IPM News and Events Roundup 4/1/2022
A weekly collection of IPM news, webinars, employment and funding opportunities and more from the NE IPM Center. If you have IPM-related research, events or other IPM news you would like to have included, please email me at nec2@cornell.edu. If you would like to subscribe to the weekly Roundup, please email northeastipm@cornell.edu. Past Roundups are archived here.
Northeastern IPM Center Upcoming Events:
Combating Slugs as Pests of Soybeans and Corn, David Owens and Sally Taylor, presenters, April 6 11am ET
Slugs pose a significant pest problem for growers of seedling grain crops—particularly corn and soybeans—in the Mid-Atlantic region. The presence and activity of slugs are associated with practices that promote soil health: namely, no-till or conservation tillage and cover crops. Periods of cool, wet weather can lead to an otherwise healthy stand being severely impacted or lost. This presentation will explore the biology of the two most common slug species and how we’re working to control them. We will discuss pesticides and their shortcomings for slug management, cultural control tactics, and new research currently underway.
Taking a Closer Look: How Strawberry Disease Risk Varies with Microclimates at Canopy Level, Mengjun Hu Presenter, May 4 11am ET
Weather stations in strawberry fields might seem like good sources of highly local environmental data, but this assumes sun, wind, and shade affect an area evenly. There can be microclimate variations at the canopy level, especially when row covers are used for plasticulture strawberry production.
IPM in Multifamily Housing Live Online Course 4/21- 5/12!
The IPM in Multifamily Housing Course was designed to help housing professionals understand their roles in supporting safe and effective pest control in their communities. This is an amazing resource for housing and property managers.
The IPM Toolbox Webinar Tarping in the Northeast: A Guide for Small Farms, with Dr. Sonja Birthisel is now available on the Center’s Youtube channel for your listening and viewing pleasure. You can find a copy of the slides used in the presentation here.
The Central Issue for March, Newsletter of the North Central IPM Center, is out.
Read about the Center’s funded research for 2022; upcoming webinars, EPA updates and more.
USDA-NIFA update contains two important issues:
Important Update for Grants, Cooperative Agreements and more: By April 4, 2022, the federal government will stop using the Dun & Bradstreet Numbering System (DUNS) that uniquely identifies entities in the System for Award Management (SAM). Moving forward, you will need to have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) created in SAM.gov.
NIFA Reporting System update: As NIFA partners work to enter results in NIFA Reporting System (NRS) by April 1 and prepare to complete the annual report of accomplishments by May 2, there is a lot more activity in the NRS. The agency is seeing an increase in issues with login, and many are tied to eAuthentication. NIFA is aware of this issue and is communicating with the USDA Office of the Chief Information Officer on ways to mitigate this.
National Honey Board 2021 Annual report in video form; Celebrating Beekeeping videos
The National Honey Board (NHB) has released its 2021 Annual Report in video format with highlights of positive consumer research, sustainability efforts, and marketing campaigns across retail, foodservice, consumer and ingredient verticals.
The video series tells the story of honey’s unique journey as an ingredient crafted in nature, as well as by exploring the vital role of honey bees in pollination and global food supply, the NHB expanded its sustainability program with new, shorter videos that promote the role of beekeepers as the stewards of both the bees and the land. This campaign garnered more than 53 million impressions and outpaced all expectations for consumer engagement.
Farmer-Focused Innovations Funded by SARE -2021-2022 Report From the Field
Reports from SARE grantees from around the country that demonstrate how SARE grantees are improving the sustainability of U.S. agriculture.
The 2022 Feeding the Economy study underscores the resiliency and strength of America’s food and agriculture sectors. Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the food and agriculture industries continue to add jobs, provide safe food, and feed the US economy in the face of global supply chain challenges and more. Together, these industries are responsible for roughly one-fifth of the country’s economic activity, directly supporting nearly 21.5 million jobs or more than 14% of U.S. employment. Article here.
