IPM News and Events Roundup 4/29/2022
A weekly collection of IPM news, webinars, employment and funding opportunities and more from the NE IPM Center. If you have IPM-related research, events or other IPM news you would like to have included, please email me at nec2@cornell.edu. If you would like to subscribe to the weekly Roundup, please email northeastipm@cornell.edu. Past Roundups are archived here.
This will be my last issue of the IPM Roundup, as I am retiring today! If you have items for the Roundup in future, please send them to Deborah Grantham until a new hire is in place. It has been my pleasure to launch and compile this Roundup for you weekly since January 2019. My colleagues have put together this kudos board if you would like to leave a message.
Northeastern IPM Center IPM Toolbox Webinar
Taking a Closer Look: How Strawberry Disease Risk Varies with Microclimates at Canopy Level, Mengjun Hu Presenter, May 4 11am ET
Weather stations in strawberry fields might seem like good sources of highly local environmental data, but this assumes sun, wind, and shade affect an area evenly. There can be microclimate variations at the canopy level, especially when row covers are used for plasticulture strawberry production. See the fact sheet: A Closer Look: Microclimates and Disease Risk at Canopy-Level for more info.
Did you order The Bed Bug Handbook, second edition? There is an issue with the order form. From Rick Cooper:
Did you order the Bed Bug Handbook recently and not received your copy? You’re not alone; everyone who responded to our last email marketing campaign by filling out an order form at www.techletter.com is in the same boat. No one’s order came through, even though each of you received an automatic "thank you” response from the website. It was an electronic processing glitch. None of the orders were processed by the website, we have no records of the orders at all, no credit card information was captured, no cards were charged, and no receipts generated. We had to change the checkout process by switching to an outside company (Shopify) to process the orders, and we are contacting everyone on our original e-mail list so that anyone who ordered the book will know that they need to reorder it. We are very sorry about the delay and the extra work we have put our buyers through by needing to reorder the book.
To re-order the book go to www.techletter.com.
NOAA Launches a new marine species mapping tool
An interactive website, this tool reveals that the ranges of many marine species are shifting, expanding and contracting in response to changing ocean conditions. It will enhance the ability of NOAA Fisheries and its management partners to identify, plan for and respond to climate-driven changes now and in the future. In addition, it will improve data sharing and collaboration, facilitate decision-making about fishery management and science and increase overall knowledge of species distribution for stock assessments. Article here.
Learn about Penn State’s Latinx AgNetwork
Agricultural community members are from diverse backgrounds, with an increasing number being Latino/a. The Latinx Agricultural Network (LAN) is a Penn State College of Agriculture Community of Practice established to address this need, and at the beginning of the pandemic it established a Facebook page in Spanish, found here (Penn State Extension Agricultura en Español | Facebook).
The Agricultura en Español Facebook page directs Latinx stakeholders to innovative, knowledge-based resources in Spanish that can be easily accessed and shared.
UMass Extension Landscape Message has some good reminders this week
Check the Woody Ornamentals Diseases and Insects section for items on Neonic restrictions, Spotted Lanternfly, Browntail moth and more. Lots of good info and tips.
Today, the New York State Assembly voted to advance legislation that will cause serious problems for some of the state’s most important industries and negatively impact the management and elimination of the growing number of invasive species in New York. As passed, A.7249-A will prohibit the sale or use of neonicotinoid products including treated corn, soybean and wheat seed in New York
Maine man dies of Powassan virus
Waldo County, Maine resident has died from Powassan virus disease contracted through the bite of an infected tick. Powassan virus infection can result in encephalitis and other neurological problems. The virus can be transmitted by 6 species of ticks: Ixodes cookei, Ix. scapularis, Ix. marxi and Ix. spinipalpis; and Dermacentor andersoni and D. variabilis. A news release issued by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the person likely was infected in Maine. The release states that only about 25 cases of Powassan virus are reported each year, with Maine identifying 14 cases since 2010.
Researchers looking for solution to tic-borne cattle disease
The Asian longhorned tick, slightly larger than a poppyseed, can carry a rare pathogen that has been identified in cattle in multiple Virginia counties. Theileria orientalis Ikeda strain is a tick-borne disease that causes anemia, death and abortion in cattle. While it is not a risk to human health, it carries the potential for significant economic impacts on cattle farms.
