Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station

Another Weapon Found for Emerald Ash Borer Arsenal

Valuable landscape ash trees may now be protected from emerald ash borer (EAB) with a new insecticide called emamectin benzoate.

MSU research showed that the new product, which will be sold as Tree-äge™, was "remarkably effective" in controlling EAB, said Deborah McCullough, MAES forest entomologist and EAB researcher. The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) approved a special registration for the product for use in ash trees for controlling EAB. It has also been used on fruit and vegetable crops.

"The results from 2007, our first year of research with the product, were dramatic," McCullough said. "We had seen some preliminary tests with the product and thought it might work, so we set up research trials in three sites in May 2007."

Deb McCullough and others looking at EAB-infested trees

From left: Technician David Cappaert, graduate student Andrew Tluczek, undergraduate student Chris Pell (kneeling) and MAES researcher Deb McCullough dissect felled ash trees to look for emerald ash borer larvae.

The researchers looked at the mortality rate of adult EAB beetles that were caged with leaves from emamectin benzoate-treated trees, trees treated with other insecticides and non-treated trees. They repeated the trial three times during the summer. In all three trials, leaves from the emamectin benzoate-treated trees killed all the beetles. In contrast, at least 70 to 80 percent of the beetles survived on the untreated leaves, and no more than 80 percent of the beetles died when they fed on leaves from trees treated with other products.

Last fall, some of the emamectin benzoate-treated ash trees were felled and debarked to see how many EAB larvae were feeding on each tree. The emamectin benzoate-treated trees showed more than 99 percent fewer larvae than untreated ash trees.

Though the results are promising, McCullough cautions that more study is needed.

emerald ash borer "This is only one year’s worth of data, so the study will continue," she said. "This year we will treat some of the trees again, but others won’t be treated so we can see if emamectin has to be applied every year or every other year."

Entomologist Therese Poland, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, is assisting with the study, and Phillip Lewis, from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, is measuring the amount of each insecticide product that is present in the ash leaves throughout the summer.

Emamectin benzoate can be purchased and applied only by trained, certified pesticide applicators, who inject the product into the base of the tree. To be effective, the insecticide must be transported by the tree up the trunk and into the branches and leaves. This means that the product will probably be most effective if the tree is still relatively healthy when it is treated. (EAB feeds on the tissues that transport nutrients up into a tree, so if the pest has already killed those tissues, it is too late to save that part of the tree.)

"This product affects insects that eat ash tree tissue," McCullough said, "but it won't hurt anything that lands or climbs on the tree, such as butterflies, birds and squirrels."

"Though this is not a 'silver bullet' for eradicating EAB across the country, it could be a quantum leap forward in our ability to slow the spread of this deadly insect," said Ken Rauscher, director of the MDA Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division. "This product affords municipalities, homeowners and others the opportunity to save landscape trees, municipal park trees or other trees of value that would have otherwise received a death sentence because of EAB."

Tree-äge™ will be available beginning May 14. Certified applicators can order it now.

"We are excited about this product’s possibilities," McCullough said. "This could be a tool that we can integrate with our other options to slow the advance of EAB in newly discovered infestations."

For more information on emerald ash borer, go to www.emeraldashborer.info.

MAES Scientist Named MSU Diagnostic Center Director

MAES researcher Carole Bolin is the new director of the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health (DCPAH).

Bolin, MAES pathobiology and diagnostic investigation scientist, had been chief of the DCPAH Bacteriology and Mycology Section since August 2000. Her new appointment was effective April 15.

Bolin said that she looks forward to melding the complex missions of the DCPAH.

"We have a business mission to provide excellent customer service to veterinary practitioners and the livestock and pet owners they serve, and we have an academic mission to teach the next generation and create new knowledge," she said. "Added to that, we have a mission to safeguard animal and human health in the state by closely collaborating with state and national agencies.

"These different worlds -- business, academia and government -- have very different cultures, but they can, and do, add value to each other."

The DCPAH is a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory offering more than 800 tests in 11 service sections. In the more than 30 years since its inception, the center has become one of the country's premier veterinary diagnostic laboratories, handling more than 185,000 cases involving approximately 1.5 million tests annually.

Bolin, who came to MSU after 18 years working in research at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Ames, Iowa, said that her eight years of experience at the DCPAH have given her an appreciation for how research is translated into real-world diagnostic practice.

As a service provider, she has also had the opportunity to talk with veterinary practitioners and other clients, and this has helped her better understand their problems.

"I like to think I've learned something from every one of those conversations," she said.

Bolin said that, in recent years, the DCPAH has "fundamentally changed how we talk and think about things" by applying more business principles in an academic environment.

"The DCPAH is a critical bridge between veterinary practitioners -- and the pets and livestock they work with -- and the problem-solving world of academic veterinary medicine," she noted.

Bolin received her doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Purdue University in 1982 and a doctorate in veterinary pathology from Iowa State University in 1986.

Bolin succeeds Willie Reed, who left MSU to become dean of the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine.

2008 Ag Expo Set for July 15-17 at MSU

Ag Expo, Michigan’s largest agricultural equipment exposition, will return to the MSU campus July 15-17.

