Posts Tagged: honeysuckle
Keep An Eye Out for Invasives.
by Penny Pawl, U.C. Master Gardener of Napa County Oh no, I've done it again. I have fallen in...
Pampas grass (Direct Gardening)
Mullein (California Invasive Plant Council)
Butterfly bush (Monrovia)
Watsonia (PlantZAfrica-SANBI)
Privet (Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM)
Bamboo (Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM)
Scotch broom (UC ANR)
Pride of Madeira (California IPC)
Honeysuckle (Cheryl A. Reynolds, UC IPM)
https://www.cal-ipc.org/plants/profiles/
Reporting the occurrence of rice root aphid and honeysuckle aphid and their management in organic celery
A few species of aphids infest celery in California. According to the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines, the black bean aphid (Aphis fabae), the foxglove aphid (Aulacorthum solani), the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), the hawthorn or parsley aphid (Dysaphis apiifolia), and the cotton or melon aphid (Aphis gossypii) attack celery and cause varying levels of damage. These aphids feed on the aboveground plant parts – leaflets and petioles – and some of them are vectors of virus diseases such as western celery mosaic, celery calico, cucumber mosaic, celery yellow spot and others.
Organic celery field in Santa Maria. Aphid damage to the roots stunted the plant growth and reduced the plant stand. Photo by Surendra Dara
Normal plant (above) and severely stunted plant (below) from aphid damage to the root system. Photo by Surendra Dara
Aphids feeding on celery roots. Photo by Surendra Dara
In late 2014, an organic celery field in Santa Maria was severely infested with aphids feeding on the root system. Damage stunted plant growth and resulted in up to 80% of yield loss. Gillian Watson at CDFA identified the aphid specimens as the rice root aphid, Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominale (Sasaki) and the honeysuckle aphid, Hyadaphis foeniculi (Passerini). While there was only one earlier record of the honeysuckle aphid infestation on celery, according to the CDFA records, the rice root aphid has never been reported on celery. This is the first record of the rice root aphid on celery. Multiple species of the genus Hyadaphis are referred to as honeysuckle aphid, coriander aphid, and others in the literature, but the one identified on celery was H. foeniculi.
Adult rice root aphid. Photo by Brian Cabrera, Entomologist, Santa Barbara Ag Commissioner's Office
The rice root aphid is known to infest graminaceous (barley, rice, and wheat), rosaceous (apricot and plum), and solanaceous (potato and tomato) crops and is known to vector the barley yellow dwarf virus of grasses and small grains. The honeysuckle aphid is known to be an important pest of apiaceous (fennel), caprofoliaceaeous (honeysuckles), and lamiaceous (mints) plants and involved in the transmission of 13 viruses.
Depending on the host plant they are feeding on, the wingless form of the rice root aphid can be olive to dark green or brownish with yellowish tints or reddish or greenish-brown along with bluish-white wax on the body. The wingless form of the honeysuckle aphid is greyish green or light green with dark appendages.
Field study methodology:
Natural enemies such as coccinellids, syrphid fly larvae, and lacewings play an important role in biological control of aphids infesting aboveground parts of the plant and root aphid management is a challenge especially in organic cropping systems. To address the issue, a field study was conducted using the following treatments: i) untreated control, ii) Ecotec (rosemary oil 10% and peppermint oil 2%) 19.2 fl oz along with 12 fl oz of Kinetic (silicone and non-ionic surfactants), iii) AzaGuard (azadirachtin) 6.3 fl oz along with 20 fl oz of OroBoost (alcohol ethoxylate), iv) Mycotrol-O (Beauveria bassiana) 1.5 qrt, v) Mycotrol-O 1.5 qrt along with AzaGuard 6.3 fl oz, vi) Venerate (Burkholderia spp.) 2 gal, and vii) Grandevo (Chromobacterium subtsugae) 2 lb per acre. Each treatment was about 0.3 acres of single plot and pesticides were administered through the drip system at 250 gpa rate for 40-45 min on December 9 and 23, 2014. Aphid infestations were evaluated on December 6 (pre-treatment), December 22 (13 days after the first treatment), and January 2, 2015 (10 days after the second treatment). On each sampling date, 10 plants were pulled out from random locations within each treatment, roots were washed in mild soap water, and aphids floating on the surface were filtered and counted. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and significant means were separated using Tukey's HSD test.
Results:
There was a significant difference in aphid numbers among different treatments before and after each application (P < 0.002) and when the average for both applications (P < 0.0001) was considered. When the overall change in aphid populations after both applications compared to the pre-treatment numbers was considered, there was a 3% reduction in untreated control, 24, 18, and 129% increase in Ecotec, AzaGuard, and Mycotrol-O treatments, respectively. However, Mycotrol-O along with AzaGuard provided a 62% reduction in aphid populations followed by a 29% reduction by Grandevo and 24% by Venerate. This study demonstrates the potential of non-chemical options in managing aphid populations in organic celery. Microbial pesticides especially in combination with botanical pesticides can play a significant role in pest management. Understanding the modes of actions of different options and using the right combinations is critical in pest management decisions.
Number of aphids (both species included) per plant before and after each pesticide application (above) and before and after both applications (below)
Change in aphid populations before and after treatments.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to the technical assistance of Cintia Perez and Emmy Williams and industry collaborators for donating the products.
http://ucanr.edu/articlefeedback
References
AphID. 2014. Hyadaphis foeniculi. (http://aphid.aphidnet.org/Hyadaphis_foeniculi.php)
AphID. 2014. Rhopalosiphum rifiabdominale. (http://aphid.aphidnet.org/Rhopalosiphum_rufiabdominale.php)
Blackman, R. L. and V. F. Eastop. 2006. Aphids on world's plants (http://www.aphidsonworldsplants.info/d_APHIDS_R.htm#Rhopalosiphum and http://www.aphidsonworldsplants.info/d_APHIDS_H.htm#Hyadaphis)
Halbert, S. E. 2003. Coriander aphid, Hyadaphis coriandri(Das) (Insecta: Hemiptera: Aphididae). University of Florida IFAS Extension publication EENY-296. (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN57400.pdf)
Jedlinski, H. 1981. Rice root aphid, Rhopalosiphum rufiabdominalis, a vector of barley yellow dwarf virus in Illinois, and the disease complex. Plant Disease 65: 975-978. (https://www.apsnet.org/publications/plantdisease/backissues/Documents/1981Articles/PlantDisease65n12_975.pdf)
The Morton Arboretum. 2013. Honeysuckle aphid. (http://www.mortonarb.org/files/Honeysuckle%20aphid%20%28Feb%202014%29.pdf)
Wicked Itch
Contact Dermatitis (CD) is a skin inflammation that occurs when substances touching your skin cause irritation or an allergic reaction. Airborne substances (ragweed, insecticide sprays) can also cause CD. The resulting red, itchy rash isn't contagious or life-threatening, but it can be very uncomfortable. Successful treatment consists of identifying the culprit and avoiding it so that the rash can resolve in two to four weeks.
Irritant CD is a substance that damages your skin's outer protective layer; often on hands, fingers, face (plants, soap, chemicals, cosmetics), resulting in non-allergic, inflammatory skin reactions or rash. Not everyone will develop an allergy, but no one is safe from an irritant. Allergic CD (ACD): a substance to which you're sensitive (allergen) triggers an immune reaction in your skin (plants, natural rubber, metals, jewelry, perfume, cosmetics, hair dyes). The first encounter sensitizes the allergic individual, resulting in the production of white blood cells that recognize the allergen. Usually, the second and subsequent encounters with the allergen stimulate the allergic response.
Photoallergic/Photosensitization CD is a substance that causes ACD only after you apply a substance (topical or ingested) and sunlight then strikes your skin (sunscreens, ointments with NSAIDs, oral drugs such as hydrochlorothiazide/water pill
Four days after pruning a Honeysuckle vine (Lonicera spp.) with no gloves, in a sleeveless shirt, I had a rash on elbows/inner arms that soon spread down the sides of torso, to lower back and butt. Another four days later, my thighs and legs were rashy. Elbows and thighs felt like alligator skin. Thankfully, not on face or other sensitive areas.