Avian Influenza Update:
Three more PA poultry facilities confirmed infected in Lancaster County
FAQ on HPAI from Cornell Cooperative Extension Livestock specialist Amy Barkley
APHIS Completes draft Environmental Assessment on HPAI and asks for comments: This draft emergency EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts from the proposed action in which USDA APHIS would work together with state and local authorities and affected owners in HPAI response activities within the seven States from this date forward. These activities would potentially include monitoring wild birds and poultry, depopulating and disposing of HPAI-infected domestic poultry flocks, disinfecting premises, and conducting follow up monitoring and quarantine release. Similar responses and activities would occur in any additional States where HPAI would be detected, and supplemental assessments of potential environmental impacts will be prepared for outbreaks in these additional States.
Invasive Species:
Callery Pear: An invader ‘worse than murder hornets!’
Worse than murder hornets!” was the tongue-in-cheek title of a U.S. Department of Agriculture webinar in 2020 about Callery pears including the two dozen thornless ornamental varieties sold since the 1960s.
“They’re a real menace,” said Jerrod Carlisle, who discovered that four trees in his yard and one at a neighbor’s had spawned thousands on 50 acres (20 hectares) he was turning from cropland to woods in Otwell, a community of about 400 in southern Indiana.
Another on Callery Pear: Nearly 1,000 people who chop down a Bradford or other Callery pear in their yards this spring will get to pick a free native tree.
Plant this, not that: native alternatives to invasive plants
Many state environmental agencies prohibit the sale and use of plants deemed harmful to human or ecological health. But some invasives are not officially designated, and others may be listed by one state but not another. To complicate matters further, some invasives continue to be sold at the retail level.
Research:
Evaluation of the Safety Profile of the ASFV vaccine candidate ASFV-G-ΔI177L
Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS) have announced that a vaccine candidate for African Swine Fever (ASF) passed an important safety test required for regulatory approval, moving the vaccine one step closer to commercial availability. Article here.
A recent study tested whether two environmentally safe interventions, the Tick Control System (TCS) and Met52 fungal spray, used separately or together, affected risk for and incidence of TBDs in humans and pets in 24 residential neighborhoods. TCS was associated with fewer questing ticks and fewer ticks feeding on rodents. The interventions did not result in a significant difference in incidence of human TBDs but did significantly reduce incidence in pets. This study is consistent with previous evidence suggesting that reducing tick abundance in residential areas might not reduce incidence of TBDs in humans.
It is especially important to conduct this work if there was no host range testing prior to release of the agent. Trissolcus basalis Wollaston was released in New Zealand in 1949 against green vegetable bug (Nezara viridula [L.]), but host range testing was never undertaken, and subsequent work in the 1960s was only of a qualitative nature and remains incomplete. The host-parasitoid complex between New Zealand pentatomids, T. basalis, and the native pentatomid parasitoid Trissolcus oenone Dodd, is therefore poorly understood.
A survey has found that endangered and threatened insects and spiders, as well as common species that provide valuable ecological services, can be easily purchased– without adequate oversight – through basic internet searches, according to a new Cornell study. These results are concerning given that insects are in steep decline globally due to habitat loss, pesticides, invasive species, urbanization, pollution, and climate change. Some entomologists have estimated that the Earth is losing about 10 to 20% of all insect species every decade, and researchers said an insect or spider species’ survival can be greatly impacted when it is collected and sold. Article here.
What’s better, local tomatoes or long distance tomatoes? There’s a new study out in Scientia Horticulturae that did a life cycle analysis (LCA) for different tomato growing situations. Two of the scenarios corresponded to unheated greenhouses and a long distance transportation to the final consumer; four scenarios corresponded to zero-miles agriculture in a rural environment, including heated greenhouses, unheated greenhouses and open-field production; another two scenarios corresponded to Urban Agriculture (UA). The objective was to compare the environmental impacts of the production and transportation of tomatoes to the final consumer.
Webinars, Seminars, Meetings and more
The Psychology of Preventing Introductions, May 4 2pm ET
This webinar will present on incorporating behavioral psychology increases the effectiveness of invasive species communications and education outreach programs. Learn from how Play Clean Go changes human behavior to stop the spread.
Invasives and Climate Change Networking Event, May 5 12noon ET
Northeast Regional Invasive Species and Climate Change Management is excited to create a virtual space for practitioners and researchers to connect informally and discuss your work around climate change and invasive species! This Zoom event will include time to share your experiences, successes and challenges while networking with peers. This event is co-hosted by the NE RISCC and Massachusetts Ecosystem Climate Adaptation Network (Mass ECAN).
