Blueberry IPM: Past Successes and Future Challenges

EN64CH06_Rodriguez-Saona ARI 24 November 2018 12:36 Annual Review of Entomology Blueberry IPM: Past Successes and Future Challenges Cesar Rodriguez-Saona,1,∗ Charles Vincent,2 and Rufus Isaacs3 1Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901, USA; email: [email protected] 2Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec J3B 3E6, Canada; email: [email protected] 3Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA; email: [email protected] Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2019. 64:95–114 Keywords The Annual Review of Entomology is online at Vaccinium, blueberry pest management, globalization, invasive species, ento.annualreviews.org maximum residue limits, MRLs https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-011118- 112147 Abstract Copyright c Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Blueberry is a crop native to North America with expanding production and Canada, as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada consumption worldwide. In the historical regions of production, integrated pest management (IPM) programs have been developed and provided effec- ∗Corresponding author tive control of key insect pests. These have integrated monitoring programs with physical, cultural, biological, behavioral, and chemical controls to meet the intense demands of consumers and modern food systems. Globalization of the blueberry industry has resulted in new pest-crop associations and the introduction of invasive pests into existing and new blueberry-growing areas. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2019.64:95-114. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org Access provided by CASA Institution Identity on 10/08/20. For personal use only. Invasive pests—in particular spotted wing drosophila—have been highly dis- ruptive to traditional IPM programs, resulting in increased use of insecticides and the potential to disrupt beneficial insects. Moreover, regulatory agencies have reduced the number of broad-spectrum insecticides available to grow- ers while facilitating registration and adoption of reduced-risk insecticides that have a narrower spectrum of activity. Despite these new tools, increasing international trade has constrained insecticide use because of maximum residue limits, which are often not standardized across countries. Great potential remains for biological, behavioral, cultural, and physical methods to contribute to blueberry IPM, and with more regions investing in blueberry research, we expect regionally relevant IPM programs to develop in the new production regions. 95 EN64CH06_Rodriguez-Saona ARI 24 November 2018 12:36 INTRODUCTION The term blueberry refers to the small fruit of some species of Vaccinium (family Ericaceae) that are native to North America (135). These species include lowbush blueberry (V. angustifolium, V. boreale, V. myrtilloides, V. pallidum,andV. angustifolium × V. corymbosum), southern (V. darrowii) and northern (V. corymbosum) highbush blueberry, and rabbiteye blueberry (V. ashei). These are a food source for wildlife and for indigenous people (59), and they also play an important role in the social fabric of these communities (105). In 1911, a project to domesticate highbush blueberry was initiated between Elizabeth White, a horticulturist for a private company in New Jersey (United States), and Frederick Coville, who was the chief botanist of the United States Department of Agriculture (28). The resulting cultivars were the foundation of the modern blueberry industry, which is built on germplasm from those early selections (102). North America remains the major region of highbush and lowbush blueberry production, and this is reflected in the relevant entomological literature. As other regions expand their production, there are increasing reports of new pest management challenges in those countries. We review the published research related to insect pest management and highlight areas where future studies are needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of blueberry production. Global Blueberry Production Lowbush blueberries are typically grown in semi-wild systems, using slash and burn techniques developed by indigenous peoples (1). They are harvested from wild populations across eastern North America and from regions of major commercial production in Maine, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Lac Saint-Jean in Quebec (58). This industry has expanded rapidly in North America throughout the last two decades (121) to meet increased demand for processed blueberries used in baked goods and yogurts, and for fresh and processed organic fruit (24). Highbush blueberry fruit are used fresh and are also frozen for use in processed foods. After the initial cultivation in New Jersey a century ago, this sector of the blueberry industry grew steadily in the East and Midwest regions of the United States. Production in the United States has doubled in the past decade, largely from extensive plantings in the Southeast and West regions (13), but recently this growth has slowed (Figure 1a). In concert with the expansion, there has been rapid growth of blueberry production in Chile, Argentina, Mexico, China, South Africa, and Spain. This has created opportunities to advance horticultural practices, increasing production efficiency and per-hectare yields, resulting in the development of new domestic and international Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2019.64:95-114. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org markets for fresh and processed blueberries. These changes have brought blueberry into regions Access provided by CASA Institution Identity on 10/08/20. For personal use only. without most of the community of insects that have evolved with these Vaccinium species in eastern North America. As such, many new blueberry producers have enjoyed a growing situation relatively free of insect pests. However, globalization has also raised the risk of pest importation to new regions and phytosanitary measures have been implemented to limit pest spread (17). International movement of fruit also raises the importance of maximum residue limits (MRLs) that can significantly influence which pesticides can be used and the countries to which berries can be exported (22; Supplemental Text 1). Of the different commercialized plant species, northern highbush blueberries dominate worldwide production in terms of cultivated surface (75% northern highbush, 10% southern highbush, and 15% rabbiteye), weight, and value, and their production continues to increase (Figure 1b). From current production areas and new plantings, almost a million metric tons of blueberries are predicted to be produced by 2021 (13), with most of that expansion in new production regions. 96 Rodriguez-Saona · Vincent · Isaacs EN64CH06_Rodriguez-Saona ARI 24 November 2018 12:36 a Growing Static Declining Limited planting b 1,000 Over 904 kt by 2021 900 Asia and Pacific Southern Africa Over 813 kt by 2019 800 Mediterranean and Northern Africa 700 Europe 600 South America North America 500 400 300 Blueberry production (kt) 200 100 0 2005 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 Year Figure 1 Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2019.64:95-114. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org Access provided by CASA Institution Identity on 10/08/20. For personal use only. (a) Regions of the world where blueberry production is static (yellow), declining (red), or expanding (green). (b) Historical trends and projected future highbush blueberry production [in kilotons (kt)], based on current planting trends. Figure provided by Cort Brazelton of the International Blueberry Organization and adapted with permission. Overview of Blueberry Insect IPM Blueberry plants are relatively well defended against arthropod pests, and they tend to have limited pest complexes compared with other perennial fruit crops such as apples, citrus, and grapes. However, they are still at risk from feeding on all parts of the plant and from vectors of diseases. Among the 24 insect species or taxa attacking blueberry in North America, Marucci (74) reported that the blueberry maggot fly (Rhagoletis mendax) was the most serious pest in New Jersey, Michigan, Maine (United States), and Eastern Canada, as it required treatment most years. Other insects such as cranberry fruitworm (Acrobasis vaccinii), cherry fruitworm (Grapholita packardi), and www.annualreviews.org • Blueberry IPM 97 EN64CH06_Rodriguez-Saona ARI 24 November 2018 12:36 a 140 Total 120 Monitoring Cultural/physical control 100 Chemical control Biological control Behavioral control 80 Host-plant resistance 60 scientific articles 40 Number of published 20 0 1914– 1950– 1960– 1970– 1980– 1990– 2000– 2010– 1949 1959 1969 1979 1989 1999 2009 2017 Year b 70 1914–1949 60 1950–1959 1960–1969 50 1970–1979 1980–1989 40 1990–1999 2000–2009 30 2010–2017 20 10 Published scientific articles (%) 0 Monitoring Cultural/ Chemical Biological Behavioral Host-plant physical control control control resistance control Pest management approach Figure 2 (a) Number and (b) percent of scientific articles about blueberry entomology published by decade about different pest management approaches (Supplemental Text 3). Annu. Rev. Entomol. 2019.64:95-114. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org Access provided by CASA Institution Identity on 10/08/20. For personal use only. plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar) were of concern but of lesser importance. Entomological research and integrated pest management (IPM) programs have evolved ever since to adjust to new pests and new management

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