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Schoeppner E, Millar JG, Kuhar TP, Doughty H, Cherry RH, Hall G, Knowles CG, Williams L, Huseth AS. Optimization of 13-tetradecenyl acetate sex pheromone for trapping Melanotus communis (Coleoptera: Elateridae). J Econ Entomol 2023; 116:1423-1431. [PMID: 37208312 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Corn wireworm, Melanotus communis Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Elateridae), is an economically important larval pest of root and tuber crops in the United States. Previous work to estimate field-level abundance of M. communis has focused on grain-based larval baits placed in soil. However, this sampling method is labor intensive and may not estimate population size accurately. Recent discovery of the M. communis sex pheromone, 13-tetradecenyl acetate, provides a new method to monitor this pest during the adult stage. Early studies with this pheromone showed that different trapping methods might enhance catch and improve trap servicing. We hypothesized that placing lures on elevated traps would increase M. communis capture relative to the in-ground pitfall trapping that is currently used. We had 2 objectives for this study: (a) to compare pheromone captures among in-ground pitfall traps, on-ground pitfalls, elevated pitfalls (1 m), or elevated sticky cards (1 m) and (b) test lure longevity by aging the lures outdoors at 8-, 6-, 4-, 2-, and 0-wk intervals prior to trap deployment in the field. Experiments were conducted in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, and Florida during the 2021 and 2022 field seasons. Results highlight large variation in M. communis abundance across the 4 states. We showed that 1 m elevated pheromone traps caught the most beetles. The age of the lure prior to deployment had a significant effect on trap catch. The lures that were aged for fewer weeks attracted significantly more beetles, with 0- and 2-wk-old lures capturing the greatest numbers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Schoeppner
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and NC Plant Sciences Initiative, North Carolina State University, 840 Oval Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Jocelyn G Millar
- Department of Entomology, University of California-Riverside, 3401 Watkins Dr., Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Thomas P Kuhar
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech University, 311 Price Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Hélène Doughty
- Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech University, Painter, VA 23420, USA
| | - Ronald H Cherry
- Everglades Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Belle Glade, FL 33430, USA
| | - Grace Hall
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and NC Plant Sciences Initiative, North Carolina State University, 840 Oval Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Caitlin G Knowles
- Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University, 1020 Main Campus Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
| | - Livy Williams
- USDA-ARS U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, 2700 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29414, USA
| | - Anders S Huseth
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and NC Plant Sciences Initiative, North Carolina State University, 840 Oval Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
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Huss CP, Holmes KD, Blubaugh CK. Benefits and Risks of Intercropping for Crop Resilience and Pest Management. J Econ Entomol 2022; 115:1350-1362. [PMID: 35452091 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toac045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To combat climate change, farmers must innovate through ecological intensification to boost food production, increase resilience to weather extremes, and shrink the carbon footprint of agriculture. Intercropping (where alternative crops or noncrop plants are integrated with cash crops) can strengthen and stabilize agroecosystems under climate change by improving resource use efficiency, enhancing soil water holding capacity, and increasing the diversity and quality of habitat for beneficial insects that provide pollination services and natural pest control. Despite these benefits, intercropping has yet to be widely adopted due to perceived risks and challenges including decreased crop yield, increased management complexity, a steep learning curve for successful management, and increased susceptibility to pests. Here, we explore the major benefits of intercropping in agricultural systems for pest control and climate resilience reported in 24 meta-analyses, while addressing risks and barriers to implementation. Most studies demonstrate clear benefits of intercropping for weed, pathogen, insect pest control, relative yield, and gross profitability. However, relatively few studies document ecosystem services conferred by intercrops alongside labor costs, which are key to economic sustainability for farmers. In addition to clearer demonstrations of the economic viability of intercropping, farmers also need strong technical and financial support during the adoption process to help them troubleshoot the site-specific complexities and challenges of managing polycultures. Ecological intensification of agriculture requires a more strategic approach than simplified production systems and is not without risks and challenges. Calibrating incentive programs to reduce financial burdens of risk for farmers could promote more widespread adoption of intercropping.
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Affiliation(s)
- C P Huss
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 120 Cedar Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - K D Holmes
- Cornell University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - C K Blubaugh
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 120 Cedar Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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