Ag Expo banner Visitors to the 29th annual Ag Expo can explore exhibits and view demonstrations featuring equipment and other products and services of interest to farmers and agribusinesses. They can also learn about research, teaching and outreach programs conducted through the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and MSU Extension.

In addition to the CANR tent and a toy tractor sales tent, this year's event will feature new activities including demonstrations of sprayers, compact tractors and front-end loaders. Farmers can compare various manufacturers’ products before deciding on a purchase.

The expo will also feature two days of tractor pulling contests, an annual favorite. The garden tractor pull takes place Tuesday afternoon (July 15), and the antique tractor pull Wednesday afternoon (July 16). The FFA state tractor driving competition will be held Tuesday morning.

"I'm very pleased with how this year’s show has come together," said Kirk Heinze, Ag Expo director. "There will be great new demonstrations and ride-and-drive events, but we’ll still feature many of the activities people have come to expect from Ag Expo, such as the CANR educational tent and the tractor pulls.

"New this year will be a tent for vendors to conduct special educational programs," Heinze added. "For example, there will be presentations on biofuels and opportunities for Ag Expo visitors to earn RUP [restricted-use pesticide] credits in this new area."

About 16,500 visitors attended Ag Expo last year, an increase of about 6 percent over 2006. Last year, about 250 commercial vendors and 30 educational exhibitors took part.

Ag Expo features commercial farm equipment from throughout the Midwest and several Canadian provinces on the 35-acre main exhibition site and the 40-acre field demonstration area, as well as educational exhibits from several MSU colleges and departments.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 15 and 16, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 17. Admission to the grounds and parking at Farm Lane and Mt. Hope Road are free. Because of the construction on Farm Lane, the Ag Expo parking area and grounds will be accessible only from Farm Lane.

For more information about Ag Expo, call 800-366-7055 or visit www.agexpo.msu.edu.

MAES Turf Experts Answer Homeowners' Questions in New 'Lawncare University' DVD

The temperature is climbing and the snow has melted -- time to dust off the weed whacker, slip on some gardening gloves and usher in spring with a freshly manicured lawn. Before you start the mower, however, take a few notes from MAES lawn care experts at MSU.

Lawncare University DVD cover The MSU Turf Team, with funding support from Project GREEEN, has created a new resource to answer many common lawn care questions: a DVD package called "Lawncare University."

The DVD includes 16 videotaped lessons presented by Ron Calhoun and Kevin Frank, MAES crop and soil sciences researchers. Topics are divided into spring, summer and fall turf tips, with an extra section on turfgrass pests.

Featured lesson topics include mowing, dealing with problem weeds, selecting turfgrass varieties, managing waterfront turf, soil testing, dealing with leaves, managing thatch and controlling white grubs (including European chafer) in lawns. Other segments focus on spring cleanup, irrigation, renovation, fertilization, fall weed control and crabgrass.

ost video segments also have a complementary written bulletin available free for download at www.turf.msu.edu.

The DVD package also includes a copy of the "I’ve Got Moles!" video. In the video, Calhoun and mole expert Brian Yost demonstrate the proper use of four simple traps to help rid a lawn of the destructive pests.

"I think homeowners are going to love the 'I've Got Moles!' segment," Calhoun said. "We get hundreds of calls every year about mole damage in yards, and video is the perfect medium to show someone proper trapping techniques."

The Lawncare University, DVD-300, can be purchased from the MSU Extension bulletin office. Call (517) 353-6740 or visit www.emdc.msue.msu.edu.

Project GREEEN Awards Dollars for 2008 Projects

GREEEN logo More than 100 plant agriculture research projects will share nearly $2.5 million in grant funding from Project GREEEN, Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, for fiscal year 2008.

Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs) is a cooperative effort between plant-based commodities and businesses together with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture to advance Michigan’s economy through its plant-based agriculture. Its mission is to develop research and educational programs in response to industry needs, ensure and improve food safety, and protect and preserve the quality of the environment.

A total of 92 new project proposals requesting approximately $2.5 million were received for consideration in this year’s selection process. Forty-six continuation proposals seeking more than $1 million in available funds were received for projects that started in 2006 or 2007.

"Now is a time of rapid growth and development in plant agriculture despite economic challenges on the state and national levels," said Doug Buhler, coordinator of Project GREEEN and associate director of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station. "Project GREEEN is privileged to administer these funds to target the most pressing issues in agricultural research and Extension."

Projects were funded in the categories of basic research, applied research and Extension/education/demonstration. New projects were funded across the spectrum of Michigan’s plant agriculture industries, on topics ranging from estimating the carbon footprint of Michigan apple and cherry orchards and developing pest and nutrient management guidelines for landscape trees and shrubs to translating the national pesticide applicator manual into Spanish and designing farm financial record systems.

"Project GREEEN is uniquely positioned to stay at the forefront of plant agricultural research and Extension," Buhler said. "We are able to continue funding important advances in crop production and pest management strategies while also addressing emerging markets such as organic production and the bioeconomy."

