Alfalfa ( L.) is an economically important commodity in the Intermountain Western United States. A major concern for alfalfa producers in this region is the alfalfa weevil ( Gyllenhal). Insecticide resistance development coupled with regulatory changes in pesticide use has resulted in renewed interest by producers in non-chemical control methods such as cultural control. One such cultural control method is early harvest, which consists of producers timing their harvests early in the season to decrease alfalfa weevil damage. This method is thought to be effective by exposing weevil larvae to adverse conditions before significant damage occurs. Still, early harvest can be difficult to employ because recommendations are often vague. To better understand how early harvest impacts both alfalfa weevils and their natural enemies and how producers are using this method across the Intermountain Western United States, we conducted a study in alfalfa production fields in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming over three growing seasons. We determined that the timing of the initial alfalfa harvest spanned more than 1 month across fields, and alfalfa plant stage at harvest ranged from late vegetative to early bloom. Harvest was more impactful on reducing alfalfa weevil densities the earlier it was implemented. Removing windrows in a timely manner is likely useful to further decrease alfalfa weevil densities. Harvest timing was not associated with parasitism rates of alfalfa weevil, but higher parasitism rates were associated with lower post-harvest alfalfa weevil densities. This work has increased our understanding of early harvest in an on-farm setting and to improve recommendations for producers across the Intermountain Western United States.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2024.1324044 | DOI Listing |
PLoS One
November 2024
College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China.
When insects harm plants, they activate relevant enzyme systems for defense, and changes in enzyme activity, to a certain extent, reflect the host plant's ability to resist insect damage. Alfalfa leaf weevils (Hypera postica Gyllenhal) are the main economic insect pest of alfalfa, which seriously affect its yield and quality. To clarify the effects of feeding induction by alfalfa leaf weevil larvae and adults on defense enzymes in alfalfa, 'Zhongmu No.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Insect Sci
April 2024
Department of Plant Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States.
Alfalfa ( L.) is an economically important commodity in the Intermountain Western United States. A major concern for alfalfa producers in this region is the alfalfa weevil ( Gyllenhal).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeliyon
March 2024
INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France.
The extensive and indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides in agriculture has led to adverse effects on human health, environmental pollution, and the emergence of pesticide-resistant pests. To mitigate these challenges, the development of environmentally friendly alternatives is crucial, with biopesticides emerging as promising solutions such as peptides. Legume seeds naturally contain diverse insecticidal peptides or proteins to combat pest attacks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Econ Entomol
February 2024
Department of Plant Science and Plant Pathology, Montana State University, 119 Plant BioScience, Bozeman, MT 59717-3150, USA.
The alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)), a key pest of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. (Fabales: Fabacae)) across the US, has developed resistance to pyrethroids lambda-cyhalothrin and zeta-cypermethrin in at least 6 western US states. Unfortunately, 6 pyrethroid active ingredients represent most commercial insecticides registered for alfalfa weevil control in forage alfalfa systems.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
June 2023
Center of Advanced Instrumental Analysis, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
The parasitoid wasp Bathyplectes anurus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae) is a successful biocontrol agent against the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica. This weevil is a serious pest of beneficial fabaceous plants such as alfalfa and Chinese milk vetch. One of the possible reasons for the success of this wasp in hot climates may be the ability of its cocooned larvae to repeatedly jump and roll until they relocate themselves away from detrimental sunlight and heat.
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