EPA renews Enlist product registration with new control measures
Enlist One and Enlist Duo, two herbicides used to control weeds in conventional and genetically-modified corn, cotton, and soybean crops, can now be used in all counties of Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota. In Texas, Enlist products can now be used in Bowie, Cooke, Fannin, Grayson, Lamar, and Red River counties. Read page 16 of the new Enlist One label and page 16 of the new Enlist Duo label to see which counties remain prohibited.
Plant Identification Apps for your Smartphone
Dr. Erin Hill at Michigan State University has evaluated these types of apps for accuracy on a yearly basis, testing them against plants with a known identity in her neighborhood. In many cases apps correctly identified the genus of an unknown plant, while misidentifying the species. This has been the author’s experience with these apps as well; they often help get “close” to a plant’s identity but require further work to get to the correct species. The study also found that apps are better at identifying mature plants compared to seedlings, and grasses may be more difficult for these apps to accurately identify compared with broadleaf plants.
Lonestar tick, linked to Heartland virus, now found in 6 states
Test samples have revealed that lone star ticks in Georgia have picked up the Heartland virus. From 2018 to 2019, of 2,960 collected ticks in the Georgia county where a person was determined to have been infected with Heartland virus, and from surrounding counties, ticks from two locations tested positive for the virus. While there have only been a small number of Heartland virus cases reported, a 2019 CDC blood bank study found that 1% of donor samples contained antibodies to the virus, indicating that the actual burden and impact may be much greater than represented by the reported cases.
Penn State offers Farm Biosecurity Best Practices for Contractors, Vendors, Visitors, fee, on your own
This is an asynchronous, self-paced course for people who visit farms, especially those who visit farms as part of their jobs. On a farm, there are animals, fencing and enclosures, and other farm features that you need to be aware of so you can stay safe and help prevent the spread of disease.
Avian Influenza Update:
New York proactively bans all Fowl shows and Exhibitions to safeguard against avian flu
USDA Confirms Avian Influenza in Mass, Wyoming, North Carolina, Ohio and N Dakota
Avian flu puts Easter egg supplies at risk
Invasive Species:
Spotted Lanternfly Update:
The Spotted Lanternfly Map has been updated, which includes 11 new counties that were just announced in Pennsylvania. So at this point the majority, 67%, of PA’s counties have an infestation. That includes an internal PA state quarantine.
The control program proposed in the draft EA for commercial nurseries and landscaped areas where BTM has been detected includes a combination of quarantine measures, survey activities, potential box tree removal, and pesticide use. Box tree moth resources. Comments added here.
Effective immediately, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is adding Boone and Winnebago Counties in Illinois to the list of quarantine areas for gypsy moth (GM). The moth populations in these counties have reached the threshold to trigger the quarantine expansion.
Research:
Biological Invasion costs reveal insufficient proactive management worldwide
The global increase in biological invasions is placing growing pressure on the management of ecological and economic systems. However, the effectiveness of current management expenditure is difficult to assess due to a lack of standardized measurement across spatial, taxonomic and temporal scales. The researcher’s results indicate insufficient management — particularly pre-invasion — and urge better investment to prevent future invasions and to control established alien species.
Aegilops sharonensis genome-assisted identification of stem rust resistance gene Sr62
An obscure species of wild grass contains “blockbuster” disease resistance that can be cross bred into wheat to give immunity against one of the deadliest crop pathogens. A collaborative international team of researchers identified the stem rust resistance gene from the wild goat grass species Aegilops sharonensis. The research team led by the John Innes Centre, The Sainsbury Laboratory, and the University of Minnesota used bioinformatic advances to develop the first accurate genome map of Aegilops sharonensis. The genetic potential of this hardy relative of wheat found in Israel and southern Lebanon has been largely unexplored. Article here.
Deladenus siricidicola is a principal biological control agent used to suppress populations of the globally invasive pine pest, the woodwasp Sirex noctilio. Previous studies have reported low genetic diversity in D. siricidicolapopulations in biological control programs in the Southern Hemisphere and identified two additional, distinct lineages in North America and Spain. In this study, researchers tested the ability of these three lineages to interbreed and produce viable offspring.
Demography of an invading Forest insect reunited with hosts and parasitoids from its native range
The Sirex woodwasp Sirex noctilio Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae), a widespread invasive pest of pines in the Southern Hemisphere, was first detected in North America in 2004. This study assessed the impacts of life history traits, host resistance and species interactions on the demography of S. noctilio in New York,
Early Season plant cover supports more effective pest control that insecticide applications
The use of cover crops and other conservation-agriculture practices can help reduce erosion and nutrient loss, enhance soil health, and improve pest management, noted study co-author John Tooker, professor of entomology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Although the adoption of such methods has increased, he said, the use of pesticides continues to grow in the United States and globally, potentially killing nontarget, beneficial species and reversing pest-management gains from the use of conservation-agriculture tactics. Article here.
Webinars, Seminars, Meetings and more
Rutgers Urban Gardening Webinar series, in Spanish, March 30-Aug 24
The series consists of live webinars presented each month by RCE & NJAES experts on a range of gardening topics. The series is geared towards beginner gardeners interested in learning how to grow a vegetable garden in urban spaces. The livestreamed presentations are for adults, but gardening activities for the whole family will be covered.
Cotton Leafroll Dwarf Virus in the South, Southern IPM Hour Webinar, April 6, 1pm ET
This webinar focuses on the CLRDV Sentinel Plot Working Group and their management recommendations after collaborating with cotton producing states across the cotton belt and coordinating sentinel plot research trials to monitor for infection, vector activity, symptom development, disease progression, genetic susceptibility of cotton varieties and yield impacts.
Wastewater Reuse: 50-plus Years of Research, Management, and Lessons Learned, April 5-7, Bolasburg, PA, fee
The conference will highlight the history of adaptive management strategies used to meet environmental goals, address regulatory compliance, and sustain community outreach. Topics will include nutrient management, emerging concerns (PFAS, pharmaceuticals, antibiotic resistance, etc.), hydrogeology, soil health, land management, operational challenges, wastewater treatment and more. The event is intended for utility managers, watershed planners, researchers, students, consultants and regulatory personnel engaged in innovative water resources management for the 21st century.
New York Certified Organic On-Farm meeting April 12, Seneca Falls, NY, 10am
The meeting will include a tour of the machinery used at Pedersen Farm, and the opportunity to view and ask questions pertaining to it. There will also be an after-lunch discussion about adapting to changing climate with Caroline Marschner from Cornell Weed Ecology and Management Laboratory.
Cooperative Extension and National Native Bee Monitoring Workshop, April 13, 10am-2pm PT, virtual
You are invited to a workshop for the USDA-funded National Native Bee Monitoring Research Coordination Network. The Native Bee Monitoring RCN is holding a series of virtual workshops from 2021-2024, at which they will gather ideas and perspectives from the professional bee monitoring community on strategies for national native bee monitoring practices. They will synthesize discussions and presentations from these workshops into a national native bee monitoring plan.
IR-4 Virtual Crop Tour: Hops, April 15 12noon ET
Join IR-4 for a virtual tour of the domestic hop industry. Commodity representatives and pest management experts will discuss the growing hop industry, demand for American-grown hops around the world, and pest management issues.
USDA-ARS Weed Science Webinar series with the Weed Science Society, April 5-June 7
"ARS scientists have worked in a wide range of agricultural and natural ecosystems that include agronomic and horticultural crops, pastures, forests, rangelands, wetlands and riparian areas," said Steve Young, USDA-ARS National Program Leader for Weeds and Invasive Pests. "Our scientists have made contributions to discoveries in the newest fields of robotics and genetics as well as the traditional and fundamental subjects of weed-crop competition, physiology, and integration of weed control tactics."
2022 Maine Food Waste Solutions Summit, April 15 9am-noon, virtual
Food is now the single largest component of Maine’s solid waste stream at approximately 30% based on a 2011 Maine Waste Characterization Study. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Mainers pay to haul 97% of food waste to landfills, where it releases contaminants and produces methane gas that threatens water and climate. Food waste also squanders valuable resources like water, energy, labor and soil, which are used to produce food that is never eaten.