The main criteria used to evaluate proposals for funding were their relationship to the Project GREEEN mission and Michigan plant agriculture priorities, scientific soundness and appropriateness of methodology and multidisciplinary linkages, leverage of funds, potential for future external funding and the feasibility of completing the objectives within the proposed time frame. All proposals are reviewed by a diverse panel of industry, government and university experts.

"The research and outreach projects selected for Project GREEEN funding address industry-identified priorities and have met the rigors of scientific peer review," Buhler said. "These research and outreach projects reflect the partnership and cooperative relationship that exist between the plant industry groups, agribusiness, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Michigan State University."

"These grants offer continued growth and development opportunities for Michigan’s nearly $64 billion agribusiness sector, which is essential to the diversification of the state’s economy," said Don Koivisto, MDA director. "It’s this type of collaboration between private industries, government and universities that provides a vital link addressing the changing needs and challenges of Michigan’s agriculture industry."

A complete listing of 2008 newly funded and continuing Project GREEEN research projects can be found at the Project GREEEN Web site.

Michigan Tourism Industry Expected to Decline in 2008, MSU Experts Say

Hoping to rebound from no growth in 2007, Michigan’s tourism industry is instead expected to decline by about 2 percent this year, according to a forecast presented at the Driving Tourism 2008 Conference in Grand Rapids.

After a review of last year’s economic, transportation and weather conditions and a summary of 2007 Michigan tourism activity, MAES researcher Sarah Nicholls and Robert Richardson, both of the Department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies, gave their projections for 2008 Michigan tourism volume, prices and spending. These projections are based on discussion with a dozen of the state’s industry experts of several factors likely to influence the coming year’s tourism activity.

The team projects that the number of travelers will decrease 2 percent in 2008 compared with last year, and travelers’ spending will be flat. Unfortunately, travel prices are expected to rise 3 percent to 4 percent.

"National and state economic conditions will present a challenge for the tourism sector in the coming year," Richardson said. "This is particularly true in Michigan, where the tourism sector seems to have slipped to a trend of slower growth."

Unemployment rates have increased nationally and remain high in Michigan. The housing crisis has hit the state particularly hard, and the decline in housing values has been steep. Inflation-adjusted gasoline prices have risen to record levels, and food prices also have increased significantly, he noted.

The combined effect of these conditions has left residents of the state and region with a loss of personal wealth and real income. An economic recession is likely to hurt the tourism industry as households reduce overall discretionary spending.

Higher costs of travel also are likely to slow tourism activity nationally, and travel forecasts for the United States project only modest growth. Projections of slight revenue growth in the lodging sector are due mainly to higher prices for accommodations. In Michigan, though, projections have tended to be even less optimistic, Richardson added.

"In the face of deepening economic woes at the state and national levels and in spite of drier and warmer than normal weather conditions throughout the spring, summer and fall, Michigan’s tourism industry remained essentially flat in 2007," Nicholls observed. "Key indicators of tourism activity such as traffic counts (down 1.2 percent) and Mackinac Bridge crossings (down almost 2 percent) indicate a continuation of the downward trend in tourism volume in evidence since the late 1990s, a trend likely to accelerate should recent rises in gas prices persist in the longer term."

Despite the less than optimistic tourism predictions, there are some bright spots, Richardson noted.

He said the declining value of the dollar means that U.S. travel and products are relatively less expensive for foreign visitors, and this may entice greater numbers of Canadians and other international visitors to travel to the state. And, Michigan residents may decide to take vacations closer to home to save money.

"The 'Pure Michigan' advertising campaign has been expanded, and increases in state tourism promotion funding seem nearly certain," Richardson said. "The tourism industry in Michigan continues to be resilient, and if it directs its marketing efforts toward these bright spots, the negative impacts may be mitigated."

MAES Scientists Are First Recipients of Elwood Kirkpatrick Dairy Science Research Fund

Two dairy science research projects led by MAES scientists were selected to receive the first funds awarded from the Elwood Kirkpatrick Dairy Science Research Endowment, established in honor of Elwood Kirkpatrick, former president of the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA).

The endowment, with matching support from the MSU Department of Animal Science, the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, MSU Extension, the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station and the MMPA, awarded $10,000 in competitive research dollars for 2008.

Robert Tempelman, MAES biostatistician and geneticist, and Nora Bello, MSU animal science doctoral student, were awarded funding for their project, "Modeling the role of herd management on the relationship between production and reproduction in dairy cows." Lorraine Sordillo and Ronald Erskine, MAES large animal clinical sciences researchers, received funding for their project, "Bovine leukosis virus and vaccine responsiveness in dairy cattle."

Researchers were encouraged to submit proposals addressing dairy industry-identified priorities: animal waste recycling, nutrient management/utilization, and manure handling and storage; animal comfort and well-being, health and reproduction; business, financial management skills, management information systems and profitability; labor and management skills; or planned growth and profit strategies.

The MMPA board of directors established the Elwood Kirkpatrick Dairy Science Research Endowment at MSU in 2007 upon Kirkpatrick’s retirement from the MMPA, which he served as president for 26 years. Numerous industry organizations and individuals have also contributed to the endowment fund in support of dairy and dairy-related research and education programs.