Sublethal exposure to fungicides can affect honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in ways that resemble malnutrition. These include reduced brood rearing, queen loss, and increased pathogen levels. We examined the effects of oral exposure to the fungicides boscalid and pyraclostrobin on factors affecting colony nutrition and immune function including pollen consumption, protein digestion, hemolymph pr...

A protectant fungicide (Captan, a.i. captan) and a systemic fungicide (Switch, a.i. fludioxonilþ cyprodinil) were evaluated as preand post-inoculation applications for control of anthracnose fruit rot (AFR), caused by Colletotrichum acutatum, under a short (6 or 8 h) or long (18 or 24 h) wetting period. Evaluations were conducted for two seasons in Maryland and for two seasons in Florida. Both ...

Several species of bumblebees have recently experienced range contractions and possible extinctions. While threats to bees are numerous, few analyses have attempted to understand the relative importance of multiple stressors. Such analyses are critical for prioritizing conservation strategies. Here, we describe a landscape analysis of factors predicted to cause bumblebee declines in the USA. We...

Leaf-cutting ants learn to avoid plants initially harvested if they prove to be harmful for their symbiotic fungus once incorporated into the nest. At this point, waste particles removed from the fungus garden are likely to contain cues originating from both the unsuitable plant and the damaged fungus. We investigated whether leaf-cutting ant foragers learn to avoid unsuitable plants solely thr...

The use of fungicides in crop protection still effectively eliminates fungal pathogens of plants. However, fungicides may dissipate to various elements of the environment and cause irreversible changes. Considering this problem, the aim of the presented study was to evaluate changes in soil biological activity in response to contamination with azoxystrobin. The study was carried out in the labo...

IN 1996, the U.S. Congress unanimously passed the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA). Among other things, the law formalized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Reduced-Risk Pesticide Program (initiated in 1993) and mandated that EPA continue to enhance it (EPA 2003, 2004). The FQPA expedited EPA’s review and registration decision-making process for pesticides that are classified a...

Knowledge of the evolution of fungicide resistance is important in securing sustainable disease management in agricultural systems. In this study, we analyzed and compared the spatial distribution of genetic variation in azoxystrobin sensitivity and SSR markers in 140 Phytophthora infestans isolates sampled from seven geographic locations in China. Sensitivity to azoxystrobin and its genetic va...

Chemical management of dollar spot in turf may lead to the development of Sclerotinia homoeocarpa populations with reduced fungicide sensitivity. The objective of this study was to investigate resistance of S. homoeocarpa isolates to triazole fungicides and to test cross-resistance among three triazole fungicides. A total of 66 isolates of S. homoeocarpa were collected from 15 golf courses acro...

A common consequence of using agricultural fungicides is the development of resistance by fungal pathogens, which undermines reliability of fungicidal effectiveness. A potentially new strategy to aid in overcoming or minimizing this problem is enhancement of pathogen sensitivity to fungicides, or "chemosensitization." Chemosensitization can be accomplished by combining a commercial fungicide wi...

Title of Document: INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT OF FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT IN SOFT RED WINTER WHEAT. Elizabeth Reed, M.S., 2011 Directed By: Associate Professor Arvydas Grybauskas, Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a destructive disease of the soft red winter wheat grown in the Mid-Atlantic region. Management of FHB...