Peter B Schultz, PhD
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As Director of the Hampton Roads AREC, I provide leadership and support for the research, extension, and teaching activities of six faculty members in three disciplines and three commodity areas (nursery, landscape, and turf).
My program is an applied research and
outreach program that addresses new strategies to manage insect pests
impacting the nursery and landscape industries. The goals of my program are to
increase agricultural productivity while concurrently promoting environmental
sustainability in the
Research
The program focuses on developing and implementing integrated pest management strategies (IPM) of key insect pests of horticultural crops in nursery production and landscape plantings in commercial, private, and public environments. One project includes management strategies for species of ambrosia beetle that minimize risk of tree losses to producers of shade and fruit trees. Research on the biology of orangestriped oakworm, a major pest of trees in municipal landscapes, its natural enemies, and its effects on tree health, resulted in a management plan that significantly reduced pesticide usage and resulted in documented savings to the municipality. Further research will focus on evaluating biological control agents that would maintain the reduced pesticide usage and resultant cost savings.
Extension
Primary extension responsibilities are to develop educational programs on pest recognition and the latest information for the management of insect pests of horticultural crops. Monitoring techniques for the key arthropod pests have been developed in cooperation with colleagues and industry. Degree day models have been developed for many pests and the technique utilizing this strategy presented in extension programs. Demonstration projects evaluate new pesticides, including biorationals, for national registration or label expansion.
Teaching
Teaching responsibilities include teaching ENTO 4254 at the Hampton Roads AREC, and delivering guest lectures in two other courses in the off-campus M.S. in Horticulture program at the Hampton Roads AREC.
Goals
Goals are to continue to develop research and extension programs that incorporate IPM strategies that enhance environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity to the commercial nursery and urban horticulture systems. Further research targeting the biology and management of ambrosia beetles and other coleopteran and lepidopteran borers is planned. In addition future studies on plant-insect interactions including insect resistance and biological control in nursery crops and urban landscapes are planned. Development of educational modules that can result in ENTO 4254 being taught as a hybrid course as well as for extension educational programs are also planned.
Professional Memberships
- Entomological Society of America
Projects
- Bean leaf beetle biology and management in snapbeans
Snapbeans are a multimillion dollar industry in Virginia. Bean leaf beetle has become one of the most important insect pests of the crop. Adults defoliate young plants and scar pods rendering them unmarketable. The current research of my graduate student, Meredith Cassell, involves assessing the impact of early-season defoliation on pod yield, host preference studies, and novel management strategies.
- European corn borer and lace bug resistance
Identification of leaf pubescence as a morphological character lead to cultivar identification of lace bug resistance by azalea and cotoneaster. Studies identified stem diameter in garden chrysanthemums as a key factor in European corn borer resistance.
- Exotic Pest Detection
- Granulated ambrosia beetle
Granulate ambrosia beetle management is of great concern to the wholesale nursery industry. Tree losses can be severe. Seasonal trapping for this insect has led to management strategies that reduce risk of crop losses.
- Managing Red Imported Fire ants in Virginia
The first report of red imported fire ants (RIFA), Solenopsis invicta Buren, in Virginia was recorded in 1989. Since that time, several thousand mounds have been identified in the southeastern, coastal regions of the state. The Virginia Department of Agriculture is currently responsible for all RIFA control in Virginia. However, limited resources and the possibility that the RIFA has become established within the coastal regions of the VA has led the Virginia Department of Agriculture (VDACS) to consider placing certain Virginia counties under the Federal RIFA quarantine. One consequence of the quarantine implementation is that FIRA control being transferred to homeowners and pest management professionals within the quarantine areas. Because these individuals have no experience in FIFA control, the Virginia Cooperative Extension services has undertaken a study to evaluate RIFA control products for efficacy.
- Orange striped oakworm
Implementation of IPM strategies including targeted scouting and use of microbial insecticides led to an 85% reduction in insecticide usage after 2 years and 100% reduction after 12 years.
- Virginia IR-4 Minor Use Pest Control Clearance Program → website
The IR-4 Minor Use Pest Control Clearance Program was established in 1963 by the state land-grant university agricultural experiment stations. IR-4 is a partnership between agricultural producers, land grant universities, government, and chemical manufacturers. Today, IR-4 conducts research on chemical and biological pest controls. Virginia Tech pest management faculty are active in the IR-4 Project. This involves the indentification of grower needs for pest controls to maintain their minor crops (64% of Virginia crops are minor crops) and research to support the registration of chemical and biological pesticides and animal drugs.
