Changes are afoot!

Over the last few months, I've been working with NCSU CALS Extension IT to develop NC State supported tools to support online information delivery--like this blog!  As part of that process, we are developing an Entomology "Portal", which will house all of our entomology extension information.

As part of this transition, I will soon be starting to cross post articles to the Entomology Portal as well as here.

Stay tuned for updates!

What insecticides are acceptable where?

Over the last few days, I have received several questions about spotted wing drosophila (SWD) management.  The most common question from growers, agents, and others has been: What insecticides are acceptable for use on fruit that will be exported to other countries?  A significant amount of the blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries grown in North Carolina are marketed by companies that sell world wide. A lower percentage of the strawberries grown in the states are sold outside NC, but some growers also work with large marketers to sell their strawberries who may sell fruit outside the US.

While we know what insecticides are acceptable for use crops grow in the US (if it's labeled on the crop, it's acceptable for use here), not all the options available for US growers are acceptable for use on products that will be exported.  Pesticide residue tolerances (or maximum residue levels, MRLs) must be established in receiving countries for a material to be acceptable for export to that country.  One tool I use frequently to determine if pesticide residue tolerances have been established in other countries is the MRLDatabase, developed by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).  This large database allows you to search by crops, pesticides, and countries in lots of combinations.  Just like any pesticide use information, material presented in this database is subject to change.  Therefore, I always recommend that growers speak with their marketer before using a new management tool to ensure that it is acceptable for the markets their fruit may be sent.

More information
MRL Database - USDA FAS

NC Commerical Blackberry and Raspberry Growers Association Meeting - February 19

There's still time to register for the NC Commercial Blackberry and Raspberry Grower's Association Meeting in Shelby, NC on February 19th. I will be there to discuss what we learned about spotted wing drosophila in 2012 and where we go from here.  Gina Fernandez, NC State University, caneberry breeder, has posted meeting details on her blog.

More information
NC Commercial Blackberry and Raspberry Growers 6th Annual Meeting - Team Rubus

Spotted wing drosophila confirmed from Indiana and the United Kingdom - Update: SWD also found in Texas and Colorado

States where Drosophila suzukii, also referred to as spotted wing drosophila, has been detected in the continental United States. Adapted from Burrack, et al. 2012. Journal of Integrated Pest Management.

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) was confirmed in Indiana during October 2012, bringing the total number of states with confirmed populations of SWD to 33.

SWD was also detected in United Kingdom in September 2012, which brings the number of countries (including the US, Canada, and Mexico) where SWD has been detected outside of its presumed native range of eastern Asia to at least nine.

Update, March 7, 2013
While reviewing the National Agricultural Pest Information System's (NAPIS) Pest Tracker records for spotted wing drosophila in preparation for an upcoming presentation, I noticed two additional state level detections for 2012 that I had previous missed, Texas and Colorado.  These detections bring the total number of states where SWD has been detected to 35 since 2008.

More information
First find of spotted wing drosophila in Indiana - Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory
Strawberry alert: The 2mm fly that could decimate Brittan's fruit industry - The Daily Mail
Drosophila suzukii - European Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) Factsheet