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Month: July 2016

Published on Leave a comment on Jobs available in the NYS IPM Program

The NYS IPM Program is Hiring Four Positions! The New York State Integrated Pest Management Program (NYSIPM) at Cornell University is hiring four specialists to promote the adoption of IPM in New York State. All positions will be housed on either the Geneva or Ithaca campuses of Cornell University. The positions are:

NYSIPM is a nationally recognized leader in the development and promotion of IPM practices. http://nysipm.cornell.edu/.  The mission of NYSIPM is to develop sustainable ways to manage disease, insect, weed, and wildlife pests; and to help people use methods that minimize environmental, health, and economic risks. NYS IPM has both Agricultural and Community programs, with issues and settings that overlap. NYSIPM’s Agricultural IPM programming includes fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, and livestock and field crops. Community IPM is the management of insects, weeds, plant diseases and wildlife in all settings that are non-production such as schools, lawns, gardens, landscapes, golf courses, parks, and buildings; and also includes invasive species and public health pests.

The personnel of NYS IPM operate in a collegial and cooperative environment where teamwork is emphasized and appreciated. Collaboration with other NYS IPM faculty and staff, Cornell University faculty and staff, and Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators, as well as specialists from other states and universities, is expected.

Education and Experience

All applicants must have an MS (required) or PhD (preferred) degree in Entomology, Plant Pathology, Horticulture or other suitable field. A minimum of 2 years professional experience in extension education and research or demonstration in required for Extension Associates, 8 years for a Senior Extension Associate. Experience in these areas as a graduate student may apply.

Additional Information AND HOW TO APPLY

For additional information and application instructions go to https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/Cornell/NYSIPM. Applications will be accepted until 8/31/2016, or until a suitable candidate is found.

Published on Leave a comment on Onondaga County first find

Two male and 12 female SWD were caught in traps on July 26, 2016 that were set in a blueberry planting in Onondaga County. Much of the planting had reduced crop load due to winter damage. These traps are being monitored by Nicole Mattoon, technician, and Juliet Carroll, Fruit IPM Coordinator, NYS IPM Program.

Although SWD had been caught earlier in an adjacent insecticide timing trial in raspberry with abundant fruit nothing had been caught in the blueberries until now. This underlines how much more attractive raspberry is to SWD than blueberry.

If you have ripe fruit on your farm, take time to monitor, check fruit for infestation, and develop an integrated management plan that includes refrigeration soon after harvest. Populations of SWD will continue to build up through the summer and into the fall.

Published on Leave a comment on SWD egg laying – extreme drought & heat

The earliest ever arrival in New York State of this fast-reproducing insect rang alarm bells in anticipation of heavy infestations in early or mid-season berry crops that often escape damage. However, larval infestations have been curiously low in summer raspberry and blueberry crops sampled in many areas, including the Finger Lakes region. We suspect that the hot, dry conditions we have been experiencing could explain these low infestations.

Breathing tubes of SWD eggs as seen, magnified by a microscope, on the surface of blackberry fruit.
Breathing tubes of SWD eggs as seen, magnified by a microscope, on the surface of blackberry fruit.

Small flies like SWD are sensitive to desiccation (drying out) and therefore prefer to lay their eggs in darker, more humid conditions. SWD are more likely to lay eggs in shaded fruit, lower in the plant canopy, and even prefer laying eggs during the cooler, low-light conditions of dusk over other times of the day.

A halt in egg laying is reported in California when conditions are dry and temperatures climb above 85-90°F. A recent study conducted by our colleagues in Oregon has found that humidity not only plays a positive role in egg laying behavior, but also in the number of mature eggs carried by female SWD. (Tochen et al. 2016. Humidity affects populations of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in blueberry. J. Appl. Entomol. 47-57.) In other words, a female exposed to more humid conditions will make a greater investment of resources to grow new eggs and she will choose to lay more of those eggs.

This sensitivity to hot, dry conditions may explain the curiously low infestation rates we’ve seen so far in 2016, given the high daily temperatures and drought conditions. And, there are significant implications for management. Plant canopy management may be an important cultural strategy for SWD control. In addition to improving fruit quality, proper pruning can open up plant canopies. An open canopy aids in better spray coverage when applying foliar insecticides and also helps in decreasing the humidity within the microclimate of that canopy. There are ongoing studies taking a direct look at the effects of pruning and humidity on SWD infestations, so stay tuned for more information in the future.