Courses
- ENT 4254 Insect Pest Management (HRAREC) → website
Taught at Hampton Roads AREC. Principles of insect pest management with primary application to the major arthropod pests found in Virginia. Pest management involves the use of ecologically and economically efficient methods to prevent or reduce pest injury to acceptable levels. Prerequisite: 1 year biology. Taught approximately every 3 years.
Resources
- HRAREC Entomology lab → website
- Virginia IR-4 Program → website
Virginia Tech Pesticide Programs is actively involved in providing information on minor use crops in the state to interested parties, such as the national IR-4 program. The IR-4 Minor Use Pest Control Clearance Program was established in 1963 by the state land-grant university agricultural experiment stations. IR-4 is a partnership between agricultural producers, land-grant universities, government, and chemical manufacturers. Today, IR-4 conducts research on chemical and biological pest controls. The purpose of IR-4 is to establish pest controls for minor use crops (commodities with low acreages nationally, i.e., fruits, vegetables, and other specialty uses). Minor crops represent about 40% of the total sales of U.S. agricultural producers. Because an investment in minor use pest control products presents little benefit to chemical manufacturers, IR-4 conducts the research necessary to register minor use labels. IR-4 has provided data to clear over 50% of the minor use registrations since 1970. Virginia IR-4 has historically been a very active program with five experiment stations around the state. IR-4 is important to Virginia's agricultural industry because ours is one of the more diverse industries in the United States.
Selected Publications
- Chapman, A., Kuhar, T. P., Schultz, P. B., Brewster, C. C. 2009. Dispersal of Trichogramma ostriniae (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in potato fields. Environ. Entomol. 38: 677-685
- Chapman, A., Kuhar, T. P., Schultz, P. B., Leslie, T., Fleischer, S. ., Dively, G., Whalen, J. 2009. Integrating chemical and biological control of European corn borer in bell pepper. . J. Econ. Entomol. 102: 287-295.
- Hitchner, E., Kuhar, T. P., Dickens, J. C., Youngman, R. R., Schultz, P. B., Pfeiffer, D. G. 2008. Host plant choice experiments of Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Virginia. J. Econ. Entomol. 101: 859-865
- Schultz, P. B., Kuhar, T. P. 2008. First record of pepper weevil infestation in Virginia. . Online. Plant Health Progress. doi:10.1094/PHP-2008-0118-01-BR
- Schultz, P. B. 2006. Comparison of an Australian AREC to its U.S. counterparts. Proc. 2005 Res. Ctr. Admin. Soc. Ann. Mtg., Little Rock, AR. pp 38-41.
- Schultz, P. B., Day, E. R., Bordas, A., Bean, R. 2006. Biology and distribution of Pryerica sinica, a new pest of Euonymus found in Virginia and Maryland. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2006-1127-01-BR.
- Schultz, P. B., Sivyer, D. B. 2006. An integrated pest management success story: orangestriped oakworm control in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.. Arboriculture & Urban Forestry. 32(6):284-286.
- Cote, K. ., Schultz, P. B., Lewis, E. . 2004. Using acaricides in combination with Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henroit to suppress Tetranychus urticae Koch populations. . J. Entomol. Sci. 39(2):267-274.
- Schultz, P. B., Dills, M. 2003. Monitoring Asian ambrosia beetles.. Proc. Sou. Nurs. Assoc. Res. Conf. 48:128-129.
- Schultz, P. B., Dills, M., Whitaker, C. S. 2002. Managing Asian ambrosia beetles in Virginia.. Proc. Sou. Nurs. Assoc. Res. Conf. 47:167-169.
- Schultz, P. B. 2001. How the urban/rural interface is affecting the type of research we do. Proc. 2000 Res. Ctr. Admin. Soc. Ann. Mtg., Lexington, KY. pp 12-15.
- Schultz, P. B., Whitaker, C. S. 2000. An emerging foliar pest of cannas in Virginia.. Proc. Sou. Nurs. Assoc. Res. Conf. 45:173-174.
- Schultz, P. B., Kok, L. T. 1980. Physical factors affecting the laboratory rearing of the pupal parasite Coccygomimus turionellae. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 73: 522-525
- Schultz, P. B., Kok, L. T. 1979. Biological influences affecting laboratory rearing of the pupal parasite Coccygomimus turionellae. Environ. Entomol. 8: 437-440
