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Lecture13 - Plant Pathology Entomology and Weed Science - FA22
Lecture13 - Plant Pathology Entomology and Weed Science - FA22
Lecture 13
Entomology, Plant Pathology,
and Weed Science
PLS 1 – Intro to Plant Science
Madera Community College
Study of weeds:
Weed Science
What is a Weed?
• Plants that are objectionable or interfere with
the activities or welfare of humans
‐Weed Science Society of America
• Plants that are competitive, persistent, and
pernicious and therefore interfere with
human activities
‐Ross & Lembi
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What is a Weed?
• St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
www.swansonvitamins.com
www.oxbowcattleco.com www.colostate.edu
Weed Management is Important!
Crop Potential yield loss from weeds(%)
Wheat 23
Rice 37
Corn 50
Potato 30
Soybean 52
Cotton 36
Dry bean 71
Sugarbeet 70
Weed Management is Important!
Crop Potential yield loss from weeds(%)
Wheat 23
Rice 37
Corn 50
Potato 30
Soybean 52
Cotton 36
Dry bean 71
Sugarbeet 70
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Weed Management
• How do weeds impact crops?
• Why are weeds more problematic in some cropping
systems over others?
Impacts
Resource competition driven: Nutrients, light,
water
Lettuce ‐ less competitive then most weed
species present in these systems
• 25% weed coverage results in 20 ‐ 40% yield
loss
• >25% weed coverage results in complete
yield loss (Lanini and LeStrange, 1991)
Plants that best utilize (efficiency) or first
capture (timing) resources will succeed
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Crop management practices indirectly impact
crop‐weed interactions
• A study by Santos et al. (1998) showed that as Nitrogen increased, radish
growth decreased when in the presence of purple nutsedge (Cyperus
rotundus).
Crop management practices indirectly impact
crop‐weed interactions
• A study by Santos et al. (1998) showed that as Nitrogen increased, radish
growth decreased when in the presence of purple nutsedge (Cyperus
rotundus).
Crop management practices indirectly impact
crop‐weed interactions
• A study by Santos et al. (1998) showed that as Nitrogen increased, radish
growth decreased when in the presence of purple nutsedge (Cyperus
rotundus).
• Is purple nutsedge more or less competitive for N compared to radish?
• When N is limited, purple nutsedge not a problem
• Once N is added, purple nutsedge competes better for other limiting
resources
• Light?
• Other nutrients?
• Water?
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Competition for light‐ Shade
avoidance syndrome
Effect of reflected light on sugarbeet, table beet, and Swiss chard
Nightshade spp. in tomato
Hairy nightshade (Solanum physalifolium)
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
• Herbicides disrupt one or multiple physiological
processes within the target weed species in order
to disrupt its lifecycle
• Difficult to control with selective herbicides
because of their similar growth habit and
physiology
• Typically must be removed through cultivation or
by hand
Lang et al. (1986); Weaver et al., (1987)
Quality
Feral rye (Secale cereale L.) in wheat grain
• Matures and shatters (releases seeds) before
wheat
• Combine harvests wheat contaminated with weed
seed for grain
Feral rye Winter wheat
• Millers and bakers avoid wheat contaminated with
feral rye because of poor baking characteristics
and off taste
• May results in grade reduction, price dockage,
complete loss of wheat quality
Lyon & Klein (2007)
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Allelopathy
• Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa) had stronger negative effects on
grass species from North America than on closely related grass species
from Eurasia where Centaurea is native
• May be due, in part, to toxic root exudates
• May help to explain why some invasive species are so successful in
establishing in natural plant communities
Callaway & Aschehoug (2000)
www.cals.arizona.edu
Weeds can serve as alternate hosts for other pests
Bagrada bug (Bagrada hilaris)
• Infest mustard weed species (early spring, late
winter) on hillsides and agriculture corridors