This post was contributed by Dr. Anna Wallingford, postdoctoral research associate, in Dr. Greg Loeb's small fruit and grape entomology program, Cornell University, NYSAES, Geneva, NY.

Published on Leave a comment on Genesee County sustained catch

Sustained capture in traps checked on July 18, 2016, in Genesee County found 10 female and 1 male SWD. These traps are set in a fall raspberry planting in which fruit are just beginning to ripen.

Traps in Genesee County are being monitored by David Russell, Master Gardener, and Jan Beglinger, association community educator, with the Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Genesee County.

Informed decision-making is best. Read guidelines for dealing with SWD:

  1. Monitoring SWD
  2. Managing SWD

Find this information and more on the Cornell Fruit Resources Spotted Wing Drosophila website.

Published on Leave a comment on Niagara County sustained catch

SWD populations are building! The sustained capture in traps checked on on July 15, 2016, in Niagara County found 12 female and 6 male SWD. Berry crops are ripe and ripening. Summer raspberry harvest is nearing completion, fall raspberries are ripening and blueberry harvest is beginning and the crop is ripening.

Traps in Niagara County are being monitored by Liz Tee, technician, and Tess Grasswitz, Extension educator, with the Lake Ontario Fruit Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Find information and resources on the Cornell Fruit Resources Spotted Wing Drosophila website.

Published on Leave a comment on Orleans County sustained catch

Both sites in Orleans County where SWD traps are being monitored had sustained trap catch on July 15, 2016. One site is a raspberry planting with ripe fruit and the other a blueberry planting where fruit are ripening. First find was on July 8, 2016, and this report wasn't posted to the blog (my apologies to the readers for not posting this sooner). First catch in both crops was of a single female SWD. Sustained catch was of two females at each location.

These traps are being monitored by Liz Tee, technician, and Tess Grasswitz, Extension educator, with the Lake Ontario Fruit Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Do keep a close eye on your berry crops!

  1. Monitoring SWD
  2. Managing SWD

Find information on the Cornell Fruit Resources Spotted Wing Drosophila website.

Published on Leave a comment on Albany County sustained catch

This report came in June 27, 2016—my apologies for not sending it out sooner. Four female SWD were caught, one in each trap at this Albany County summer raspberry site. These traps are being monitored by Annie Mills, technician, and Laura McDermott, Extension educator, with the Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

This was the second consecutive week of trap catch indicating sustained trap captures. Once sustained catch was attained, traps at this site were taken down.

Keep a close eye on your berries, plan to protect them from SWD. Practice clean picking, sanitation and post-harvest refrigeration (below 40°F, preferably ~35°F) to keep SWD populations down. Find information on the Cornell Fruit Resources Spotted Wing Drosophila website.

Published on Leave a comment on Washington County sustained catch

Two female and two male SWD were caught in traps checked on July 12, 2016 that are set in a blueberry planting in Washington County. These traps are being monitored by Annie Mills, technician, and Laura McDermott, Extension educator, with the Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

This is the second consecutive week of trap catch indicating sustained trap captures. Once sustained catch is attained, traps in the network are taken down.

A fruit sample was collected from this planting and checked via salt flotation - no eggs or larvae were found in the fruit.

Do keep a close eye on your berry crops, plan to protect them from SWD, and practice clean picking, sanitation and post-harvest refrigeration to keep SWD populations down. Find information on the Cornell Fruit Resources Spotted Wing Drosophila website.

Published on Leave a comment on Saratoga County sustained catch

For two weeks in a row, SWD has been caught in traps set in a blackberry planting in Saratoga County. Four male and two female SWD were caught this week in traps checked on July 12, 2016, indicating that populations in this location are building up. These traps are being monitored by Annie Mills, technician, and Laura McDermott, Extension educator, with the Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program of Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Published on Leave a comment on Genesee County first find

One female SWD was caught in traps checked on July 12, 2016 in a raspberry planting in Genesee County. The fruit at this location is ripe and ripening. These traps are being monitored by David Russell, Master Gardener, who is working with Jan Beglinger, Agriculture Outreach Coordinator, Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Close-up view of the characteristic, serrated ovipositor or egg-laying structure of the female spotted wing Drosophila.
Close-up view of the characteristic, serrated ovipositor or egg-laying structure of the female spotted wing Drosophila.
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