"Insane" itching with no relief. I washed with Tecnu, Dr. Bonner, dish detergent (couldn't find oatmeal soap without perfume). BUT soap irritates, so a simple, cool shower is better. I applied cold compress, calamine, anti-itch gel, hydrocortisone cream, Triamcinolone cream (left over from a poison oak bout), aloe, tea tree oil, calendula gel, banana peel, cucumber. Nothing helped for more than 30 minutes. I took Antihistamines (diphenhydramine) and felt drowsy and tired. A LOT of different antihistamines on the shelf, so I asked the pharmacist which one to use for itching. I did not try onion, rubbing alcohol, white vinegar (with salt or baking soda), cooked oatmeal covered with gauze or saran wrap, blow drying or chlorine (swimming pool).
The only inkling of relief was soaking in Epsom salts, 20-25 minutes, two to three times a day. (A woman at Bed, Bath & Beyond battling poison oak said it was the only thing that helped. I concur). Sometimes I included a handful of natural colloidal oatmeal powder or used it alone. Sometimes I boiled water, dissolved colloidal oatmeal and sponged down. Maybe the wash cloth helped spread the rash, but for a short period I was joyfully relieved during two weeks of hell.
I finally contacted my doctor in Santa Rosa. She indicated: 1) Triamcinolone was a good idea because Hydrocortisone (over-the-counter) is too "weak"; 2) very unlikely to benefit from antibiotics since it's not painful and no pustules; 3) occasionally they might prescribe oral prednisone, especially if the rash is in a wide area, on genitals or face, but this has the disadvantage of causing anxiety/sleeplessness; 4) this is not something for the ER unless you develop shortness of breath or swelling of lips.
She prescribed Triamcinolone. By now, the rash was starting to abate. The itching, though lighter, continued for 1-2 weeks (my skin was really dried out by now). Soaking in the tub remained the most helpful of anything.
This is a stark reminder to always wear gloves in the garden when handling plants or gardening materials. Long sleeves and long pants is good practice, especially if you are allergy-prone or have a compromised immune system. Remember, you can develop allergies later in life. Remember, the rash can take 2-4 weeks to resolve. If you see a rash developing and it alarms you, see your doctor. This was the most convincing argument to save my money and get a Shingles shot--which my doctor has been recommending for four years. Shingles means pustules and nerve pain. This rash was agony enough.
Sources: (1) California Master Gardener Handbook, for sale at http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/GrowingVegetablesFruitsNuts/3382 (2) Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/contact-dermatitis/DS00985 (3) Info on"poisonous" (including toxicity level) and "safe" plants: http://ucanr.edu/sites/poisonous_safe_plants/files/154528.pdf and http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/landscape/poisonous-plants-resources/common-poisonous-plants-and-plant-parts/
Honeysuckle. (photos by Susan Croissant)
CD on arm.
CD on torso.
The Climbers
Do you have a fence, wall or ugly shed that you would love to hide? Look for solutions at...
Light Up the Fall
It’s finally the time of year for Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis) to show its stuff! Throughout fall and winter Cape honeysuckle produces clusters of brilliant red-orange to scarlet tubular flowers, each about 2 in long. Its year-round evergreen nature is always nice in the background but that red-orange really lights up darkening fall and winter gardens.
The sprawling, vivid green shrub is fast growing and can become 15 feet tall in a hurry. The 5-7 diamond-shaped leaflets are toothed and about 2 in long. The flowers add vivid color to fall and winter gardens. Pruned to maintain as a shrub, it can reach 10 ft. or more in height and half in width. If left to scramble, Cape honeysuckle can cover 25 ft. or more.
Regular pruning, hard if necessary, will keep it healthy and looking good. It can also be trained as a vine, thriving in zones 9-11. It likes it warm and appreciates full sun for much of the year, along with regular water. It’s moderately drought tolerant once established.
A native of South Africa, Cape Honeysuckle can sprawl and run rampant without at least some care. Branches that touch the ground, for example may root there, so gardener beware. They’re easy enough to remove.
Full sun is best, but light shade is tolerated. ?Cape honeysuckle is hardy to USDA Zones 9 - 11 and 26º. ? Propagation can be achieved with softwood cuttings at any time of year and by seeds.
October is when I first see them in my yard and for the past week I’ve enjoyed their debut. I‘m on my way out now to see how many new blossoms have arrived since I last looked!