U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research: Wapato, WA
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    Facilities
                        USDA Laboratory in Wapato, WA
                                    USDA Prosser Worksite
                                    USDA Moxee Farm
                    About UsSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Pacific West Area Wapato, Washington Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research Research





- Cooper, William - Rodney
- Crop Protection & Quarantine (304)

Research Project: **Location:
                            Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research** Project Number: 2092-22000-022-031-R
                        
                        Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement Start Date: Oct 1, 2022
                        
                        End Date: Sep 29, 2025 **Objective:**
                        
                        Objective 1: Identify generalist predators of potato psyllid and beet leafhopper occurring on non-crop host refuges.

Objective 2: Investigate overwinter predation on pear psylla, beet leafhopper, and potato psyllid.

Objective 3: Disseminate information about predators and biological control to growers and stakeholders and begin incorporating this information into pest forecast models. **Approach:**
                        
                        Objective 1: Non crop hosts of potato psyllid and beet leafhopper will be sampled for predators spring, summer, and autumn in stands of matrimony vine, bittersweet nightshade, field bindweed, and longleaf groundcherry. Various annual hosts such as Datura and coyote tobacco will be sampled during summer as they germinate. Predators on beet leafhopper hosts will be collected from annual mustards in early spring, and kochia and Russian thistle from mid- to late-summer as they become available. Predators will be sampled using a D-vac insect collection device, or by using a standard beet sheet.  In addition, plant clippings will be collected from each stand and extracted in Berlese funnels. Prey and predatory taxa will be sorted, counted, and identified. Predator specimens will be assayed for presence of target DNA (potato psyllid or beet leafhopper) using PCR. A subset of predators will be processed for directed sequencing to detect insect DNA from predators’ guts.
 
Objective 2: We will collect pear psylla and predators in December, January, February, and March from conifer shelter plants. Predators will also be extracted from cardboard sleeves placed on pear trees in autumn. Predators, including spiders, will be extracted from leaf and detritus collections from below winter hosts of potato psyllid or beet leafhopper into preservative using Berlese funnels and then identified based on morphological traits. A real-time PCR assay with pear psylla-specific PCR primers will be used to detect the presence of pear psylla DNA in predator guts. A subset of predators will be processed for directed sequencing to obtain a more complete dietary history of the predators. 

Objective 3: We will rank predators and non-crop habitats by importance and provide these rankings to growers through industry newsletters and websites. Descriptions and photographs of important natural enemies will be forwarded to Extension cooperators for dissemination to interested growers. Because many natural enemy species regularly move between crop and non-crop habitats, identifying important species and the plant sources of those species will help us communicate to growers which specific predators of psyllids and leafhoppers are likely to be present in their fields on an annual basis. We will also begin to assess whether estimated predation in these habitats can be incorporated into models used to predict pest pressure and phenology.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov