Crop Protection

Integrating manure-based amendments with pest control: Potential of predatory flies (Scathophagidae) as a secondary benefit of manure amendments, for early season control of spotted wing drosophila in red raspberry

Yellow dung flies, Scathophaga stercoraria are associated with dung of large mammals. They are predatory on other flies particularly drosophila and are attracted to red raspberry fields following manure applications in early spring. We investigated their potential to provide season-long impact on spotted wing drosophila populations (Drosophila suzukii, SWD) in red raspberry by feeding on […]

Creation of a Web-Based Training Course to Promote Biological Control

This project aims to stabilize and enhance conservation biological control of pests in tree fruit orchards. The adoption of organophosphate-alternative pesticides has destabilized the biological controls for pests in integrated pest management (IPM) programs, many of which were taken for granted under organophosphate-dominated management regimes. Pest management decision makers need a better understanding of how […]

Bovine-avian interactions on dairies: improving cow welfare and farm economic stability by implementing effective and sustainable bird deterrence methods

Pest bird damage to vineyard, orchard, and berry acreage has been a focus of recent research; however, much less is known about how pest birds affect dairies. In other areas of the U.S., the impact of the non-native European starling on dairies has been linked to significant economic damages and disease transmission concerns. The pest […]

Birds and Biosecurity: contact rates and parasite exchange between livestock and songbirds

Livestock have access to the outdoor environment, which integrates farm animals with soil, vegetation and wildlife that are components of the farm ecosystem. For example, pasture provides cycling of renewable, organic food inputs for livestock and nutrients from manure. These ecosystem services are vital to sustainable organic animal production. However, livestock in the environment also […]

Determining the Effect of Biodegradable and Living Mulches on Annual Weeds and and Growth of Newly-planted Blueberry

In a newly planted blueberry trial, ‘Draper’ plants were transplanted from 1-gal pots into the field in March 2015.  Greenhouse-grown living mulch plants, creeping buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis L.) and sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum (L.) Scop.), were transplanted to a density of 1 plant/ft2 at the same time as blueberry.  Other plots were treated with 5 […]

Spatial and temporal dynamics of attracting green lacewings to synthetic lures in apple orchards for pest suppression

The discovery of volatile phytochemicals that affect natural enemy (NE) populations has stimulated interest in using synthetic versions to manipulate NE populations for pest suppression. Unfortunately, field studies that investigate practical use of these tools are lacking. Apple orchards provide a good setting to answer these questions because we have already developed lures for monitoring […]

A biologically intensive approach to induce the natural immunity of potatoes against the pathogens inciting Late Blight and Verticillium wilt

The overall objective of this proposal is to develop a procedure for improving the natural immunity of potato adequately to ward off the destructive pathogens causing Late Blight ad Verticillium wilt.  Our lab’s preliminary research has determined that some yeast-like non-pathogenic fungi can induce a defense response in plants, either with the DNase enzyme they  […]

Impact of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Phosphorus Use Efficiency and Root Diseases of Onion Crops

Onion growers in the semi-arid, irrigated Columbia Basin produce 27% of the storage onions in the USA, with a crop farmgate value ranging from $4,000-$7,000/acre. Symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonize roots of many plant species and help the plants mine soil more effectively for immobile nutrients, particularly phosphorus (P). AMF can also help defend […]

Searching for Organic Antimicrobials

Organic food production in Washington State is expanding rapidly. However, this industry is hampered by the lack of effective antimicrobial agents which can be used in organic food production. Plants rely on innate immunity to defend microbial invasion, depending on the antimicrobial effects of phytocompounds. Plants (herbs) with high antimicrobial contents were used to treat […]

Biodiversity and the Natural Suppression of Human Pathogens

Restoring livestock to mixed-vegetable farms allows on-farm fertilizer production and the sale of high-value meat products.  Likewise, diversifying farms with native plants provides habitat for pest-killing birds and predatory insects. Unfortunately, both practices carry the risk of unintentional contamination of produce by human pathogens (e.g., E. coli O157:H7), transmitted through livestock feces or those of […]