What is being called a “definitive guide” to getting microscopic worms to battle a crop destroying invasive beetle has been posted on the web site of the Northern New Agricultural Development Program, www.nnyagdev.org.

Cornell entomologist Dr. Elson Shields and the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program have battled the invasive farm crop pest, the alfalfa snout beetle (ASB), since 1989. They very recently posted a guide to raising and applying native nematodes (microscopic worms) to control the bug .

More than 13 percent of New York farmland -- 500,000 acres in nine counties -- has been infested by ASB.

ASB can destroy entire fields of the valuable dairy and livestock crop in one growing season. ASB-related crop damage can be as much as $1,100 to $1,500 per acre for the complete loss of second- and third-year crops left untreated.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension associations of Northern New York are educating alfalfa growers across the region about the use of two species of native insect-attacking nematodes as biological control agents and how to rear these native nematodes for release in their own fields.

FFA students and farm youth were engaged in the early on-farm testing of the nematode rearing and application protocol. Farmers have easily adapted existing equipment to apply the biocontrol nematodes.

In St. Lawrence County, Cornell Cooperative Extension Agriculture Team Leader Brent Buchanan says, “We see the potential of rearing nematodes for sale by our 4-H students and local horticultural businesses. There is already interest here by a custom applicator/seed dealer in the commercial production of nematodes.”

A joint project with the Cornell Alfalfa Breeding Team with the Shields lab is selectively breeding ASB-resistant alfalfa varieties to work in tandem with the biocontrol nematodes to battle the beetle. At least one Cornell-bred ASB-resistant alfalfa variety is in the early stages of commercial seed production.

Scientists are now evaluating the use of nematodes to control soil pests in New York’s grape vineyards and the use of these biocontrol nematodes to control plum curculio in organic apple production systems.

Research on the persistence of the nematodes over a several year crop rotation is continuing.

ASB is flightless and all individuals are females. ASB has walked or “hitchhiked” on equipment and transport vehicles to reach new locations from Oswego to Cayuga, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence and Wayne counties in New York state. ASB is also transported by flowing water when it balls up into groups of 30-40 individuals that float with the current. ASB is also known to exist in Ontario.

The use of farm-raised biocontrol nematodes is an inexpensive farmer-friendly protocol for controlling alfalfa snout beetle. The treatment combines two types of Northern New York-native nematodes that co-exist, in shallow and deeper soil respectively.

“The nematodes naturally recycle within the ASB host, persist in the soil, and effectively self-disperse creating the opportunity for sweeping and perpetual control across treated fields,” says Cornell Research Support Specialist Antonio Testa.

NNYADP farmer Bernie Gohlert at Hilltop Dairy in Lowville says, “This alfalfa snout beetle protocol is easily implemented, inexpensive, and field-effective. It is the perfect payoff for the patience and funding the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program invested in finding a solution to protect a highly valuable crop.”

NNYADP: The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) is a farmer-led initiative that prioritizes agricultural industry needs and issues small grants for research to develop solutions and opportunities. The program receives funding from the New York State Legislature.