Implications of swede midge biology in the development of population management alternatives

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dc.contributor.advisorHallett, Rebecca
dc.contributor.authorEvans, Braden
dc.date.accessioned2018-01-05T15:34:04Z
dc.date.available2018-01-05T15:34:04Z
dc.date.copyright2017-12
dc.date.created2017-12-12
dc.date.issued2018-01-05
dc.degree.departmentSchool of Environmental Sciencesen_US
dc.degree.grantorUniversity of Guelphen_US
dc.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
dc.degree.programmeEnvironmental Sciencesen_US
dc.description.abstractThe swede midge, Contarinia nasturtii, is a significant pest of cruciferous crops in Canada and the United States. Though some control has been achieved with chemical pesticides, there is a need to evaluate alternative tactics for organic producers. The purpose of this study is to examine how C. nasturtii life history traits impact the potential success of alternative control tactics. The effect of temperature on three entomopathogenic nematode species, and one entomopathogenic fungus were investigated. Successful reproduction and infectivity were observed in all nematode species and a nematode-fungus combination generally caused highest mortality to all C. nasturtii life stages. The fungus suppressed emergence from soil in 2012 and all nematode treatments suppressed emergence in 2013 in broccoli fields. Biopesticides were evaluated for larval mortality and oviposition deterrence in the greenhouse, and damage symptoms in the field. In greenhouse trials, treatments resulted in significant reductions, with a greater proportion of reductions attributable to oviposition deterrence than larvicidal activity. Field trials showed the potential for biopesticides to reduce feeding damage; however, efficacy was dependent on C. nasturtii abundance. Insect exclusion fencing and planting dates were evaluated as tactics to reduce C. nasturtii damage through spatial and temporal avoidance. Fencing increased the number of marketable plants when plots were separated from fields infested with C. nasturtii by ~800 m, but no effect was observed with lower spatial separation. A survey of flight height produced observations of adults flying 240 cm above the soil, which is above the height of the fencing. Reduced damage was observed in late broccoli plantings and early cabbage plantings, while traditional planting dates suffered total yield losses. The population model MidgEmerge was evaluated for prediction accuracy of spring emergence, and sensitivity to temperature, rainfall, and model parameters. Predictions were early during hot, dry years, and late during cool, wet years. Temperature affected model output, but rainfall did not. Manipulating thresholds for ‘diapause larva development temperature’, and ‘minimum temperature for pupal growth’ resulted in changes to predicted emergence. Prediction by MidgEmerge potentially overstates the effect of temperature, and understates the effect of rainfall. Recommendations to improve model accuracy are provided.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipOntario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs - New Directions and Alternative Renewable Fuels Research Program
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10214/12152
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Guelphen_US
dc.rightsAttribution 2.5 Canada*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ca/*
dc.subjectswede midgeen_US
dc.subjectcontarinia nasturtiien_US
dc.subjectheterorhabditis bacteriophoraen_US
dc.subjectmetarhiziumen_US
dc.subjectsteinernemaen_US
dc.subjectbiopesticideen_US
dc.subjectipmen_US
dc.titleImplications of swede midge biology in the development of population management alternativesen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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