California Department of Pesticide Regulation

Bagrada bug, Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is an invasive pest of cruciferous crops. The parasitoid Gryon aetherium Talamas (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) is a promising biological control agent for B. hilaris because it can forage in the soil where B. hilaris deposits most of its eggs. In this study, we assessed parasitism by G. aetherium on B. hilaris eggs in situ in northcentral California, including the Salinas Valley where most cruciferous crops in the United States are grown. Parasitism was documented by leaving soil-filled trays under infested plants for 7-14 days, then removing eggs and holding them for emergence of parasitoids. Gryon aetherium accounted for over 99% of emerged parasitoids, and occurred at 11 of the 12 sampled sites. Of the 17,729 and 31,759 B. hilaris eggs collected in 2021 and 2022, 1,518 (8.84%) and 2,654 (8.36%) were parasitized by G. aetherium, respectively. Parasitism rates were generally higher inland and ranged from 3.64% to 44.93% in 2021 and from 1.01% to 23.04% in 2022, and never exceeded 15% on any sample dates at several coastal sites in the Salinas Valley. Discovery efficiency (a measure of the ability of parasitoids to locate egg patches) reached 80% or higher at all but 1 site, but exploitation efficiency (a measure of the ability of parasitoids to exploit the egg patch after it has been discovered) was generally <20%, suggesting that G. aetherium can locate egg patches efficiently but is less efficient at finding eggs within patches.

Abstract Several classes of pesticides have been shown to impair water quality in California, including organophosphates, pyrethroids and neonicotinoids. Vegetative treatment systems (VTS) can reduce pesticide loads and associated toxicity in agricultural runoff, but many water soluble pesticides such as neonicotinoids are not effectively treated by VTS, and VTS installation is not always an option for growers required to remove non-crop vegetation for food safety concerns. Recent studies have shown that biochar filtration can be used to remove soluble contaminants, especially when coupled with other VTS components. We evaluated a mobile carbon filter system consisting of a trailer-mounted tank containing approximately 600L of biochar. Input water from a 1080 acre agricultural drainage was pre-filtered and treated with biochar during two multi-week study periods. Laboratory toxicity tests, and chemical and nutrient analyses were conducted on input and output water. Pesticide concentrations were initially reduced by greater than 99%. Treatment efficacy declined linearly and was expected to remain at least 50% effective for up to 34 weeks. Toxicity was assessed with Ceriodaphnia dubia, Hyalella azteca and Chironomus dilutus. Significant input toxicity was reduced to non-toxic levels in 6 of 16 samples. Some input concentrations of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid and the pyrethroid cypermethrin exceeded organism-specific toxicity thresholds and benchmarks, but the overall causes of toxicity were complex mixtures of agricultural chemicals. Nutrients were not reduced by the biochar. Results demonstrate the utility of biochar in treating agricultural runoff, and provide measures of the longevity of biochar under field conditions.

Crop development of various economically important horticultural crops faces substantial limitations due to various abiotic stresses. These pressures contribute to over 70% of the yield gap. Notably, salt stress has become increasingly significant in crop production in recent years. Salinity triggers ionic, osmotic, and oxidative disturbances, leading to the production of reactive oxygen species, decreased water potential, membrane dysfunction, reduced rates of photosynthesis, and lower nitrogen assimilation. All of these factors significantly impede crop growth and yield. A potential and effective approach to alleviate salt stress involves the use of plant extracts obtained from natural sources as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers. These extracts are rich sources of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids, and phenolics, which play pivotal roles in redox metabolism regulation and enhancing plant growth. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) with its diverse applications in food, cosmetics, and medicine, offers essential oil rich in beneficial properties, including antifungal, antibacterial, anticancer, and antioxidant effects. Humic acid is recognized for improving soil conditions and promoting plant growth. Saline soils present a major hindrance to plant development, impacting seed germination and seedling growth. Plants employ various adaptive mechanisms to endure challenging environmental conditions. Biostimulants, which consist of diverse compounds derived from microbial and plant sources, play a vital role in promoting plant growth and alleviating environmental stress. These products impact plant physiology, metabolic processes, and nutrient absorption, presenting an innovative method to address salinity issues. The article highlights the significance of seaweed extracts, humic acid, and vegetable extracts as valuable elements in augmenting both crop yield and quality. Furthermore, this assessment illuminates how plants react to different biostimulants, showcasing benefits such as amplified root growth, improved nutrient assimilation, and increased resilience to stress. © 2021 The Author(s)

As social insects, honey bees (Apis mellifera) rely on the coordinated performance of various behaviors to ensure that the needs of the colony are met. One of the most critical of these behaviors is the feeding and care of egg laying honey bee queens by non-fecund female worker attendants. These behaviors are crucial to honey bee reproduction and are known to be elicited by the queen’s pheromone blend. The degree to which workers respond to this blend can vary depending on their physiological status, but little is known regarding the impacts of developmental exposure to agrochemicals on this behavior. This work investigated how exposing workers during larval development to chronic sublethal doses of insect growth disruptors affected their development time, weight, longevity, and queen pheromone responsiveness as adult worker honey bees. Exposure to the juvenile hormone analog pyriproxyfen consistently shortened the duration of pupation, and pyriproxyfen and diflubenzuron inconsistently reduced the survivorship of adult bees. Finally, pyriproxyfen and methoxyfenozide treated bees were found to be less responsive to queen pheromone relative to other treatment groups. Here, we describe these results and discuss their possible physiological underpinnings as well as their potential impacts on honey bee reproduction and colony performance.

The aphid, Doralis symphyti (Homoptera: Aphididae), a harmful pest of many crops, causes direct damage by consuming all plant parts, reducing plant vigour, and indirect damage by honeydew secretion and transmission of several viruses. Due to the problem of pesticide resistance, alternative techniques for chemical control, such as the use of natural insecticides with minimal effects on the environment and natural enemies also coincide with organic agriculture have been the objective of this research. The effects of Mammea (Mammey americana) leaf extracts on the mortality of aphids were evaluated. The mammey extracts (Crude and refined) were tested in the laboratory (bioassays) at 100%, 90%, 80%, 70% and 60% dilution. The 80% was determined to be the most efficient dilution. The refined extract resulted in 100% mortality at 84 hours while the dry leaf and green leaf extracts gave 100% mortality in 96 hours. In the field, the refined extract resulted in 65% mortality, dry leaf crude extract obtained in 43% mortality and the green leaf crude extract gave 25% mortality. The mamey leaf extracts were efficient against the aphid in the laboratory since 100% mortality was obtained for all treatments. The field study found that the green leaf extract obtained 29% mortality, dry leaf extract achieved 47% mortality and the refined extract attained 63% mortality of aphids.