Monday, 15 November 2004
D0187

Response of natural enemies to reduction of broad spectrum insecticides in highbush blueberry

Keith Mason, masonk@msu.edu1, Matt E. O'Neal, oneal@iastate.edu2, Carlos Garcia-Salazar, garciac@msue.msu.edu3, John C. Wise, wisejohn@msu.edu4, and Rufus Isaacs, isaacsr@msu.edu1. (1) Michigan State University, Department of Entomology, East Lansing, MI, (2) Iowa State University, Entomology, 113A Insectary, Ames, IA, (3) Ottawa County Extension, 333 Clinton Street, Grand Haven, MI, (4) Michigan State University, Department of Entomology, Trevor Nichols Research Complex, Fennville, MI

As part of a project comparing pest management programs that employ either conventional broad spectrum or reduced-risk insecticides, the abundance of natural enemies was measured in a highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) agroecosystem. Two fields at each of six commercial blueberry farms in southwest Michigan were selected for this project. One field received the grower's standard broad spectrum insecticide program while the second received reduced-risk insecticides in response to weekly pest scouting. Yellow sticky traps, pitfall traps, tuna-baited test tubes, fruit and foliage collections and periodic scouting were used in each field to determine whether reduction in the use of broad-spectrum insecticides increased generalist predator (coccinellid, syrphid and lacewing), terrestrial arthropod predator (carabid and formicid) or parasitoid abundance. Results from the first two years of this study will be discussed with respect to the insecticides used in each program, and the potential of natural enemy populations to control of major insect pests in highbush blueberry.


Keywords: generalist predator, parasitoid

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