Reference number : GC-2017-Q1-00475, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Heard, Stephen (University of New Brunswick)|Heard, Stephen (Université du Nouveau-Brunswick), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : New Brunswick|Nouveau-Brunswick, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for Universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Spruce budworm is the most damaging forest pest in eastern North America, and is currently undergoing an_x000D_
outbreak, with severe defoliation in Quebec spreading into New Brunswick. Current efforts to control spruce_x000D_
budworm involve spraying with novel biological insecticides, which (compared with chemical agents used_x000D_
against past outbreaks) have enormously reduced non-target toxicity. However, we are still learning how to use_x000D_
these agents effectively and efficiently. We will work to understand the relative effectiveness of one biological_x000D_
insecticide, Btk, on the two major host trees of spruce budworm in northern NB and Quebec: balsam fir and_x000D_
black spruce. Btk spray settles on tree foliage, where it is ingested by feeding budworm larvae. Because the_x000D_
two trees differ in branch and needle architecture, and also in quality as food for developing larvae, Btk may be_x000D_
ingested, and may work, differently on budworm feeding on each tree. We will measure budworm mortality on_x000D_
the two tree species, and in forest stands differing in species composition, comparing stands treated with Btk to_x000D_
untreated stands. This will let us design Btk application strategies to control budworm effectively, in a forest_x000D_
mosaic of variable species composition, while using a minimum of insecticide., program purpose french : Spruce budworm is the most damaging forest pest in eastern North America, and is currently undergoing an_x000D_
outbreak, with severe defoliation in Quebec spreading into New Brunswick. Current efforts to control spruce_x000D_
budworm involve spraying with novel biological insecticides, which (compared with chemical agents used_x000D_
against past outbreaks) have enormously reduced non-target toxicity. However, we are still learning how to use_x000D_
these agents effectively and efficiently. We will work to understand the relative effectiveness of one biological_x000D_
insecticide, Btk, on the two major host trees of spruce budworm in northern NB and Quebec: balsam fir and_x000D_
black spruce. Btk spray settles on tree foliage, where it is ingested by feeding budworm larvae. Because the_x000D_
two trees differ in branch and needle architecture, and also in quality as food for developing larvae, Btk may be_x000D_
ingested, and may work, differently on budworm feeding on each tree. We will measure budworm mortality on_x000D_
the two tree species, and in forest stands differing in species composition, comparing stands treated with Btk to_x000D_
untreated stands. This will let us design Btk application strategies to control budworm effectively, in a forest_x000D_
mosaic of variable species composition, while using a minimum of insecticide., agreement title english : Tree species effects on Btk control of spruce budworm, agreement title french : Tree species effects on Btk control of spruce budworm, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2017-06-14, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2018-2019), additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2018-2019), owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada