October 18, 2000

CONTACT:  Jeannette Warnert, (559) 241-7514, jwarnert@uckac.edu

University of California calls first-ever 'Lygus Summit' in Visalia Nov. 28

Lygus bugs' destructive eating habits in a wide variety of crops - including cotton, seed alfalfa, strawberries, beans, tree fruit and many others - have motivated UC scientists to forge alliances against the pest at a "Lygus Summit" Nov. 28 in Visalia.

Lygus are oval shaped, pale green to reddish brown bugs with a distinctive v-shaped marking on the upper center of their backs.  Native to the Western states, lygus bugs feed on flower buds and developing fruit, causing the bud to die or causing damage that renders the fruit or vegetable unmarketable.

The pest's propensity to migrate en masse under certain field conditions means individual farmers can suffer a sudden influx of lygus because of actions or conditions not under their control.  For example, a population of lygus might be displaced when rangeland becomes dry or an alfalfa farmer harvests hay.  A neighboring cotton or strawberry field might be devastated unless control action is taken.

"Lygus bugs' refusal to respect farmers' property lines means we could be better off working together to manage the pest in various agricultural regions," said Pete Goodell, UC regional integrated pest management advisor and coordinator of the Lygus Summit. 

The way lygus are managed in some commodities might also offer clues to growers of other crops that will enable less expensive, more effective and environmentally sensitive lygus management.

"Different commodities don't always share experiences and research findings," Goodell said.  "The Lygus Summit provides an opportunity to all farmers, ag industry representatives and scientists for networking and collaboration."

The Lygus Summit opens with an overview of the pest's biology and ecology and background information on its presence in California, Utah, Arizona and the Pacific Northwest.

A panel discussion follows with presenters representing cotton, seed alfalfa, dry beans, strawberries, pears, apples, pistachios, celery, tomatoes and lettuce.  Each panelist will provide economic threshold levels and explain how lygus populations are monitored, which insecticides are effective and what cultural or biological options are available.

At lunch, the participants will be grouped at tables with experts on various lygus issues for informal discussions.  The topics will include biological control, crop interactions, insecticide resistance, economic thresholds, breeding for plant resistance and new chemistry for control.

The afternoon sessions focus on the future of lygus management.  Speakers will focus on three main types of lygus control: insecticide, biological and cultural.  Such issues as the timing of insecticide applications, lygus insecticide resistance, lygus parasites, plant resistance to lygus, challenges in developing lygus pheromones and using alfalfa as a regional lygus management tool will be addressed.

The Lygus Summit, including lunch and refreshments, is being offered to farmers, pest control advisers, commodity group professionals, ag industry representatives and the general public at no cost.  However, space is limited and pre-registration is encouraged.  The program is sponsored by the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Lygus Workgroup, the California Cotton Growers and Ginners Association, Alfalfa Seed Production Board and the California Dry Bean Advisory Board.

California PCA continuing education units are pending.

The meeting will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia Street in Visalia.

To pre-register, contact Joann Coviello at (559) 646-6525, joann@uckac.edu, 9240 S. Riverbend Ave., Parlier, FAX (559) 646-6593