The Pecan ipmPIPE Program has been operational throughout the Pecan Belt for four growing seasons. During this period, new interactive deliverables including near real time, locally relevant risk assessment tools for major pests, educational materials useful in conducting best management practices, a pecan library, pesticide search engines, and an interactive database have been developed and made available to the public using the Internet. Using metrics from several sources shows that ∼50% of Texas pecan producers have readily adopted this new technology; producers from other states are shown to behave similarly, albeit fewer metrics were available for comparison. The annual economic impact in Texas is estimated to be $1 million, which is expected to increase 2–3 fold if similar metrics were available to assess this belt-wide. The program is expected to increase in value to stakeholders as more producer adoption occurs and as Internet tools become increasingly sophisticated. The need for professional information technology expertise on the scientific team, rather than just technical support, is addressed as a current challenge if this new approach is to continue to best serve agriculture and the public.

The blackmargined aphid, Monellia caryella (Fitch), was studied on three cultivars, ‘Cheyenne’, ‘Kiowa’, and ‘Pawnee’, of pecan, Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch, in the field. Abundance of aphids and natural enemies (lacewings, ladybird beetles, and spiders) was determined twice weekly by directly inspecting foliage on each pecan variety during the summers of 2005 and 2006. Water-sensitive cards were used to measure honeydew deposited. Aphid phenologies were similar among pecan cultivars; however, Cheyenne supported more aphids than did Kiowa or Pawnee. Honeydew production was directly correlated with aphid abundance. Abundance of natural enemies increased during initial stages of aphid outbreak on all pecan cultivars, and the asymptote reached on Cheyenne exceeded the action level of 25 aphids per leaf. Cheyenne had a lower natural enemy-to-aphid ratio than did the other cultivars, indicating that the functional response of natural enemies to increased aphid abundance was exhausted sooner on Cheyenne than on other cultivars where aphid abundance did not exceed the action level. Honeydew seems to be an attractant for natural enemies, and cost-benefit was calculated to quantify the loss of photosynthates to aphids versus the gain in natural enemies on each pecan cultivar. Cheyenne was the least efficient of the three cultivars in the utilization of this defense mechanism. The energy drain per hectare was calculated using aphid density and by measuring honeydew; data showed the energy drain on Cheyenne was 4–8 fold greater than that on Kiowa or Pawnee by using either method. Conversions of energy drain estimates to nut-equivalents indicated Cheyenne suffered economic damage that warranted treatment whereas Kiowa and Pawnee did not. These results suggested that moderately abundant blackmargined aphids efficiently attracted natural enemies with little risk of economic damage to the crop.

The blackmargined aphid, Monellia caryella (Fitch), is an important phytophage in the pecan, Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch, agroecosystem where it often is treated with insecticide. Pecan cultivars released by the USDA Pecan Breeding Program vary in susceptibility and risk of damage from the blackmargined aphid. We evaluated a new technique that measures honeydew deposition and found relative differences in susceptibility of a segregating pecan population were identifiable during the course of an outbreak of blackmargined aphids. This provided an efficient method for the simultaneous evaluation of hundreds of segregating pecan trees. Use of this new tool will also aid studies of inheritance, horticultural compatibility, and in determining the relative permanence of this character in pecan improvement.

A rapid method was developed and validated for PCR analysis of potato psyllids for Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum (Lso), the causal agent of zebra chip disease of potatoes, Solanum tuberosum L. The method is also suitable for PCR amplification and high-resolution melting analysis of the cytochrome oxidase I gene of potato psyllids, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc), which is useful for psyllid population studies. The new method takes less than 30 minutes to complete, requires only common laboratory reagents, uses one inexpensive enzyme and no organic solvents, and no lengthy centrifugation steps are necessary. The method should be suitable for rapid testing of large numbers of potato psyllids for studies on zebra chip disease epidemiology and genetic analysis of psyllid populations.

Incidence of potato purple top, and abundance of its vectors, the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), and leafhoppers (Empoasca spp. and Macrosteles spp.) were monitored in three production sites and four crop cycles (2004–2007) in the potato, Solanum tubersum L., growing region of Coahuila and Nuevo León, México. There was a linear relationship between the annual incidence of potato purple top, and abundance of potato pyllid and leafhoppers. Results showed the importance of the vectors in dissemination of potato purple top in the region. Potatoes planted before the middle of May are exposed to more abundant vectors. The least risk of disease occurred when the potato plant emerged between June and July, when the insects were scarce. Arrival of vectors to the production site did not always coincide with disease outbreak, which suggests seed potatoes are the main initial source of inoculum for potato purple top.

Blastospores of lsaria fumosorosea Wize grown in a bioreactor with casaminoacids or collagen peptone as the nitrogen source were evaluated for effectiveness against nymphs of silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring, in cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. The I. fumosorosea blastospores produced in the two liquid culture media were formulated with and without diatomaceous earth and sprayed onto terminal leaves of cotton in the field. The effectiveness of the materials was compared with Specifik^®, a commercial formulation containing 1 × 10¹¹ conidia per gram of I. fumosorosea formulated with Rhudo^®, and a mixture of insecticides (Endosulfan^® Rescate^® 20 PS). Blastospores produced in the medium containing casaminoacids as the main source of nitrogen and formulated with diatomaceous earth, as well as blastospores produced in the medium containing collagen peptone and not formulated with diatomaceous earth were most effective in reducing the number of nymphs. These experimental formulations killed 23–66% of the nymphs at 4 and 6 days posttreatment. Specifik^® was less effective than the best experimental formulations and was effective only at 4 days post-application in the second experiment. The insecticides Endosulfan^® plus Rescate^® 20 PS used by some cotton growers were not effective on any sampling date.

Chloroform extracts from the aerial parts of four species of medicinal plants of the genus Salvia (Lamiaceae) were tested for insectistatic and insecticidal activities against the life cycle of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). All extracts showed both activities. Extracts from Salvia microphylla Kunth and Salvia connivens Epling had high insecticidal activity (LV₅₀ 916 and 936 ppm, respectively), and Salvia keerlii Benth., and Salvia ballotiflora Benth., had moderate insecticidal activity (LV₅₀ 1,527 and 1,685 ppm, respectively). S. connivens had the best insectistatic activity (at 1,000 ppm). This extract prolonged the larval and pupal phases by 7.6 and 3.4 days, respectively, and decreased the pupal weight 30.4%. S. microphylla extract increased the larval and pupal phases by 6.5 and 2.9 days, respectively, and reduced the pupal weight 25.3%. S. keerlii extract increased the larval and pupal phases by 4.9 and 3.1 days, respectively, and decreased the pupal weight 16.4%, and the S. ballotiflora extract increased the larval and pupal phases by 5.2 and 2.9 days, respectively, and reduced the pupal weight 13.2%. These results indicated that, because of their insecticidal and insectistatic activities, these extracts may be used to control fall armyworm.

This study was conducted in a 1-hectare field of maize, Zea mays L., near Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas during the fall growing seasons of 2011 and 2012. The objective was to document the competitive displacement of the crambid stalkborers Diatraea lineolata (Walker) and D. saccharalis (F.) by Eoreuma loftini (Dyar), after the invasion of the latter species from Western México into this area during the early 1980's. All larvae collected by sampling fields and adults emerging from pyramid cages were identified as E. loftini during both years. According to previous studies in the same region, D. lineolata and D. saccharalis were the only corn stalkborers during the 1970's, with dominance of the former species. During the 1980's, after invasion by E. loftini, the three species coexisted, with D. lineolata still dominating. This study showed E. loftini is now the dominant stalkborer species in this agroecosystem. Although the displacement by E. loftini is evident, D. linelolata and D. saccharalis are not likely to be extint from this area, but rather they probably were not abundant enough to be detected by the sample size used in this study. Factors probably related to the displacement of D. lineolata and D. saccharalis by E. loftini are discussed.

The functional response of Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), a phytoseiid predator, was studied on different life stages of twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, on leaves of apple, Malus domestica Borkh, during a period of 24 hours at 27 ± 2°C and 60% relative humidity. According to Holling's (1959) model, the functional response was Type II. The rate of instantaneous discovery (a') values were 0.9352 for eggs, 0.9260 for larvae, 0.8320 for nymphs, and 0.6786 for female adults, while handling time (Th) values were 0.0122, 0.0116, 0.0126, and 0.0532 for the same stages, respectively.

Most soursop, Annona muricata L., in the world is produced in Mexico. Soursop is a tropical fruit with great commercial possibility. Currently, its commercialization in Mexico has restrictions established in national phytosanitary legislation. Some insect species such as Anastrepha that are registered as associated with soursop have not been confirmed. The purpose of this research was to extensively sample fruit in orchards and stockpile centers and use induced infestation in field cages to determine if soursop fruit hosted Anastrepha. Observation was June 2009 through June 2012 in Nayarit, Mexico. A total of 5.23 tons of fruit was sampled (n = 6,712) in commercial orchards and 7.18 tons (n = 8,418) in stockpile centers, a sum total of 12.41 tons of fruit. No soursop fruits with Anastrepha ludens or A. obliqua fly larvae were found. In fields and stockpile centers, we observed fruit infested by Optatus palmaris (Coleptera: Curculionidae) at a density of 0.12 and 0.03 larva per fruit, respectively. We collected fruits infested by Neosilba sp. larvae (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) at 0.0058 larva per fruit, from which 21 adults emerged. From 318 cedar tree fruit (Spondias sp.) collected in the study region, 35 A. obliqua adults emerged, and eight A. ludens and 57 A. obliqua were found in McPhail traps baited with hydrolyzed protein in mango orchards (Mangifera indica) where the research occurred. In McPhail traps in soursop orchards, one A. ludens, four A. obliqua, and three Anastrepha spp. were captured. In the cages, no soursop fruit was infested by A. ludens or A. oblique. From mango fruits used as hosts, five A. obliqua and two A. ludens emerged. Based on the results, we concluded that soursop was not a host for Anastrepha fruit fly. The current phytosanitary measures established in the Mexican Official Norms must be modified to deregulate soursop fruit and allow its free mobilization within the Mexican states with different phytosanitary categories in relation to fruit flies.