• Populations rise during warm weather
• When typical food supply is in short demand,
infest crucifer crops (cauliflower, cabbage,
broccoli, Brussels sprouts)
• Removing mustard weeds surrounding fields
helped decrease bagrada bug infestations
Grettenberger et al. (2016)
Grettenberger et al. (2016)
Main ussies impacting weed management
Labor Shortage
Starting in 2008 recession migration from
Mexico to U.S. began to decrease
dramatically
Grower & worker impact:
• longer work days to keep up with the
market
• Pay more for the labor they have trying to
entice new bodies into their own work force
(Taylor et al. 2012)
• Has really impacted weeding crews
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Number of Herbicide Launches Per Year
Lettuce Herbicides
Weed Species Kerb Prefar Dual Magnum
CHICKWEED
Control
GOOSEFOOT
GROUNDSEL, COMMON
HENBIT ‐‐ Partial
LAMBSQUARTERS Control
MALVA
NETTLE, BURNING
No
NIGHTSHADE, BLACK
Control
NIGHTSHADE, HAIRY
PIGWEED
PINEAPPLE WEED ‐‐
PURSLANE
SHEPERD’S PURSE
SOWTHISTLE
Smith (2019)
Dead
Weak on
Malva
Nettle
Resprouting
Shepherd’s Purse
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• Cultivation is key for
Cultivation providing the majority
of weed control once
the crop is up
• Typically 80‐85% of
double row 40‐inch
beds can be effectively
cultivated
• The uncultivated
seedline is the area of
concern
Automated Weeder
• Commercially available on the
market and in use in the Salinas
Valley today!
• All machines use:
Camera to detect the crop/weeds
Computer to analyze the image and
make decisions about which plants to
keep and which to remove
A kill mechanism to remove unwanted
plants (blades or a spray)
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Evaluations of Automated
Weeders with Split Blades
Affect on crop and weeds
Summary of Four Trials
FarmWise Autonomous Weeder
San Francisco, CA
S. Fennimore, UCCE
Autonomous Seedline Weeder
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Weed Management
Integration is Key!
• Hand weeding
• Herbicides
• Automation/Mechanization
• Cultivation
• Fumigation
• Solarization www.youtube.com
• Crop rotation
• Stale seedbed
• Biological control
Credits: Lyle Buss, University of Florida Credits: Cal AG
Study of plant diseases:
Plant Pathology
Modified from S. Koike, 2018
Why Plant Diseases?
• Common problems, affect all plants:
• Food
• Fiber
• Ornamentals
• Significant impacts: human health, quality,
economics.
• Difficult to control.
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Disease Triangle
Host: Pathogen:
susceptible virulent
plant agent
Plant
Disease
Environment:
suitable conditions
Tomato:
drip irr. or ++ ++ --- No
dry conditions
Tomato:
sprinkler irr., ++ --- ++ (No)
spray fungicides
Pepper:
rain, fog, or --- ++ ++ No
sprinkler irr.
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Causes of Plant Problems
• Diseases caused by biotic agents, or pathogens.
• Disorders resulting from physiological factors (nutritional problems,
genetic abnormalities, etc.).
• Conditions caused by abiotic factors (weather extremes, chemical
burn, physical damage, etc.).
Types of Plant Pathogens
• Fungi
• Bacteria
• Phytoplasmas (mycoplasma‐like organisms)
• Viruses
• Higher plants
• Algae
• Nematodes
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Laboratory Techniques
• Working with microorganisms.
• Working under sterile conditions.
• Procedures:
• Surface sterilizing all materials
• Excising tissue
• Placing tissue in growth media
• Allowing for pathogen recovery
• Identifying pathogen
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Plant Disease Diagnosis
•Importance
•Based on disease triangle
•Collect information on each aspect
•Be systematic and thorough
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Diagnostic Procedures
Technology and Pathogen ID
• Morphology
• Biology (such as host range studies)
• Biochemistry, physiology
• Serology: enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA)
• Molecular biology: polymerase chain reaction
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Controlling Plant Diseases
• Options regarding the plant host:
• Plant non‐hosts
• Plant resistant cultivars
• Use disease free materials (seed, transpl.)
