CRIS Project Number: 1275-22000-155-00D
Start Date: 10/01/98 Term Date: 09/30/03
(Replaces CRIS 1275-22000-101-00D)

CRIS Project Title: Semiochemically Mediated Enhancement of Native Beneficials and Suppression of Key Pest Insects

Objectives:

• Develop traps and lures for the Asian long-horned beetle (ALB) (Cerambycidae: Anoplophora glabripennis).
  Specific Project: 1275-22000-155-03S; Start Date: 02/23/9; Term Date: 04/24/04)
  
• Develop chemical lures and trapping techniques for the pink hibiscus mealybug,Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae).
  (Specific Project: 1275-22000-155-03S; Start Date: 02/23/99; Term Date: 04/24/04)
  
• Develop semiochemical technology to enhance parasitic flies (Diptera: Tachinidae).
  
• Develop semiochemical technology to enhance native predaceous bugs (Heteroptera: Orius, Geocoris and Podisus species) and ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coleomegilla maculata).
  
• Identify pheromones and develop methodology to suppress pest stink bugs and plant bugs (Heteroptera: Nezara, Acrosternum, Euschistus, Murgantia and Lygus species).
  
• Develop baits to trap eastern U.S. yellowjacket species, especially the German yellowjacket (Vespidae: Vespula germanica).
  

Progress:

• Isolated, identified, synthesized and tested two ALB male-specific dialkyl ethers heretofore unknown from insects: 4-(n-heptyloxy) butanal and 4-(n-heptyloxy) butan-1-ol. (Aijun Zhang and James Oliver, principal investigators)
• Pin-pointed two minor compounds in the aeration blends from PHM females with EAD-activity in males, identified and synthesized one of these compounds, and successfully tested this compound in the field in the Virgin Islands. (Aijun Zhang, principal investigator)
• Behaviorally and electrophysiologically investigated tachinid fly parasitoids of stink bugs (Pentatomidae) and related Heteroptera in detail. Tachinids were either reared from hosts or caught alive in traps baited with pheromones (kairomones for the flies) of their hosts. These studies demonstrated that 1) the tachinids are much more electrophysiologically sensitive to the pheromones of bugs than are the bugs themselves, 2) that kairomone strains of tachinids exist and, 3) that exotic hosts are in some ways more vulnerable to native tachinids than are native hosts. (with Aijun Zhang)
• Tested hardware and protocols to enable individual growers and insectary operators to mass-produce predatory spined soldier bugs, Podisus maculiventris, for augmentative biological control. Identified and field-tested a pheromone for another heteropteran predator (Orius insidiosus) in Bt-sweet corn (with Carolyn Smith and Prapai Puapoomchareon). For the nuisance ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis, natural repellents were found that may be useful in preventing entry of the beetles into buildings. Volatiles were collected and identified from H. axyridis, C. maculata and other ladybird beetles that preliminary data suggests are attractant pheromones.
• Euschistus spp. migrating into high-value orchard and vegetable crops were intercepted in pheromone-baited traps at levels which may actually suppress populations as well as alert growers to the presence of these pests. GC-EAD studies of the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris, and the cross-pheromonally active mirid species, Adelphocoris lineolatus, led to identification of a simple blend of compounds that appeared slightly attractive to L. lineolaris males in preliminary field tests. Heretofore untested components of suspected pheromone blends for Nezara, Acrosternum, and Murgantia spp. (Pentatomidae) were implicated as being biologically active by GC-EAD experiments with the bugs themselves and their tachinid parasitioids.
• Successfully tested a new attractant blend for eastern yellowjacket species.

Plans:

• Supply male-specific ALB compounds to colleagues at Syracuse University, the APHIS laboratory in Otis, MA, and the ARS laboratory in Newark, DE, who will conduct further testing this coming season in China. Provide other researchers with access to the beetles the compounds for testing upon request. Conduct further laboratory olfactometer tests in ICEL and/or Otis to determine the behavioral role of the male-specific volatiles, and identify the female contact recognition pheromone.
• Replicate and refine field tests of the known PHM sex pheromone component, and identify the second unknown component.
• Use the hyper-sensitive antennae of tachinids to identify pheromones of host pest species whose pheromones have eluded identification (e.g. the squash bug, Anasa tristis). Study the semiochemical basis for the partial resistance of native heteropterans to native tachinids, and attempt to artificially select strains of native parasitoids that recognize exotic hosts. Test the hypothesis that the intensity of a tachinid=s antennal response toward particular host volatiles is directly proportional to host suitability.
• Work with CRADA partner to develop a pheromone-trap kit to harvest predatory stink bugs in early spring for augmentative biological control programs, and capture and destroy pest stinks bugs later in the season using the same traps with different pheromones.
• Continue pheromone research on Lygus via parallel aeration of individual females and GC-EAD.
• Test yellowjacket lures early in the season to access attractiveness to overwintered queens.

