Solanaceous Commodity Survey

This survey will allow us to target up to 8 pests of concern in the 15-16 farms included in the survey, depending on which crops are grown on the farm. The establishment of any of these pests would have large negative impacts on the state’s solanaceous industry. This is only the second year of the Solanaceous Commodity Survey in Kentucky; therefore, this is an excellent opportunity to continue expanding invasive pest surveys into a new commodity and educate these growers about the threat of invasive pests. The Cooperator seeks to conduct a program which is expected to result in: • The safeguarding of Kentucky’s solanaceous crops from this suite of pests. • Providing survey data about these pests in Kentucky. • Preventing these insects from becoming established in Kentucky. • Early detection and a rapid response if any of these pests are detected through this survey. • The entry of positive/negative data into the NAPIS database We will follow the trap and lure guidelines for these insects that can be found on the CAPS Resource and Collaboration website in the survey manuals and approved methods sections. Traps for the specific pests can be found in the table below. Traps, lures, and pesticide strips will be provided by APHIS. If the grower has a commercial production greenhouse for tomatoes, we will also conduct a survey for symptoms of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus. At this time, we do not know how many growers, if any, will have such a facility. Plants with symptoms of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus will be sampled and tested using Agdia test strips. If the field test is positive, samples will be submitted to the Plant Pathology Diagnostic Lab at the University of Kentucky or a USDA laboratory for analysis. We will collect survey data detailing the presence/absence of these pests in Kentucky’s agricultural fields. Three University of Kentucky, Office of the State Entomologist employees, one University of Kentucky employee in western Kentucky, and one independent contractor will conduct this survey by setting the traps, monitoring the traps and changing lures as needed once per month, submitting samples, and removing traps. The survey will begin in late spring 2021 and continue throughout the summer. Weanticipate5 total site visits including trap set, trap/lure monitoring and sample collection, and final sample collection/trap removal. Surveyors will conduct the virus survey when applicable.