Project Overview

Reports

Commodities

Target Pests

Practices

Preventing the introduction and establishment of an invasive species is more cost-efficient and environmentally sustainable than attempts to manage it later. The phytoplasma called False Blossom Disease threatens cranberries on the East Coast and in Wisconsin. This disease results in stunted flowering that causes permanent yield loss in these perennial plants, which must then be removed. False Blossom Disease (FBD) can be spread either through nursery cuttings, like those used to replant or ‘renovate’ a cranberry bog, or via an insect vector, the Blunt Nose Leafhopper (BNLH). Currently, there are no recorded cases of FBD on the West Coast (United States and Canada) but it is uncertain if the insect vector already exists here.

            So far, Kraft has communicated with growers in Washington and Oregon at in-person workshops about this pest-disease system and found that growers have a lack of knowledge and are showing a deep hesitancy to change renovation behavior to help prevent these potential invasive species. We propose to develop new communication tools to serve West Coast cranberry growers that focuses on the social emotional-connection that growers have across regions through the OceanSpray network to inspire interest in behavioral change to prevent this devastating disease from arriving through plant cuttings.

            We will work with researchers at Rutgers who have access to infested field sites and growers suffering from the symptoms of this disease-pest complex. The Rutgers team will create videos on how to identify FBD symptoms, how to manage the disease by removing entire plants, and provide interviews with growers in New Jersey about their experiences managing FBD. So far, growers have received PowerPoint presentations on the disease and how to identify it, but we are hoping that the improved audio-visual quality of these documentary-like short videos will provide a new perspective. We expect that because growers are closely connected across state lines through the OceanSpray network that seeing their peers discussing how this disease-pest system has serious implications to their farming and yield will incentivize change.

            We will evaluate our work through a series of pre- and post-surveys on grower intended attitudes and behaviors. We will also conduct pre/post-focus groups to capture qualitative information on the program’s successes and challenges to continue to develop communications on FBD and BNLH for West Coast growers. Through this work, we seek to improve culture and capacity for Integrated Pest Management across regions, improving communications between East and West Coast researchers and in the cranberry growing communities and stakeholders on the West Coast.

Objective 1. Improve grower knowledge of False Blossom Disease, its symptoms, and its potential economic effect to the region. We will create 3 short videos (3-5 minutes in length) focusing on each 1. Identifying FBD, 2. The threat FBD poses to the cranberry industry and its economic output in WA and OR, and 3. Measures to prevent FBD and BNLH from coming to WA and OR. This work builds upon research of FBD by Rutgers and PI Kraft’s previous experience filming, editing, and producing ten collaborative videos for science communication. This research is currently relevant because FBD is not yet present on the West Coast and changing renovation behavior could reduce the likelihood of it arriving. Videos will be filmed and produced in time for delivery to WA and OR grower groups starting August 2024 through February 2025 at their regularly scheduled annual meetings. Permanent video links will also be included online at longbeach.wsu.edu with other links and materials on FBD starting in August 2024.

Objective 2. Design a survey tool and host semi-structured focus groups in each region during their regular annual meetings to discuss the threat of FBD and determine behavior and attitudes about FBD. Grower sentiment towards FBD will be measured using a survey tool and focus groups in March 2024 to record pre-outreach attitudes and behaviors. We will measure change in attitudes and intended behaviors through a post-outreach survey in August 2024 and February 2025 following annual meetings. Survey tools will be designed with social scientist Nicole Naar, Washington SeaGrant, as part of WSU’s ongoing Needs Assessment which will wrap up in spring 2024. This objective is relevant to evaluate improvements in knowledge of preventative behaviors and feelings of confidence in the ability to perform them.