Development of a novel precision applicator for spot treatment of granular agrochemical in wild blueberry.

While spot spraying has gained increasing popularity in recent years, spot application of granule agrochemical has seen little development. Despite the potential for the technology, there currently exists no commercially available granular applicators capable of spot application. Therefore, the goal of this study was to design, build, and lab evaluate a precision applicator for spot applying granular agrochemical in wild blueberry.

Short-Term Dispersal and Long-Term Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Carabidae (Coleoptera) in Lowbush Blueberry Fields.

Carabidae (Coleoptera) are important natural enemies of many insect pests in various cropping systems. Their population dynamics and how they disperse determine how effective they are at carrying out the natural enemy function. There are robust patterns of community dynamics in annual cropping systems, but it is unclear if these would carry over into a relatively underexplored North American perennial crop.

Poecilus lucublandus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and Pterostichus mutus Do Not Feed on Hair Fescue, Red Sorrel, and Poverty Oatgrass Seeds.

Poecilus lucublandus (Say), Pterostichus mutus (Say), and Harpalus rufipes (De Geer) are abundant Carabidae in lowbush blueberry fields and may contribute to weed seed predation. We used laboratory no-choice test experiments to determine if these beetles feed on seeds of hair fescue (Festuca filiformis Pourr., Poales: Poaceae), poverty oatgrass (Danthonia spicata L.