OSCIA Accesses CanAdapt Grant to Partner with University of Guelph Scientists for Strategy on Managing Emerging Field Crop Pests

Prepared by Harold Rudy with notes from Dr. Art Schaafsma

The Ontario agricultural industry will receive CanAdapt funding of $173,800 for a two year period with the possibility of an additional year of funding at $48,100 from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada administered through the Ontario Agricultural Adaptation Council.

This project will focus on management strategies for emerging field crop pests. The project entitled “Integrated Management of Emerging Field Crop Pests” will develop management strategies for European chafer, soybean-adapted western corn rootworm, soybean aphid and new transgenic BT corn varieties for added protection of specific pests.

OSCIA is partnering with University of Guleph (U of G) scientists led by the Ridgetown campus. All of these projects have the potential to reduce the use of pesticides and provide both economic and environmental benefits to local farm communities.

Dr. Art Schaafsma at the Ridgetown campus is the lead scientist in collaboration with other U of G researchers. There are numerous other partners committed to solving these industry problems: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Harrow and Ottawa); Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (New Directions program); Universities of Illinois, Michigan and Purdue; Ontario Corn Producers’ Association; Ontario Soybean Growers’ Marketing Board; Pioneer International; Monsanto; Dow Agro Sciences Can Inc.; Syngenta Crop Protection Inc.; Gustafson/Bayer, and; Mycogen.

European chafer
European chafer is an emerging serious threat to field crops, specifically corn on light textured soils. European chafer has adapted to laying eggs in soybean crops and developing on the soybean roots without any effect on the soybean crop. However, on a following corn crop, serious losses may occur. The project will look at cultural control in soybeans, sampling techniques, threshold levels in corn to determine timing and what pesticides may be suitable and alternate crop rotation options.

Western Corn Rootworm
A new biotype of the western corn rootworm has emerged that lays eggs in soybeans. Although traditional corn rootworm lifecycles are destroyed with a crop rotation such as soybeans, this strategy has failed in large areas of Indiana and Illinois where applications of rootworm insecticide is now required for control even with the soybean rotation. The new variant appears to be spreading at about 50 kilometres per year and becomes a threat to Ontario corn producers. The Ontario study will use molecular tools to differentiate between the two biotypes, map the progression in the US, determine patterns of landscape and mosaic and develop a risk assessment analysis for Ontario. Tools for management and control strategies will be developed for Ontario growers to prevent, stop or minimize the migration of the new biotype into Ontario crops.

Transgenic Bt Corn
New transgenic BT corn varieties have potential to reduce pest damage without use of pesticides. Sporadic pests such as common armyworm, black cutworm, and European corn borer will be studied to provide management strategies for extension staff and farmers with this new technology. Feeding behavior, effects of temperature on emerging seedlings, susceptibility of different instars, cultural practices such as weed control, presence of alternate hosts, efficacy of new seed treatments and effectiveness of new Bt constructs are part of this study. It is anticipated that best management strategies will be developed for commercial field conditions.

Soybean Aphid
The Soybean aphid is an invasive species from Asia which hit the US economically in 2000 and Ontario in 2001. Losses in Ontario in 2001 exceeded $50 million. There is only one pesticide registered for use – dimethoate (an organophosphate). Very little is known about the efficacy of registered pesticides versus new active ingredients and various delivery modes, or how these insecticides interact with natural enemies such as Lady Beetles which abounded in 2001 in response to the high population of soybean aphid. Decision thresholds are required with a better understanding of the economic impact of this pest relative to the environment and insect/crop phenology. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan applicable to Ontario will result from this project.

The above four projects will provide pest management strategies for producers to understand economic thresholds to ensure Ontario field crop production remains competitive. Long term environmental benefits will result from reduced pesticide use by incorporation of state-of-the-art integrated pest management methods.

The project launched this year will continue with the CanAdapt funding until 2004.