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Orchard Crops

Integrated Pest Management for Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Orchard Crops

This guidance document, authored by the BMSB SCRI CAP Orchard Crop Commodity Team, provides a synopsis of what researchers have learned so far and management recommendations using an integrated approach.

Topics Include

• Basic Biology and Life Cycle of BMSB
• Orchard Crops at Risk / Crops Not at Risk
• Orchard Crop Injury Diagnostics
• Period of Risk/Susceptibility
• Provisional Monitoring and Scouting Recommendations
• Provisional Management Strategies
• Biological Control
• Effective Insecticides for Controlling BMSB in Orchard Crops
• Problems That May Arise from Multiple Post-Bloom Applications of Broad-Spectrum Insecticides in Orchard Crops

Integrated Pest Management for Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in Orchard Crops

Información importante sobre huertos de frutas
 

IPM-CPR (Integrated Pest Management Crop Perimeter Restructuring)

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has disrupted long-standing tree fruit IPM programs resulting in changing management practices to combat the threat posed by this invasive pest. Current management tools for BMSB rely on weekly, season-long applications of broad-spectrum insecticides that are costly, risk pest resistance, and may cause secondary pest outbreaks. The goal of IPM-CPR is to re-introduce common IPM practices (phenology based, reduce risk insecticide usage, mating disruption, and biological control) back into tree fruit management. The implementation of IPM-CPR for the management of key tree fruit pests may be less costly, more sustainable, enhance biological control, and be just as effective as current standard management methods.

IPM-CPR (Integrated Pest Management Crop Perimeter Restructuring)

Extent of BMSB Problem in Orchard Crops

BMSB feeds on and can injure apple, pear, peach, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, plum, and hazelnut. A major BMSB outbreak in the mid-Atlantic region and increasing populations in parts of the Pacific Northwest in 2010 created significant economic problems for many orchard crop growers.

Research Goals

Our research team is studying BMSB feeding injury and monitoring population and effects of BMSB in wild host plants and tree fruit orchards. Understanding how BMSB responds to light and smell will enable us to attract the insect into baited traps in orchards, a potential control strategy.

Updates and Findings

• Although BMSB caused damage to orchard crops throughout the mid-Atlantic states in 2011, its overall effects were not as severe as in 2010, as growers used more targeted and aggressive management programs. Since these programs often relied heavily on broad-spectrum insecticides that can be disruptive to the parasitic wasps, predatory mites, and other natural enemies of some pest insects, growers noted increased instances of mite, aphid, and scale outbreaks in 2011.
• In 2012, the size of the overwintering BMSB population was much reduced, compared with 2011. Commercial tree fruit orchards experienced fewer problems, although researchers and growers still detected crop injury.
• Scientists improved their methods for diagnosing fruit injury.

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