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
 Vegetable Crops Research: Madison, WI
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    ScientistsSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Midwest Area Madison, Wisconsin Vegetable Crops Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Steffan, Shawnitem
                                            SINGLETON, MERRITT - University Of Wisconsinitem
                                            SOJKA, JAYNE - Lady Bug Integrated Pest Managementitem
                                            Zalapa, Juanitem
                                            DITTL, TIM - Ocean Spray
  Submitted to: Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association
                                    Publication Type: Proceedings
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2012
                                    Publication  Date: 8/8/2012
                                    Citation: Steffan, S.A., Singleton, M., Sojka, J., Zalapa, J.E., Dittl, T. 2012. Flooding as “spring cleaning” for insect pests. Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association. p. 32-34.Interpretive Summary:
                                Technical Abstract: In 2011, a large-scale field study was undertaken to examine how a 30-40 hour spring flood (550-700 DDs) would affect key insect populations, as well as the cranberry plant. A total of 46 beds were included in the study (23 pairs of flooded/unflooded beds across 11 marshes in central Wisconsin), focusing on ‘Stevens,’ ‘Ben Lear,’ and ‘GH1’ cranberry varieties. Among the major insect pests of cranberry, only black-headed fireworm (Rhopobota naevena) populations were significantly reduced by the floods, when compared to the non-flooded beds. This focus on major pest species, however, overlooked the benefits that flooding conferred on the suppression of various background pest species. Samples of the detritus removed from floodwaters were examined for arthropod fauna, and these samples yielded many noctuids, tortricids, and scarabs. From this work, it was revealed that flooding eliminated tremendous numbers of arthropods from the cranberry beds as growers removed the accumulated “trash.”  Spring flooding, therefore, not only may reduce pest populations via drowning but also by physically removing the pests. These findings underscore the importance of removal of detritus from beds during a flood, as well as the prompt transport of “trash piles” away from the marsh.


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