Penn State Agricultural Sciences College Connections webinar series, with Dean Rick Roush
Follow the Carbon: Re-envisioning the Bioeconomy, April 20
Utility Scale Soral Energy: Considerations and Impacts, May 18 and
Research and Automation and Robotics in Agriculture, June 15
Mosses and Liverworts Workshop, May 20-22, Cornwall, NY, in person, fee
This workshop is suitable for beginners and those with an advanced understanding of bryophytes. The basic structure, life history, ecology, and classification of mosses and liverworts will be covered in formal lectures and discussions. Field trips to a variety of habitats will introduce these plants in their natural settings where participants will be taught to recognize bryophyte genera and species, describe their macro- and microhabitat preferences, and learn basic collection techniques. Lab work will focus on the identification of representative bryophytes selected by the instructors and the identification and curation of student collections.
NOFA-NY will be offering a 2022 Field Day Season this year. They will offer a mix of in-person, on-farm field days and webinars. Please sign up for their eNews or check the website
Employment Opportunities:
Entomologist, (Post Doctoral Research Assoc), USDA-ARS Robert W. Holley Center, Ithaca, NY, Cornell University campus
The successful applicant will support research efforts within a multi-state funded project to improve the management of ambrosia beetles infesting tree crops. In this position, the incumbent will evaluate entomopathogenic and mycogenic fungi for ambrosia beetle pests of apple orchards. The research will investigate the efficacy of microbial biopesticides and optimize application methods including different application times and rates relative to the insect’s phenology or other aspects of its biology. Job duties include designing, conducting, analyzing, interpreting and reporting research from laboratory, greenhouse, and field studies. The incumbent is expected to present results of these studies in publications in scientific journals and at scientific meetings. The successful candidate will function both independently and as a team member, as required.
Temporary Horticulture Inspectors, NY Dept of Agriculture and Markets, several counties
Temporary Assistant Horticultural Inspector 1: Albany, Broome, Niagara, Onondaga, Suffolk, Tompkins, OR Ulster Counties
your duties will include: deploy traps and lures in support of various surveys under established protocols and direction; visually survey for the presence of various pests to assist in identifying plant diseases and insects; collect samples of soil, leaves, seed or other agricultural commodities; label and pack samples for submission to the laboratory for analysis; accurately record survey data and information; assist in data entry of survey information, crop history, dates of survey, field size, treatments and lab results; properly map properties, trees and species and where they are located to detect, eradicate or control plant pests in an assigned geographic area; report quantity and disposition of samples to supervisor and/or program manager; disinfesting equipment and machinery; clean and maintain survey equipment.
Temporary Assistant Horticultural Inspector 2: Albany, Niagara, Suffolk, and Ulster Counties
your duties will include: deploying traps and lures in support of various surveys under established protocols and direction; visually surveying for the presence of various pests to assist in identifying plant diseases and insects; collecting samples of soil, leaves, seed or other agricultural commodities; labeling and packing samples for submission to the laboratory for analysis; accurately recording survey data and information; assisting in data entry of survey information, crop history, dates of survey, field size, treatments and lab results; properly mapping properties, trees and species and where they are located to detect, eradicate or control plant pests in an assigned geographic area; reporting quantity and disposition of samples to supervisor and/or program manager; disinfesting equipment and machinery; cleaning and maintaining survey equipment.
Water Quality Technician, Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District, NY
The Water Quality Technician is a technical position that involves administrative and technical assistance to the Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District in planning, coordinating and implementing water quality and nonpoint source pollution control projects within Erie County. The incumbent will assist with the planning, design and implementation of soil and water conservation practices in farm and non-farm settings.
Invasive Species Member, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Seneca Falls, NY
American Conservation Experience (ACE), a non-profit conservation corps, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is seeking Invasive Species Members to assist with mapping and management of invasive species as well as other biological projects alongside staff at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Hiring 2 Invasive Species Members for each site. This is a full time, seasonal position with a flexible start date, with a commitment of 8 weeks after start date.