Aquatic Invasive Species, May 5 6:30 pm Erie Brewing Co, Erie PA
Join Pennsylvania Sea Grant Coastal Outreach Specialist Amber Stilwell for a talk at Erie Brewing Company in Knowledge Park. Enjoy a beer on tap, some great food, and a laid back atmosphere while you learn about aquatic invaders in Pennsylvania and their impacts to freshwater ecosystems. Food and beverage not included with this free event. Registration is encouraged, but walk ins are welcome!
Spring Turn Out Pasture walk, May 7, 9am, Durham, NY
It’s Spring Turn-Out time again! A pasture walk and discussion on pasture productivity and livestock rations will be held at Kohrs Farm, 146 Allen Teator Rd., Durham NY from 9:00 until 11:30 AM on May 7, 2022. The cost to attend this event is $5.00 per person, and pre-registration is required. Please register by May 5th
You Can’t Manage what you don’t Measure: Monitoring indoor air quality in schools for Improved Health, May 19, 1pm ET
Join this upcoming webinar about how to implement cost-effective and comprehensive indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring to improve the respiratory health of students and staff by reducing air pollutants and asthma triggers (e.g., viruses, allergens, mold, dust, etc.)! You’ll hear from speakers at Boston Public Schools and learn how to modify and replicate their best practices to monitor IAQ and assess ventilation and HVAC systems to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools and provide healthier indoor air.
Blue Ridge PRISM Summer Workshop Series
May 10: Identification of Invasive Plants in the Summer, May 10 1-3pm ET, virtual, fee
The online workshop will provide an introduction to invasive plants and will help you to confidently identify different species in the summer season.
Management & Control of Invasive Plants in the Summer, May 12 1-3pm, virtual, fee
This online workshop teaches you how to best manage invasive plants during the summer season and includes instruction on using manual & /or chemical control methods; the proper use of herbicides and ways to minimize it; and planning a work schedule with best timings for multiple plants.
In-Person Workshop - Field Session at Pen Park in Charlottesville, May 22 12:30-3:30-pm
The in-person field session held at Charlottesville's Pen Park will cover the identification of common invasive plants and demonstrate manual and chemical control techniques. Specific topics include herbicide safety, using hand tools and power tools safely, and identification of specific invasive shrubs and vines. We will also go on a short plant walk in the park.
#Farm24VT, May 18-19 virtual
The second annual #Farm24VT, a 24-hour social media celebration of agriculture, food, and dairy in Vermont, is set to get underway on May 18 at 5:00 a.m. The event will run through 5:00 a.m. on May 19.
Vermont farmers, agribusinesses, and food producers will take to social media to share photos, videos, and stories, giving people throughout the region a real-time look at where their favorite food and farm products come from. All of the posts will include the #Farm24VT hashtag so members of the public can easily find them.
UMaine Extension organic wild blueberry field day, May 20 10am, Blue Hill Berry Co, Surry ME
Organic management of spring pests and recent research results on crop management practices will be the primary meeting topics. UMaine Extension wild blueberry specialist and University of Maine assistant professor of horticulture Lily Calderwood will be joined in the field by UMaine assistant professor of agricultural entomology Phil Fanning and UMaine associate professor of mycology Seanna Annis.
EPA will hold a Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC) on May 25-26
Topics for discussion will include: EPA’s response to recommendations made by the PPDC at the October 2021 meeting on managing pesticide resistance, supporting farmworker and clinician training, responding to emerging viral pathogens, and regulating emerging agricultural technologies; Next steps for implementing the Endangered Species Act (ESA) workplan, as well as recent updates to the Bulletins Live! Two system; EPA, the American Association of Pesticide Control Officials, and industry will present on work they have done to modernize pesticide labels through increased standardization and digitization. The PPDC will discuss this work and suggest possible paths forward; A discussion of the Good Laboratory Practices Inspection program activities from EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
An overview of recent Pesticide Program activities and accomplishments, and updates on current program priorities.
Employment Opportunities:
Green Shield Certified Evaluator, IPM Institute of North America, 2 positions open one in New York, and one in California
The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Institute of North America seeks an evaluator to audit Green Shield Certified® pest control companies. If you are familiar with regulations and policies impacting pest management and are able to identify common structural pest problems, we’d love to hear from you. Your role will allow you to visit Green Shield Certified® pest control companies in the New York metro area. Your on-boarding experience includes one-on-one training with Dr. Thomas Green, a world-renown entomologist, IPM expert and co-founder and former president of the IPM Institute. Further, your audits and reporting will be supported by the dedicated staff of our community IPM team at our headquarters in Madison, WI. This is a contracted opportunity that will require approximately 8-16 hours per month. Full COVID-19 vaccination required.