1st Place: Potential use of acoustic playbacks for pear psylla IPM through mate disruption

Monday, November 14, 2022

11:54 AM – 12:06 PM PT

Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Meeting Room 214

Presenting Author(s)

Dowen Jocson

Graduate Student
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Co-Author(s)

MG

Mark Gonzales

Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
TN

Tobin Northfield

Washington State University
Wenatchee, Washington
Louis B. Nottingham

Research Assistant Professor
Washington State University
Wenatchee, Washington
Elizabeth H. Beers

Washington State University
Wenatchee, Washington
DC

David Crowder

Associate Professor
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Vibrational communication is ubiquitous in the insect world. This channel of communication can be highly species-specific, which could be exploited for behavioral manipulation as a control strategy for pests. Cacopsylla pyricola is one of the major pests of pears in the Pacific Northwest. One of the major reasons they are hard to control is because they have developed pesticide resistance. Other types of pest management, like the use of reflective mulch, have started showing promising results in controlling psylla population in the orchards. Exploration of alternative management strategies could lead to a more effective control of pear psylla, such as exploiting communication behavior. Some potential evidence can be seen in a smaller scale greenhouse experiment using potted pear plants and vibrational playback devices. There are also some promising results from orchard trials. This suggests that the use of vibrational playback as a mate disruption strategy should be explored and developed. This tool can be added to an already growing arsenal of integrated pest management strategies. Because of the wide-spread use of vibrational communication in insects, this type of pest management strategy may potentially be translated to other pests.