Dr. Roger Gold demonstrating a trap for trapping Formosan termites.
The discussion panel from the "Managing Invasives Before They Manage Us" session. from left, Texas Department of Agriculture state entomologist Shashank Nilakhe, Kira Zhaurova, and USDA-APHIS plant pathologist Stuart Keuhn.
Paul Nester presenting some data on the Rasberry Crazy Ant during the Monday session of the conference.
Texas AgriLife Entomologists Discuss Issues at 2009 Entomology Science Conference
Change and collaboration were the topics of many discussions during the first week of November as the Department held its annual Entomology Science Conference.
The event brings together both on-and off- campus faculty and Extension agents from both the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Texas AgriLife Research to discuss various entomological topics affecting the state.
Extension Entomology Associate Department Head Chris Sansone welcomed all and introduced new integrated pest management agents Dustin Patman and Jared Ripple, IPM Coordinator Charles Allen, Assistant Professor and Extension Entomologist Ed Bynum and Mike Brewer, Assistant Professor-Texas AgriLife Research in Weslaco.
Sansone emphasized that everyone needed to look at all opportunities in collaboration and funding in research and that today's environment is ever changing. He also encouraged the group to have to have an attitude of initiation in research work and encouraged the group to take a chance in finding new innovations and research projects, as well as taking a risk.
Sansone said that even though the economy hasn't been the best, Extension entomology has fared quite well in the past year.
“We are in good shape”, he said.
Allen then reported the state of the state's IPM Program this past year. Allen said that program also was in a constant state of change this year, including people and the economic situation. He said that change was something that the program is going to have to deal with and that it will be uncomfortable, but manageable.
The most important thing that would not change in the current environment would be the collaborations that Extension and Research have with several agencies, such as the USDA and Texas Department of Agriculture. Allen encouraged all to have more focus on strengthening the collaborations both current and future.
“If we are not connected strongly, our chances on our ability to stay effective are not as strong,” Allen said.
Allen challenged everyone to keep the stakeholder first when collaborating. “Our challenge is that we need to view everything through the lens of the stakeholders,” he said.
The invasives section included a discussion panel on invasive pests with Texas Department of Agriculture state entomologist Shashank Nilakhe, Kira Zhaurova, Domestic Entomology Identifier with USDA-APHIS and USDA-APHIS state plant health director Stuart Keuhn, and a presentation by Travis Gallo, Citizen Science coordinator for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.
Dr. M.O. Way spoke on new IPM tools for rice farmers and Forrest Mitchell presented on developing IPM methods for plant disease vectors in Grapes, while Christian Nansen's group and Pat Porter updated the group on the effects of drought stress, spider mites, and Hybrid Selection on corn silage, grain yields and mycotoxins.
Texas Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory director Dr. Kevin Ong showed a virtual tour of their facilities and discussed his services and programs the lab does. Danny McDonald and Dr. Roger Gold updated members on the latest movement of the Rasberry Crazy Ant and Formosan Termites. The day ended with presentations from Bryan Stokes on using biological control methods to control black flour beetles in cotton gin trash and Dr. Carlos Bográn on thrips management on potted roses.
Ornamentals continued into the Tuesday session with Dr. Scott Ludwig speaking about updates on the newest chilli thrips infestations and efficacy trials of insecticides against borers in trees. Ludwig also was working on a new project to study leaf galls on live oaks.
Bográn discussed his presentation on controlling the citrus root weevil on field palm trees and Wizzie Brown had an interesting talk about evaluating using home remedies on red imported fire ant mounds. Brown compared three home remedies, including molasses, aspartame, and club soda to conventional treatments.
Extension Program Specialist Janet Hurley updated the group on regulation changes in the school IPM program and on current and upcoming projects. Hurley also encouraged everyone to raise the awareness to school districts about IPM. The session ended with a discussion on the priorities for ornamentals.
Assistant Professor Spence Behmer discussed an opportunity to collaborate on a research project involving insect sterol biology. Behmer encouraged the group to have collaborations with both the AgriLife Extension Service and AgriLife Research, as well as with major corporations.
Topics for the small grains, grain sorghum and corn sessions were a study of thrips in soybeans, field efficacy studies for headworm in sorghum heads, and headworm larval density comparison for different planting strategies, an evaluation of Syngenta and Monsanto Corn Hybrids for Lepidopteran control, chinch bug control, and spider mite control and miticide durability issues.
Other topics discussed during Tuesday's sessions included the interaction of aphids with other herbivores in cotton, cotton boll susceptibility to Lygus bug injury, and resistance mechanisms detected for bollworms.
The conference wrapped up Wednesday morning with a discussion on revising the Cotton Management Guide Series and better ways of recommending insecticides for cotton production, which were led by David Kerns.