Improving pear pest management with integrated approaches
Author: Louis Nottingham
Published: 2022
Summary: The goal of this project was to test multiple strategies and contributing factors to improve IPM programs for pear pests, mainly pear psylla. This project examined strategies such as reflective mulches, particle films, earwig releases for biological control, chemical insecticide efficacy, non-target effects of insecticides on natural enemies, and established baseline toxicities of a new insecticide, Bexar (tolfenpyrad) against pear psylla adults and nymphs, to aid resistance testing in the future. Many of the objectives provided preliminary information that allowed us to leverage additional funding from state, regional, and federal agencies to conduct more thorough investigations.
