Project Overview

Reports

Commodities

• Additional Plants: ornamentals

Target Pests

Practices

• Pest Management: chemical control, pesticide application timing

• Crop Production: nurseries

Redheaded flea beetle (RHFB) attacks trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants grown in ornamental nurseries throughout the eastern and southern US. This native pest is widely distributed in central and eastern US. Currently, management options for RHFB, which consists mainly of insecticides, do not provide consistent and sufficient level of control. Understanding the biology, behavior and ecology of RHFB is critical in improving its management. However, numerous knowledge gaps persist, such as the source of the infestation, the impact of larvae, its relationship with the host plants, the movement of beetles in a landscape context, the potential for biological or alternative chemical management tools, and development of an economic threshold, to name a few. 

Research and outreach efforts are conducted by individual researchers independently in a large swat of area that stretches from New York to Michigan, and Georgia to Texas. Currently, there is no effort in coordinating these research and outreach activities or forming a working group that addresses the concerns of RHFB in nurseries in the eastern and southern US. In the absence of coordinated efforts from the university researchers and Extension specialists, many growers have taken on the efforts to research on the management of RHFB on their own. These innovative growers fully understand the challenges of managing RHFB, and have plenty of pest management needs and experience to share with researchers, Extension specialists and their fellow growers. This proposal is developed explicitly to form a working group of growers, pest management professionals, researchers, Extension specialists and agents, and industry partners to tangle the serious economic issue of RHFB infestation in nurseries. The goals are to identify grower-driven research and Extension priorities, to coordinate research and outreach activities by researchers and growers, and to produce collaborative research and outreach products and grant proposals. Ultimately, it is our goal to avoid duplication of efforts, and maximizing resource utilization and returns. 

1. Establish a redheaded flea beetle (RHFB) Working Group to facilitate discussions on knowledge gaps, avenues for research and Extension efforts pertaining to the biology, ecology and management of redheaded flea beetle in nurseries in the East and South.

Output: Identification of key personnel who will lead a team focusing on the major discussion topics.

Outcomes: 1) We will Identify the major key topics for discussion (i.e., biology, management, hosts, etc.). 2) Key personnel will be assigned a topic which he or she will lead a team discussion. 3) Meetings with respective discussion teams are conducted.

2. Organize a RHFB Working Group meeting where stakeholders (researchers, Extension personnel, growers and industry partners) can discuss research, Extension and outreach efforts on redheaded flea beetle biology and management in eastern and southern nurseries.

Output: 1) Organize the RHFB Working Group meeting. Outcomes: 1) Attendees and participants of the meeting will be finalized. 2) A central location for the meeting will be identified. 3) The agenda will be finalized and sent out to the attendees. 

Output: 2) Develop research, Extension and outreach priorities, and an outline for a research grant proposal. Outcome: These are the main objectives for the RHFB Working Group meeting

Output: 3) Develop a Best Management Guide (BMG) for RHFB. Outcome: A Best Management Guide that outlined the state-of-the-knowledge and current management recommendation will be developed.