-baited traps but no sessile individuals were found in visual surveys. Seasonal developmental stages are described for Southern Oregon and the Columbia Basin. First instar stages generally were observed one month before peak male flight and were less abundant during peak flight. Adult females and late instar stages were found on vines at the peak of male flight. Pheromone monitoring identified the presence of mealybug populations in viticultural areas, even when intensive visual surveys were unable to do so. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developmental parameters of protogyne Calepitrimerus vitis (Nalepa) (Acari: Erlophyidae) were determined at 12, 15, 17, 22, 25, 28, 31, and 34°C to better understand seasonal activity, population growth, and ultimately more effectively manage pest mites in wine grapes. Net reproductive rate (R0) was greater than zero at all temperatures with the maximum R0 (9.72) at 25°C. The lowest estimated R0 (0.001) occurred at 34°C. There was a gradual decrease in mean generation time (T) as temperatures increased from 17 to 31°C. The shortest and longest generation time was recorded at 31°C (T = 5.5 d) and 17°C (T = 17.5 d). Rates of natural increase were lowest at 17°C (0.035) and increased with increasing temperatures, respectively. The peak rate of natural increase value (0.141) was at 25°C. Estimations for minimum and maximum developmental thresholds were 10.51 and 39,19°C, respectively, while the optimum developmental temperature was 26.9°C. The thermal constant for egg to adult development was estimated at 87.7DD. The highest fecundity was observed at 25°C. These parameters indicated that mites begin feeding at the onset of shoot growth when tissue is most susceptible in spring. Historical weather data showed that vines are in this susceptible growth stage for longer periods in the cool Willamette Valley compared with warmer Umpqua and Applegate/ Rogue Valley regions. Estimation of degree-days indicated when deutogyne mites move to overwintering refuge sites. Degree-day accumulations indicated up to 14 generations per growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), and hop aphid, Phorodon humuli (Schrank) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), are the most important arthropod pests of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) in the Northern Hemisphere. A potential barrier for greater adoption of conservation biological control strategies for spider mites and hop aphid is the extensive use of fungicides for management of hop powdery mildew, Podosphaera macularis (Wallr.:Fr.) U. Braun & S. Takamatsu. Field studies conducted in experimental plots in Oregon and Washington in 2005 and 2006 quantified the effects of powdery mildew fungicide programs (i.e., sulfur, paraffinic oil, and synthetic fungicides) on arthropod pests and natural enemies on hop. Fungicide treatment significantly affected spider mite populations in all four studies. Multiple applications of sulfur fungicides applied before burr development resulted in 1.4-3.3-fold greater spider mite populations during summer. Near the cessation of the sulfur applications, or after a lag of 20-30 d, spider mite populations increased significantly faster on sulfur treated plants compared with water-treated plants in three of four experiments. The effect of paraffinic oil on spider mites was varied, leading to exacerbation of spider mites in Oregon and Washington in 2005, suppression of mites in Oregon in 2006, and no significant effect compared with water in Washington in 2006. Significant relative treatment effects for cone damage due to spider mite feeding were detected in Oregon in 2005 in plots treated with sulfur and paraffinic oil compared with water and synthetic fungicides. Mean populations of hop aphids were similar among treatments in Oregon, although sulfur treatment suppressed hop aphid populations in Washington in 2005 and 2006. Populations of individual predacious insect species and cumulative abundance of macropredators were not consistently suppressed or stimulated by treatments in all trials. However, predatory mite abundance in Washington was affected by fungicide treatments, with plots treated with sulfur consistently having 10-fold fewer phytoseiids per leaf compared with the other treatments. Based on the results of these studies, powdery mildew fungicide programs that minimize or eliminate applications of sulfur and paraffinic oil would tend to conserve predatory mites and minimize the severity of spider mite outbreaks. However, mechanisms other than direct or indirect toxicity to phytoseiid mites likely are associated with exacerbation of spider mite outbreaks on hop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]