Pest Management of Japanese Beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and a Study of Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Injury on Primocane-bearing Caneberries in Southwest Virginia

Field experiments (2007-2009) and laboratory bioassays (2009) tested the efficacy of insecticides with short pre-harvest intervals, caneberry cultivar susceptibility, and geranium toxicity for reducing Japanese beetle (JB) activity on primocane-bearing caneberries. Deltamethrin, chlorantraniliprole, bifenthrin, lime-alum, and thyme oil reduced JB activity in the field. Deltamethrin, chlorantraniliprole, acetamiprid, an azadirachtin and pyrethrin mixture, an azadirachtin and neem oil extract mixture, and an extract of Chenopodium ambrosioides reduced JB activity during the bioassays. "Prelude" had significantly more JB than "Anne", "Caroline", "Heritage", "Dinkum", or "Himbo Top" and "Prime-Jan" had significantly more JB than "Prime-Jim". Compared to certain cultivars, "Heritage", "Caroline", "Himbo Top", and "Prime-Jan" had higher percentages of injured fruit and "Autumn Bliss", "Heritage", and "Caroline" produced greater marketable and overall yields. "Prime-Jan" produced more overall yield than "Prime-Jim"; marketable yields from both blackberry cultivars were similar. Defoliation was significantly less for "Dinkum", "Caroline", "Heritage", and "Anne" than for "Prelude" in 2008 and significantly less for "Caroline" and "Anne" than "Prelude" or "Fall Gold" in 2009.

In field tests, previous consumption of geraniums lessened raspberry defoliation by JB. Bioassays indicated that JB activity was only reduced if JB were continually exposed to geranium. Therefore, the efficacy of geranium as a trap crop for JB may be limited.

The stink bug species within the caneberries were identified (2008-2009) and Euschistus servus (Say) made up 48.1 % of the overall species composition. Stink bug injury to ripening raspberries was identified as small holes between drupelets; stink bug excretions also ruined fruit.