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• Ferdinando Bin, University of Perugia, and Stefano Collaza, University of Palermo, Italy, identification of kairomones used by stink bug egg parasitoids to locate hosts.

• Joseph Dickens, USDA-ARS, Vegetable Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, and Gordon Snodgrass, USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS, identification of a synthetic lure for the tarnished plant bug, Lygus lineolaris.

• Galen Dively, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, field testing of pheromone for the beneficial predator, Orius insidiosus, in conventional and Bt-transgenic sweet corn.

• Paul Schaefer, USDA-ARS, Beneficial Insect Introduction Laboratory, Newark, DE, identification of ladybug semiochemicals.

• Alfred Handler, USDA-ARS, Insect Behavior & Biocontrol Research, Gainesville, FL, production of cDNA library for the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula.

• Phyllis Martin, USDA-ARS, Insect Biocontrol Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, isolation of bacterial symbiont of Nezara viridula.

• Jocyln Millar, Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, heteropteran and homopteran semiochemistry.

• Russell Mizell, N. Florida Research & Education Center, University of Florida, Monticello, development of traps for stink bugs and ladybugs.

• James Nation, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, reinvestigation of the pheromone of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrapha suspensa.d Schneidmiller, President, Sterling International, Inc., development of yellowjacket attractants and commercial hardware to trap and manipulate the spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris.

• Miguel Serrano, USDA-ARS, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, and Dale Meyerdirk, USDA-APHIS, Riverdale, MD, identify the pheromone of the pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus.

• Stephen Teale, Department of Entomology and Forest Biology, Syracuse University, Michael Smith, USDA-ARS, Newark, DE, and Victor Mastro, USDA-APHIS, Otis, MA, development of a lure for the Asian longhorned beetle.

• Robert Vander Meer, USDA-ARS, Gainesville, FL, fire ant semiochemistry as part of a consortium.

• Douglas Whitman, Department of Biology, Illinois State University, Normal, IL, pheromone identification of the squash bug, Anasa tristis.

• José Zanuncio and Evaldo Vilela, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Brazil, identification of pheromones for predaceous stink bugs.

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EDUCATION

1977	Ph.D, University of Georgia, Athens, GA; major, Entomology.
1974	M.S., University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; major, Entomology.
1971	Oregon State University, Corvalis, OR; 12 credit hours in Oceanography.
1971	B.S. cum laude, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO; major, Biochemistry.

1999-present	Research Leader, ICEL, USDA, ARS, Plant Science Institute, Beltsville, MD.
1990-1999	Research Entomologist, ICEL, USDA, ARS, PSI, Beltsville, MD.
1980-1990	Research Entomologist, Insect Physiology Laboratory, USDA, ARS, PSI, Beltsville, MD.
1978-1980	Research Associate, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, NY.
1977-1978	Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

1990-1997	EMBRAPA, Brasília, Brazil, 2/9-19/90, 8/30-9/16/90, 8/30-9/18/91, 4/24-5/15/92, 3/21-4/9/93. Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 9/1-10/2/96. Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brazil, 1/20-2/2/97.
1996	Ministry of Agriculture, Tsukuba, Japan, 1/13-3/2/96.
1994	Department of Entomology, Perugia University, Italy, 7/6-10/2/94.
1990-1991	Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Australia, 10/16/90-5/9/91.

1. Zhang, A., Oliver, J. E., and Aldrich, J. R. Aggregation pheromone of the Asian longhorned beetle. U. S. Government Patent Serial No. 09/347,907, D.N. 0227.99. Filed July 7, 1999.
2. Aldrich, J. R., Hoffmann, M. P., Kochansky, J. P., Lusby, W. R., Wilson, L. T., and Zalom, F. G. Pheromone compositions and methods for attracting Euschistus spp. insects. U. S. Government Patent No. 5,447,718. 1995. Copy Patent No., then click SEARCH.
3. Aldrich, J. R., Oliver, J. E., Nicolaou, K. C. and Marron, B. E. Novel sesquiterpene epoxides. U. S. Government Patent No. 4,981,981. 1991. Copy Patent No., then click SEARCH.
4. Aldrich, J. R. Synthetic pheromones for the spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris , U.S. Government Patent No. 4,600,581. 1986. Copy Patent No., then click SEARCH.