Reduced-Risk Pest Management Programs for Eastern U.S. Peach Orchards: Effects on Arthropod Predators, Parasitoids, and Select Pests

Abstract

We developed new integrated pest management programs for eastern U.S. peaches with minimal use of organophosphates. From 2002-2005, we assessed the ecological impacts of these reduced-risk programs versus grower standard conventional programs that still relied primarily on the use of organophosphorous and carbamate insecticides. Using a split-plot design replicated at four commercial Pennsylvania peach orchards, we quantified pesticide rates, environmental impact, and arthropod community response. We used Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ) analysis based on the growers' pesticide records from each orchard to calculate seasonal cumulative EIQ field ratings for all years. Ecological effects of the reduced-risk and conventional program were also measured as the abundance and diversity of nontarget arthropod predators, parasitoids, and selected pest taxa. Pesticide inputs and EIQ values were substantially lower in reduced-risk programs compared with conventional spray programs. Arthropod arrays differed significantly between pest management programs: most beneficial predator and parasitoid taxa were positively associated with the reduced-risk program and negatively associated with the standard grower program. Regardless of the pest management program, we observed significant differences in species arrays in the peach tree canopy compared with the ground cover of the orchards, but the arthropod community did not differ among the field sites or based on distance from the edge of the orchard. We conclude that reduced-risk programs not only provide control comparable with that of conventional programs, but they also reduce negative environmental effects while conserving key arthropod biological control agents within eastern U.S. peach orchards.

Apple grower pollination practices and perceptions of alternative pollinators in New York and Pennsylvania

“…Both PA and NY have well-established IPM programs, developed over the last 40 yr for apple production systems by state, land grant institutions (Kovach and Tette, 1988; Rajotte et al, 1992). By incorporating reduced-risk pesticides (Agnello et al, 2009), sex-pheromone-based mating disruption products (Joshi et al, 2011), as well as pest monitoring and forecasting tools (Damos and Savopoulou-Soultani, 2010), IPM offers reduced-risk pest management programs that are environmentally safer than conventional pest management programs in commercial fruit production (Agnello et al, 2009; Biddinger et al, 2014). Up to a quarter of growers continue to rely on conventional pest management; fewer than 10% of growers manage their orchards organically.…”

Parasitism of the Invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), by the Native Parasitoid, Trichopoda pennipes (Diptera: Tachinidae)

“…However, in the absence of robust natural regulation, broad-spectrum insecticides, such as pyrethroids, are often needed for H. halys control. These products can impact the natural enemy community as a whole and can be quite disruptive to current IPM programs in tree fruit [6,36,37,38]. Similarly, pesticide drift to field margins or forest edges could negatively affect pollinators and natural enemies using these extra-orchard habitats.…”

Management and Risk in the Frame of Ipm with Biological Control Methods

“…Governments, agencies and ministries, organizations around the world are looking to develop IPM schemes for different cultures that rely on methods and substances that are harmful to the environment. In the USA, low-risk IPM schemes were developed to replace the classical organ chlorine and carbamate-derived schemes for pest control in order to protect entomophages in peach plantations (Biddinger et al, 2014). Another example is the piperonil butoxide in preservation of crops, which is suspected as oncogenic and endocrine disruptor, and can be replaced with vegetable oil with similar results (Marchand et al, 2017).…”