Introduction and Assessment of Overseas Beneficials For
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Further developing integrated pest management for lettuce Sandra McDougall NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) Project Number: VG05044 VG05044 This report is published by Horticulture Australia Ltd to pass on information concerning horticultural research and development undertaken for the vegetable industry. The research contained in this report was funded by Horticulture Australia Ltd with the financial support of the vegetable industry. All expressions of opinion are not to be regarded as expressing the opinion of Horticulture Australia Ltd or any authority of the Australian Government. The Company and the Australian Government accept no responsibility for any of the opinions or the accuracy of the information contained in this report and readers should rely upon their own enquiries in making decisions concerning their own interests. ISBN 0 7341 1896 1 Published and distributed by: Horticulture Australia Ltd Level 7 179 Elizabeth Street Sydney NSW 2000 Telephone: (02) 8295 2300 Fax: (02) 8295 2399 E-Mail: [email protected] © Copyright 2008 FINAL REPORT VG05044 Further developing integrated pest management for lettuce 2008 Sandra McDougall et al. NSW Department of Primary Industries Project No: VG 05044 Principal Investigator: Dr Sandra McDougall Contact Details: Vegetable Industry Centre NSW DPI PMB, Yanco NSW 2703 (02) 6951 2728 (02) 6951 2692 fax 0427 401 466 mob [email protected] Project Team: NSW DPI: Sandra McDougall, Virginia Brunton, Kathryn Bechaz, Adelle Dunn, Katina Lindout Tanya Shaw, Robyn Troldahl, and Tony Napier, IPM Technologies Ltd Paul Horne and Jessica Page Tas DPIW Lionel Hill and Cathy Young SARDI Greg Baker, Peter Crisp, and Tony Burfield DAWA Sonia Broughton and David Cousins QDPIF: John Duff, Austin McLennan, and David Carey VICDPI Slobodan Vujovic Report Completed: 2008 Purpose: To build upon a successful demonstration of IPM in iceberg lettuce at Devonport in 2004-5 (VG04067) by growing pilot crops of both iceberg and loose-leaf cultivars on major commercial farms, and to build upon the previous lettuce IPM projects to address barriers to IPM adoption. Funding: The researchers acknowledge the financial support for this project from NSW DPI, Horticulture Australia, AUSVEG, SARDI, DAWA, TasDPI&W, QDPI&F, and the grower collaborators Greg Fehlberg and Houstons Farms, Peter Schreurs & Sons, P&M Samarges, EM&J Pateras, Galea, Newmans,. Disclaimer: Any recommendations contained in this publication do not necessarily represent current HAL Limited policy. No person should act on the basis of the contents of this publication, whether as to matters of fact or opinion or other content, without first obtaining specific, independent professional advice in respect of the matters set out in this publicatio VG 05044: Further developing integrated pest management for lettuce Media Summary Lettuce integrated pest management (IPM) has been in development in Australia since 1998 with lettuce growers able to manage the then key pest, Helicoverpa spp. with a range of integrated control options. The spread of western flower thrips (WFT), a effective vector of tomato spotted wilt virus in lettuce during the last decade and the arrival of the currant lettuce aphid (CLA) into Tasmania in 2004 and its subsequent movement into all major lettuce producing areas has provided an effective barrier to the widespread adoption of an IPM strategy that utilizes pest natural enemies or ‘beneficials’. A Horticulture Australia project in 2004-5 demonstrated that CLA could be controlled in Tasmanian lettuce crops by farmland predatory insects. The beneficial insects were harnessed by the grower using IPM concepts such as sequential, adjacent plantings, looking before spraying and choosing selective or ‘soft’ pesticides as far as possible. The predators entered lettuce hearts, ate the aphids and moved on before harvest. Insecticidal sprays failed because this pest lives deep inside lettuces unlike other aphids on lettuce. CLA is one of the few insects where there are lettuce varieties that are resistant to attack (Nas- resistant). These varieties had been selected and bred in Europe where CLA originates and is a major lettuce pest. Some of the varieties available to Australian growers particularly the ‘fancy’ lettuce are Nas-resistant and the lettuce seed companies are all trying to incorporate Nas-resistance into all their lettuce varieties. In the northern European summer of 2007 a new CLA biotype was found feeding in Nas-resistant varieties which emphasises the importance of not relying on a single control mechanism. In 2006 68% of growers were using some Nas –resistant varieties. Most (94%) Australian lettuce growers have chosen to use a systemic (travels from roots through plant) insecticide on Nas-susceptible lettuce. This insecticide while very effective for controlling aphids for 6-8 weeks does not control caterpillars nor WFT and research has shown that it can cause secondary poisoning to an important aphid and caterpillar predator, the brown lacewing. This national vegetable levy funded project aimed to extend the results of the 2004-5 northern Tasmanian trial into southern Tasmania and the Sydney basin and to monitor the transition that Victorian IPM growers were making with the arrival of CLA. A range of other monitoring and research activities were included to assist with addressing regionally specific barriers to IPM adoption. In 2005-6, iceberg and loose-leaf lettuces were grown under commercial conditions by two major growers near Hobart. Control in iceberg lettuce was good for six plantings and management of thrips was integrated with that of aphids. In loose-leaf lettuce control was initially promising but failed after the sixth planting. Since CLA arrived in Victoria in May 2005 it has been controlled using an IPM strategy on several commercial farms in both Werribee South and Cranbourne. CLA populations on susceptible lettuce without insecticide drenches have been effectively controlled by aphid predators, particularly the brown lacewing. A winter IPM trial in the Sydney basin failed to control CLA in susceptible undrenched lettuce. Aphid predators were in very small numbers over the winter but increased in the spring and effectively controlled CLA in susceptible lettuce. 1 VG 05044: Further developing integrated pest management for lettuce CLA is not being found on weeds in and around lettuce production areas. In most areas the CLA population dynamic through the year was difficult to study with most lettuce being either CLA resistant varieties or treated with a systemic insecticide that generally lasted the whole crop. A survey of soil predatory mites found a Pergmasus species present in lettuce soils in surveys in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and NSW. Applying composted greenwaste to the soil greatly increased the numbers of predatory mites. It is not yet known whether increasing numbers will contribute significantly to controlling CLA or thrips. 61% of lettuce growers surveyed identified as IPM growers, 100% of IPM growers and 83% non-IPM grower monitored their crops for pests but less than 40% looked for beneficials. 28% used a consultant to monitor. 42% of non-IPM growers were ‘calendar’ sprayers – spraying on a regular – usually weekly basis. Consultants who monitored lettuce were confident in their pest identification, less so of their disease identification. They were confident when to spray and to assess it’s effectiveness but not particularly confident about providing advice on beneficials or their conservation. Consultants who were confident about their knowledge and skills with using beneficials were positive about growers attitudes to IPM whereas consultants lacking confidence with beneficials felt growers negative attitudes to IPM was the major barrier. 2 VG 05044: Further developing integrated pest management for lettuce Technical Summary The project included commercial-scale IPM trials in headlettuce and babyleaf in southern Tasmania, monitoring of lettuce on commercial IPM farms in Werribee south and Cranbourne in Victoria and a winter-spring IPM trial near Camden in Sydney. Monitoring of hydroponic and field lettuce crops and surrounding weeds for lettuce pests and diseases, in particular for currant lettuce aphid (Nasonovia ribisnigri) (CLA) was conducted in the Sydney basin, the lettuce production areas north of Perth and to some extent in South Australia. Soil samples from lettuce producing areas of Victoria, Tasmania, NSW and South Australia were screened for predatory mites. A soil amendment trial was conducted to increase predatory mite populations. A small efficacy trial was conducted of the seed treatment formulation of imidacloprid, Gaucho®. Grower and lettuce consultant surveys were undertaken to establish grower crop protection practices and attitudes towards IPM. In southern Tasmania pilot crops of iceberg and loose-leaf lettuce were grown on two major, commercial lettuce farms near Hobart in 2005/6 to replicate successful IPM with iceberg lettuce in northern Tasmania in the previous season and to extrapolate IPM principles into loose-leaf lettuce. Six consecutive and adjacent iceberg crops comprising 3,000 plants of one cultivar were managed using normal commercial practices except insect management followed advice from the project team. Three cultivars (Target, Titanic and Oxley) were used in all. Lettuces were assessed for pest infestation when ready for cutting by commercial standards. Plantings commenced in January 2006 and the last