IMPROVING INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN HORTICULTURAL CROP SYSTEMS IN INDIANA

To increase understanding of factors affecting the success of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies and explore tactics to improve pest management via behavioral manipulation of insect pests and their natural enemies.The specific objectives are:1. Monitor activity of pest insects (including invasive species) in small fruit and vegetable specialty cropping systems using multi-modal traps.2. Characterize beneficial insect communities (pollinators and predatory arthropods) in small fruit and vegetable specialty cropping systems.a. Identify floral resources utilized by these insects throughout the growing season.b. Identify landscape factors that influence insect communities and evaluate impacts on services like pollination and natural pest suppression.3. Evaluate the efficacy and residual activity of insecticide options currently labeled for pests in small fruit and vegetable specialty cropping systems.a. Assess impacts of systemic insecticide use on diversity and abundance of beneficial insects and any cascading impacts on pollination and pest suppression.b. Assess efficacy of bio-insecticide and organic products/approaches as part of an integrated pest management strategy.4. Explore the potential of manipulating insect behavior and response to stimuli for application of semiochemical-based pest management strategies in specialty cropping systems.