• Avoid damage to plant
• Use proper cultural practices
• Timing: plant to enhance plant growth
Controlling Plant Diseases
•Options regarding the pathogen:
• Apply fungicides
• Try biological agents
• Exclude the pathogen
• Physically remove the pathogen.
– Sanitation
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Diseases of Plants
• Crops:
• vegetable, fruit, ornamental, CA natives
• Plant part affected:
• root, stem, foliage, flower, fruit, seed, vascular
tissue
• Pathogen type:
• fungal, bacterial, viral
Fungal disease
Bacterial disease
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Viral disease
Green Peach aphid
Study of insects:
Entomology
What distinguishes an insect?
Three body parts or sections:
Head
Thorax
Abdomen
Six legs (3 pair)
(whereas spiders have eight legs & 2 body parts)
Most have 1 pair of antennae
Exoskeleton
Specialized mouthparts
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What distinguishes an insect?
Insects are a Class in the Phylum Arthropoda
Arthropod means “joint foot”
Select Classes within Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta (Insects)
Class Arachnida (spiders, mites, ticks, scorpions, king crabs)
Subphylum Myriapoda, “Many Feet” (formerly a class)
Class Chilopoda (centipedes)
Class Diplopoda (millipedes)
Class Crustacea (crabs, lobsters, shrimp, woodlice)
There are many other “minor” classes as well.
Definitions – study of insects
Entomology
The scientific study of insects
Applied entomology
Study of insects and how to control them
Apiculture
Study of honeybees and honey production
Biological control
Spinoff of entomology
Using parasites, pathogens & predators to control insects
Insect physiology
Study of insect life cycles and body systems
Characteristics of the Arthropods
Extremely diverse
More species than any other phylum of animals
More than 800,000 species – 80% of all animal species
There are more Coleoptera species (beetles) than all flowering plant
species
Extremely successful
Protection of exoskeleton
Mobility – move quickly & over large areas
Reproductive capacity – short cycle permits rapid
adaptive changes
Complex metamorphosis allows two distinct life‐styles
Protective coloration, defensive chemicals, mimicry
increase survival rate
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Orders of insects
There are 31 orders of insects
Each has distinct, recognizable characteristics
Several are harmful to plants – how?
Chewing leaves, roots, seeds …
Sucking plant juices
Spreading plant diseases
Some are harmful to man
Irritation by biting
Contamination of food
Spread of disease
Destruction of resources (houses, forests)
Some are beneficial to man
Pollination of crops
Decomposition of wastes – scavengers
Control of other insect pests
Food (also important member of the food chain of other animals)
Fiber
Order: Coleoptera
Head
Thorax
Abdomen
Order: Hymenoptera
Head
Thorax
Abdomen
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Orders Important in Agriculture (Damage Plants)
Insect Order Common Name (examples)
Coleoptera Beetles, weevils
Diptera House flies, leafminers, blowflies mosquitos, gnats
Hemiptera Suborder Heteroptera:
Some plant pests (lace bug, stink bug)
Suborder Homoptera:
Aphids, cicadas, scale insects, leafhoppers, mealybugs
Hymenoptera Sawflies, gall makers
Beneficial: wasps, bees, ants
Lepidoptera Moths, butterflies
Orthoptera Grasshoppers, crickets, katydids
Thysanoptera Thrips
Orders Harmful to Man & Animals
Insect Order Common Name (examples)
Cockroaches (transmit diseases, food
Dictoyptera contamination)
Hemiptera Bed bugs, Kissing bugs (blood suckers & disease)
Mallophaga Chewing lice
Anoplura Sucking lice
Diptera Mosquitos, biting flies, house flies
Siphonoptera Fleas
Hymenoptera Bees, wasps, ants (Both harmful and beneficial)
Current Issues in Entomology
• Pesticides / Fungicides
• Conventional vs. Organic
• Biotechnology and GMOs
• International trade, plant quarantines
• Food safety, E. coli, etc.
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