Secondary dengue virus infections are a major risk for developing dengue hemorrhagic fever. Recent exposure to infectious bites of Aedes aegypti (L.) females in previously diagnosed dengue cases fulfills the epidemiological model of dengue hemorrhagic fever. A study was comprised of 357 (89.2%) dengue and 43 (10.8%) dengue hemorrhagic fever cases confirmed by laboratory tests and clinical manifestations. An entomological survey was done in homes and backyards. Concurrently, a questionnaire was used to assess the impact of healthpromotion campaigns through knowledge of the vector and its epidemiological role. Seventy-six (28.4%) of the 268 (67.0%) total wet or dry oviposition sites were positive for the presence of larvae or pupae, while adult Ae. aegypti were found in 32 (8.0%). One hundred thirty-two (33%) householders who formerly had dengue fever or dengue hemorrhagic fever had knowledge of either larval or adult dengue vector stages. According to gender distribution, 145 (36.2%) and 14 (3.5%) of the males confirmed with cases of dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever lived in houses with 17.9 and 2% of the Ae. aegypti larval and pupal habitats. Houses with females who had dengue and dengue hemorrhagic fever were 212 (53%) and 29 (7.3%), with containers with immature Ae. aegypti in 19.4 and 7%, respectively. Lack of sustainability of government-targeted health education campaigns is the major problem for involving communities in prevention and control of dengue.

In October 2011, the State Health Department announced that several laboratory-confirmed cases of dengue had occurred among residents in two neighborhoods of Benito Juarez, Quintana Roo State, Mexico. To identify the dengue virus serotype(s) temporally and spatially associated with the cases, entomologic-based virus surveillance was initiated in October 2011 in both neighborhoods. Adult mosquitoes were collected from 88 houses by CDC-backpack aspirator, and all female Aedes aegypti L. (n = 419) were individually homogenized and assayed in pools of as many as 10 by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using dengue virus-specific primers. Five (12%) of 41 pools were positive for dengue virus RNA. The individual mosquitoes that comprised the pools were analyzed separately by RT-PCR using dengue virus serotype-specific primers. Six mosquitoes were positive for dengue virus serotype-2 (DENV-2) RNA, three of which were collected in the same house. The mean number of female Ae. aegypti collected in each house was 4.76 ± 6.19. The overall dengue virus-infection rate in female Ae. aegypti was 1.4%. Interestingly, most (60%) of mosquito females were collected only from 15 (17%) houses. In summary, we provide evidence of recent DENV-2 transmission in Quintana Roo State.

Two new species of Boletina Staeger fungus gnat were discovered in western Michigan. Adult males of both species flew to a Malaise trap in spring and a second generation of one species flew during the transition from late summer to autumn. The habitat was an ecotone between swamp and second-growth forest dominated by black ash (Fraxinus nigra Marshall), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marshall), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), and black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrhart). Females and juvenile stages of Boletina dentata Taber and Boletina tricinctoides Taber are either unknown or have not been described.

A diversity of crops is grown in Mexico. Of the plants that produce fruits and/or seeds for human consumption, 85% depend to some degree on pollinators for efficient production. Mexico also has a great diversity of native bees, some of which have been recognized as having potential for use as managed pollinators; defined as a semi-domesticated species, produced in large quantities, and bought and sold commercially. The objective of the present work was to review the species of bees presently commercially available in Mexico as managed pollinators and to analyze in particular: 1) their commercial availability, 2) crops for which they are used, and 3) the perspectives for their sustainable use and conservation. Presently, only two species of bees are used commercially in Mexico: the honey bee, Apis mellifera L., and the common eastern bumble bee, Bombus impatiens Cresson. Mexican native bee species have been used experimentally, but at this time, none is commercially available. The principal threats to the conservation of native bees in Mexico are the elevated rate of deforestation combined with intense use of agrochemicals and particularly insecticides for control of pests in extensive monocultures. Continued research and conservation programs considering native bee species are needed to ensure the survival of as many species as possible to provide a wide array of biological characteristics with potential for use as managed pollinators in Mexico. This is critical to ensure the future necessities of the wide diversity of Mexican crops with unique agronomic characteristics within the diversity of habitats where they are cultivated.