Skip to main content
Entomology 2023 Main banner
Bayer
Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Presentation Icons
In-Person
In-Person
On-Demand
On-Demand
Student Competition
Student Competition
Poster
Poster
Ticketed Event
Ticketed Event
Back

Student 10-Minute Paper

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Student Competition

Student

Grad Competition P-IE: IPM - Horticulture

Evaluation of diatomaceous earth and kaolin clay as repellents on 17-year cicada adults (Brood X 2021) (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Magicicada spp.) in screen cages

Monday, November 6, 2023
10:54 AM – 11:06 AM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Chesapeake 2
In-Person Student Competition
During emergence years, periodical cicada adults (Magicicada spp.) pose a serious threat to plants in open-field nurseries and orchards throughout the eastern United States. Females of these species oviposit on a variety of young deciduous trees, including genera like Acer, Amelanchier, Cercis, Malus, Prunus, Quercus, and others. The potential of diatomaceous earth (DE) (Safe® Gardens) and kaolin clay (KC) (Surround® WP) to repel cicada adult oviposition was assessed in two cage “choice” experiments using Malus and Cercis trees. A total of 181 and 140 periodical cicada adults were used for Choice tests 1 and 2, respectively. Cicadas were released in cages containing three containerized trees, sprayed either with DE (2.03%) or KC (1.73%) or with a tap water control. In test 1, cicada adult numbers were significantly reduced on trees sprayed with DE or KC compared to the control. However, in test 2, no significant differences were detected among treatments. For both tests, female egg-laying injury was not visible on trees at the end of the 4-d. experimental period. This study provides additional treatment options that nursery managers may consider when developing integrated pest management programs for their crops.