The strawberry crop endures economic losses due to feeding injury from a number of phytophagous arthropod pests. A number of invasive pests have posed challenges to crop protection techniques in the strawberry cropping system recently. It is increasingly evident that sole reliance on chemical control options is not sustainable. In this review, current challenges and advances in integrated pest management of various strawberry pests are presented. Key pests discussed include thrips, mites, lygus bug, spotted wing drosophila, seed bug, weevils, aphids, whiteflies, and armyworms. Several integrated pest management techniques that include use of intercropping, resistant cultivars, irradiation with gamma rays, use of spectral sensitivity of pests, biological control agents and natural enemies, and biorational pesticides have recently been reported to be useful in managing the various strawberry pests. With the increase in world production of strawberry, several techniques will be necessary to manage the pest complex of strawberry.

The hunting billbug, Sphenophorus venatus vestitus Chittenden (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an important turfgrass pest, especially in sod farms. S. venatus vestitus larvae feed on the stems and roots of turfgrass. Damaged turfgrass is loosely held together and poses a challenge for machine harvesting. Additionally, the normal growth of turfgrass is affected, especially after winter dormancy. Because S. venatus vestitus larvae are hidden inside the stems or under the soil, larval management is challenging. To improve sampling and management, the spatial distribution patterns of S. venatus vestitus larvae and adults were assessed at four sod farm sites with a history of S. venatus vestitus infestation in central Georgia (USA). The larvae were sampled by soil cores using a hole cutter, whereas adults were collected using pitfall traps for 7 d. The spatial distributions of larvae and adults was analyzed using SADIE and variograms. The SADIE and variogram analyses revealed a significant aggregation pattern for adults, whereas aggregated distributions were detected for larvae with variogram analyses. The average ranges of spatial dependence for larval and adult samples were 3.9 m and 5.4 m, respectively. Interpolated distribution maps were created to visually depict S. venatus vestitus infestation hotspots within the sod farms.

Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is an invasive pest in South Asia. The current paper documents farmers’ perceptions of fall armyworm in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal and explores the current management practices adopted by farmers. A structured survey was conducted with 526 farmers regarding current cropping practices, identification of fall armyworm and its damage, management, capacity-building activities, and support from government and non-government extension services. The results suggested that most of the farmers reported very high to moderate damage from fall armyworm, and that the damage and spread increased over time. Although farmers used a range of management practices to control fall armyworm, chemical pesticides were still the dominant tool. Farmers learnt about the pest and its identification from their fellow farmers and individual experiences, while services from government and non-government offices were limited. Therefore, there is a need for an innovative extension approach, including the promotion of digital technologies. Similarly, the evaluation and promotion of new technologies as part of integrated pest management strategies (IPM) must be deployed to manage fall armyworm.

Twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae), is a serious pest of strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa (Rosaceae) in Florida. Management of T. urticae is challenging with very few effective miticides available for controlling the pest. The objective of the study was to understand the efficacy of miticides, hexythiazox (Onager Optek) alone, and in combination with abamectin (Agri-Mek SC), compared with cyflumetofen (Nealta), abamectin (Agri-Mek SC), and untreated control against T. urticae in strawberries. On 8 October 2021, bare root strawberry cultivar, ‘Florida Brilliance’, was planted on 32-ft-long strawberry beds with a plot size of 20 plants per plot at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), Wimauma, University of Florida. Treatments were initiated in February 2022, once the natural T. urticae populations had built up significantly in the experimental plots. The details of miticide treatments and rates are shown in Table 1. Four replicates of each treatment was assigned to four strawberry beds in a randomized complete block design. All products were tank mixed with the surfactant LI700 at the rate of 0.125% (v/v). Miticide treatments were applied on 16 February 2022, with a backpack sprayer calibrated to 40 gallons per acre and at 40 PSI. Five random strawberry plants in each plot were sampled to assess T. urticae population. Sampling was conducted on a day before the application and then at 3, 10, and 20 d after treatment (DAT). Tissue samples consisting of strawberry trifoliates, and fruits were brought to the Entomology laboratory at the GCREC and washed with 70% ethanol for counting T. urticae eggs, nymphs, and adults under stereomicroscope.

This review of the spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), presents its biology and life cycle, distribution, pest status, injury, host range, and ecology. The authors (associated with the Southern Spotted Lanternfly Working Group) emphasize how the establishment of L. delicatula in the southeastern United States affects its reproduction, persistence in newly introduced habitats, seasonal activity and abundance, and management efforts. The review also highlights several knowledge gaps and research needs, as identified by specialty crop stakeholders, that are expected to improve integrated pest management of L. delicatula in the southeastern United States. The top 3 research needs emphasized by the authors and other members of the Southern Spotted Lanternfly Working Group include (i) the efficacy of different insecticides against adults or larvae and residual activity, (ii) the seasonal incidence and abundance of L. delicatula in the South, and (iii) the host range and preferences for different life stages of L. delicatula for ornamental or commodities important to the South (pecan, walnut, peach, etc.).

The hunting billbug, Sphenophorus venatus vestitus Chittenden, is an important insect pest of warm-season turfgrass. Larvae and adult S. venatus vestitus feed on turfgrass and affect normal grass growth and development. In sod farms and golf courses, management sprays are typically confined to affected areas because of the high insecticide and application costs. Understanding the walking behavior of S. venatus vestitus adults would help us to refine management tactics. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the influence of abiotic factors on the walking behavior of adult S. venatus vestitus. A series of laboratory, semifield, and field assays were conducted in 2019 and 2020. For the laboratory assays, field-collected S. venatus vestitus adults were acclimated at 15, 18, 21, 28, and 32°C for 24 h, and the distances walked by these pre-acclimated adults were measured on sand and filter paper substrates using Noldus EthoVision XT software. For the semifield assays, the total and net distances walked by pre-acclimated adults were measured on a paved indoor surface. Sphenophorus venatus vestitus males and females moved farther when the temperature increased from 15 to 28°C in the laboratory and semifield assays. For the field assays, field-collected S. venatus vestitus adults were not acclimated. The total and net distances walked by the adults were documented on a paved surface. Increases in temperature and relative humidity did not affect the distance moved by adults, but an increase in wind speed reduced the distance moved.