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ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATOR HERBICIDE VAPOR DRIFT ON ARTHROPOD COMMUNITIES IN FIELD CROP AGRO-ECOSYSTEMS
Impact/Purpose:
Herbicide resistant weeds are a major problem facing the future of modern agriculture. This research will look at the effects of applying the plant growth regulator herbicide, dicamba, directly to several different insects. Also, plants will be sprayed with various herbicide doses and insects will be allowed to feed on them to understand how insect behavior, insect growth, plant chemistry and plant nutrition change when plants are sublethally dosed with herbicides.
Description:
Sub-lethal herbicide damage is likely to have negative consequences for plant health. This in turn could lead to positive or negative effects on insects. Plants that are not healthy may not provide the best floral resources for pollinators, potentially further stressing honeybees. Unhealthy plants also may have a lower nutritional quality, stunting the growth of caterpillars. Additionally, plant defenses are likely to be impaired, potentially exacerbating pest problems as aphid populations may be higher on herbicide stressed plants, and the impaired defenses also may reduce the ability of the plant to recruit natural enemies that control pests.
Potential to Further Environmental/Human Health Protection
This research will provide a risk assessment for plant growth regulator herbicides that likely are to be applied increasingly more often in the near future. It will inform regulators, farmers and industry about some of the potential risks associated with use of these plant growth regulator herbicides and influence future plant growth regulator use patterns.