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Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1987 Interactions of Weed, Nematode, and Arthropod Management Strategies With the Louisiana Sugarcane Agroecosystem: A Holistic Perspective. Allan Thomas Showler Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Showler, Allan Thomas, "Interactions of Weed, Nematode, and Arthropod Management Strategies With the Louisiana Sugarcane Agroecosystem: A Holistic Perspective." (1987). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 4476. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/4476 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photo­ graph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the original text directly from the copy submitted. Thus, some dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from a computer printer. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyrighted material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Oversize materials (e.g., maps, drawings, charts) are re­ produced by sectioning the original, beginning at the upper left-hand comer and continuing from left to right in equal sections with small overlaps. Each oversize page is available as one exposure on a standard 35 mm slide or as a 17" x 23" black and white photographic print for an additional charge. Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. 35 mm slides or 6" x 9" black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. ■UMIAccessing the World's Information since 1938 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA Order Number 8811437 Interactions of weed, nematode, and arthropod management strategies with the Louisiana sugarcane agroecosystem: A holistic perspective Showier, Allan Thomas, Ph.D. The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical Col., 1987 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this document have been identified here with a check mark V . 1. Glossy photographs or p a g e s _____ 2. Colored illustrations, paper or print _______ 3. Photographs with dark background _____ 4. Illustrations are poor copy _______ 5. Pages with black marks, not original copy ______ 6. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of page _______ 7. Indistinct, broken or smail print on several pages t / 8. Print exceeds margin requirements______ 9. Tightly bound copy with print lost in spine _______ 10. Computer printout pages with indistinct print _______ 11. P age(s) ____________ lacking when material received, and not available from school or author. 12. P age(s) ____________ seem to be missing in numbering only as text follows. 13. Two pages numbered . Text follows. 14. Curling and wrinkled pages _______ 15. Dissertation contains pages with print at a slant, filmed as received i / 16. Other ___________________________________________________________________________ UMI INTERACTIONS OF WEED, NEMATODE, AND ARTHROPOD MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES WITH THE LOUISIANA SUGARCANE AGROECOSYSTEM: A HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Department of Entomology by Allan Thomas Showier B.S., University of California at Davis, 1979 M.S., University of California at Davis, 1981 December 1987 PREFACE "Every element of the physical reality must have a counter-part in the physical theory. "In quantum mechanics in the case of the two physical quantities described by non-communicating operators, the knowledge of one precludes the knowledge of the other." Einstein, A., B. Podolsky and N. Rosen. 1935. Can quantum- mechanical description of physical reality be considered complete? Physical Review 47: 777-780. "Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen's thought experiment is the Pandora's Box of modern physics." Zukav, G. 1979. The dancing wu li masters: an overview of the new physics. William Morrow & Company, New York. 341 pp. "Quantum phenomena provide prima facie evidence that information gets around in ways that do not conform to classical ideas. Thus the idea that information is transfered superluminally is, a priori, not unreasonable." Stapp, H. P. 1977. Are superluminal connections necessary? II Nuovo Cimento 40B: 191-205. ii "Thus, one is led to a new notion of unbroken wholeness which denies the classical idea of analyzability of the world into separately and independently existent parts..." Bohm, D. J. and B. J. Hiley. 1975. On the intuitive understanding of nonlocality as implied by quantum theory. Foundations of Physics 5: 93-109. "In all of the Oriental religions great value is placed on the Sanskrit doctrine of Tat tvam asi, 'thou art that,' which asserts that everything you think you are and everything you think you perceive are undivided. To realize fully this lack of division is to become enlightened." Pirsig, R. M. 1974. Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance: An inquiry into values. Bantam, New York. 373 pp. Agroecosystems are arbitrarily separated portions of the universe. As a part of the universe, an agroecosystem should be viewed from a holistic perspective to fully appreciate its inherent complexity. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my gratitude to the owners of the Dugas & LeBlanc Sugar Plantation, especially to Chris Mattingly, for the use of land, personnel, and equipment. 1 owe special thanks to Jeff Flynn, a friend and colleague, who gave of his time, knowledge, and endurance to provide momentum for the experiments herein described. The technical assistance of Billy Fuller, Ahmed Ali, Steve Harrell, Mike Dzeda, and Ric Bessin, and three years of data entry work by Hong Hanh Thi Nguyen are very much appreciated. My gratitude is extended to Dr. V.S.V. Rao of the Louisiana State University Biomchemistry Department for high performance liquid chomatography analyses of sugarcane free amino acids; to Mr. M.V. Patel of the Mississippi State University Plant Pathology Extension Service for assistance with nematode analyses of soil samples; to Dr. A.M. Golden of the USDA, Beltsville, Maryland, for nematode species identifications; to Dan Van Gent of the Louisiana State University Nuclear Science Center for invaluable assistance in the processing of the fire ant samples for neutron activation analysis and the volumes of raw data; and to John Krohn of the Texas A&M Nuclear Science Center, College Station, Texas, for reactor and semiconductor detector operation. I am grateful to the members of my graduate committee, Drs. Ron M. Knaus of the Nuclear Science Center, K. Pam Shao of the Department of Experimental Statistics, Jeff W. Hoy of the Department of Plant Pathology; and Elvis A. Heinrichs, Department Head of Entomology, for tfheir constructive guidance and comments during the preparation of the research presented in the following text. Thanks are given to Dr. Thomas E. Reagan, my major advisor, who provided guidance, external motivation, and- faith in my ability to explore novel concepts and technologies. I would like to express my thanks to Louisiana State University for bestowing upon me a Distinguished Alumni Federation Fellowship, which was both a great honor and sustenance for the duration of my doctoral studies. My heartfelt gratitude is given to Wanpen Wirattigowit, a deeply loyal, patient, and loving friend who inspired me to embark upon this search for knowledge and personal achievement, and who continued to provide encouragement through its completion. Very special thanks are due to Joanne Spalding and Patricia Dougherty for unswerving and treasured friendship even during the darker moments of graduate life. Dan Van Gent has been an accomplice since the dorm days (1977) at U.C. Davis; his understanding, thoughtful commentary, honesty, technical assistance, and intrinsic friendship will never go unappreciated. Finally, my appreciation to my sister, Dr. Linda A. Showier, for her moral support, and to Robert S. Showier, for his comaraderie, generosity, and brotherhood, and most of all, to my father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Donald H. and Gloria A. Showier, who will always have my deepest love, respect, gratitude, and devotion for all that they are as individuals and parents until the end of time. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................ iv TABLE OF CONTENTS . ......................................... vi LIST OF TABLES................................ xiii LIST OF FI G U R E S ............................................... x ABSTRACT.................................................. xii INTRODUCTION ................................................ 1 LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................... 5 I. Vegetative

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