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Project Overview

LS03-153
Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2003: $217,500.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2006
Region: Southern
State: Georgia
Principal Investigator:
Dr. David Shapiro-Ilan
Email
USDA-ARS

Integrating Biological Control into Pecan Weevil Management: A Sustainable Approach

View the project final report

Annual Reports

  • 2003 annual report
  • 2004 annual report
  • 2005 annual report

Information Products

Fig. 1. Example of lab experiment results: Bb=B. bassiana Ma=M. anisopliae (Charts)

Commodities

  • Nuts: pecans

Practices

  • Crop Production: cover crops, organic fertilizers, application rate management
  • Education and Training: demonstration, extension, on-farm/ranch research
  • Pest Management: biological control, field monitoring/scouting, integrated pest management, mulching - vegetative
  • Production Systems: agroecosystems, holistic management
  • Soil Management: green manures

Abstract:

The pecan weevil is a key pest of pecans. In this project, the potential to control pecan weevil using entomopathogenic (insect-killing) fungi was investigated. In laboratory and field studies the following factors were found to affect efficacy: fungus strain or species, application method, and formulation. The most promising treatments consisted of trunk sprays including a novel UV-protecting formulation, and fungus-impregnated cloth bands wrapped around the tree trunk; these treatments produced approximately 80% mortality in emerging pecan weevils. The results indicate that using fungus as a natural environmentally sound measure for pecan weevil control is promising.

Project objectives:

Our overall goal is to reduce reliance on chemical insecticides by incorporating biological control into a sustainable pest management program for C. caryae. Specific objectives are to:
1. Enhance persistence of C. caryae control with B. bassiana by one or more of the following:
A. Selecting superior B. bassiana strains.
B. Addition of soil amendments to improve B. bassiana persistence.
C. Developing improved formulations.
2. Determine the optimum area of B. bassiana application
3. Conduct feasibility and economic analyses to determine the potential of incorporating B.
bassiana into an integrated pest management system.
4. Extend the project findings to grower clientele.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.

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