Project Overview

S21-008

Project Type: IPM Centers Grant

Funds awarded in 2021: $30,000.00

Grant Recipient: north carolina state university

Region: Southern

State: North Carolina

Cooperating States: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina

Project Coordinator:

steven frank

north carolina state university

Do Trees Provide Conservation Biological Control in Turf?

Reports

Commodities

Additional Plants: ornamentals, trees

Agronomic: grass (turfgrass, sod)

Community and Urban Pest Management: residential/housing

Ecosystem: Ecosystem

Target Pests

Target Pests: insects, lepidoptera

Practices

Pest Management: biological control, habitat modification

Proposal abstract:

Conservation biological control development and implementation requires a system approach since management practices in the target crop and in surrounding habitats both influence alternative foods, natural enemies, and thus pests. Ornamental landscapes are rarely considered as unified systems since IPM for turf and trees are generally developed and implemented without coordination. This leads to economic inefficiency, greater insecticide, and potential interference among management tactics when multiple practitioners implement pest management. Our long-term goal is to integrate IPM development and implementation for turf and woody plants in ornamental landscapes. We begin in this SEED proposal with the goal of determining if trees are sources of natural enemies for adjacent turf and thus increase predation and parasitism of turf pests. Our specific objectives are to:

Determine if natural enemy abundance is higher and pest density lower in turf near trees compared to turf further from trees;
Determine if predation and parasitism of turf pests is greater near trees and at what distance;
Produce outreach material promoting the benefits of conservation biological control in landscape IPM.

We will sample arthropods in willow oak trees and surrounding turf at multiple distances to determine if trees enhance natural enemy communities and turf reduce pests. We will also conduct predation and parasitism experiments with key turf pests to determine if biological control increases near trees. Outcomes of this SEED project will include extension related to conservation biological control education and grant proposals to expand our system-wide landscape IPM investigations.

Project objectives from proposal:

Planned Outputs What you plan on doing or making	Anticipated Outcomes What change are expected to occur as an effect	Problem or priority targeted What situation you are addressing
1. Determine if natural enemy abundance is higher and pest density lower in turf near trees compared to turf further from trees;
Collect and analyze data on tree arthropods, turf pests, and natural enemies.	Create new knowledge of how trees affect turf pest and natural enemy communities.	Trees and turf are managed separately but from a systems approach may influence each other. Trees may provide conservation biological control benefits not currently exploited.
Submit grants to USDA or industry funders to continue work on how trees can improve conservation biological control.	Increase the scope of this work to include other combinations of tree species, turf species, and pests in different states.	Trees, turf, and pests vary in distribution and certain trees may provide better biological control for certain turf pests or turf species.
2. Determine if predation and parasitism of turf pests is greater near trees and at what distance
Conduct predation and parasitism experiments with fall armyworms	Increase knowledge of interactions between natural enemies supported by trees and turf pests.	Natural enemies in trees could remain in trees feeding or disperse to feed on turf pests.
Conduct predation and parasitism experiments with fall armyworms	Understand potential efficacy of predation and parasitism by tree supported natural enemies as an IPM tactic.	We know trees conserve natural enemies but the efficacy of those predators for managing turf pests is unknown.
3. Produce outreach material promoting the benefits of conservation biological control in landscape IPM
Write articles for industry magazines and electronic extension resources.	Increase knowledge among stake holders of how maintaining some tree pests can benefit IPM.	Often any pests are considered bad and managed with insecticides but conservation biological control relies on maintaining low densities of herbivores and other prey.
Incorporate new information into extension presentations.	Increase knowledge among stake holders of conservation biological control as a tactic.	Knowledge among stakeholders of conservation biological control is low.