Impact of Attract-and-Kill Expansion on Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Wisconsin Vineyards

Commodities

Practices

The Japanese beetle (JB), Popillia japonica, is an invasive generalist insect in the United States. This beetle has become an economically significant pest of many crop and ornamental plant systems, and is the most substantial defoliator of grapevines. The current management standard relies solely on broad-spectrum insecticides that are hazardous to the environment, non-target organisms, including beneficial insects, and farm workers. Many alternative methods have led to insufficient reductions of JB and may even increase damage to the crop. Attract-and-Kill (A&K) is a behavioral management strategy that integrates the use of pest-specific semiochemical attractant lures with a reduced insecticide regime. This study, “Impact of Attract-and-Kill Expansion on Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Wisconsin Vineyards,” aims to expand on a preliminary study conducted by our lab that showed promising results with A&K on a small scale (~0.25 acres). Here, we will expand by assessing the impact of 1) A&K; 2) killing agent alone; and 3) grower standard on the number of JB adults and foliar injury by JB. The experimental trials will be conducted at five Wisconsin vineyards using three 0.75-2 acre plots over two growing seasons. In the A&K treatment, lures will be placed along the perimeter of the plot with a border application of carbaryl every 7-10 days. The plot with kill treatment alone will receive the same insecticide application without the use of lures. The plot utilizing the grower standard will receive the management method the grower would regularly choose. Throughout the season weekly, all adult beetles will be collected in three randomly selected transects and defoliation will be measured in three random vines per transect row. To assess the success rate of the A&K strategy, differences in foliar damage between the treatments and percent adult P. japonica abundance will be compared. Results of the project will be presented to grape growers at the Growing Wisconsin Conference and Wisconsin Grape Growers field days. Understanding the effectiveness and potential to use this method of P. japonica control will provide Wisconsin vineyard growers with an alternative practice that would be cost effective and reduce environmental impacts while maintaining pest control within economic thresholds compared to conventional methods.

A presentation conveying the results of the treatment comparison (Attract-and-Kill, Perimeter spray alone, and Grower Standard) will be given to audiences of Wisconsin vineyard growers at the Growing Wisconsin Conference and in the Wisconsin Fruit News. The expected action outcomes are 1) Wisconsin growers would be able to confidently implement A&K methods into their management practices to effectively control P. japonica in their vineyards and 2) there is a reduction in the adverse consequences of conventional pesticide application through the implementation of A&K. 

The learning outcomes of this project is to further grower knowledge of the importance of practicing environmentally sound agricultural practices and raise their awareness of cost-effective strategies to integrate those practices. Attract-and-Kill reduces dependence on insecticides through the use of pest-specific lures and decreases the impacts on non-target beneficial insects. Grower implementation of this strategy will achieve equivalent pest control levels as conventional means, as seen through yield measurements and defoliation reduction. Outcomes will be measured through post-study surveys at grower conferences to collect data from the vineyard community on their understanding and considerations for implementation of A&K methods.