Progress 01/15/11 to 01/14/16

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Information from this study was disseminated across a variety of outlets: "Plotting a new landscape: Small fields may equal big eco-benefits." In: Solutions magazine. College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Science. University of Minnesota. 2012. "Enjoy the show; try the aphid." In: The Land: Where Farm and Family Meet magazine. 2012. "Willows, native grasses part of biocontrol project." In: Agrinews magazine. 2011 Eckberg, J, R Shaw R Schafer, N Anderson, N Jordan, G Johnson, C Sheaffer, S Flint, and D Wyse. 2012. Invasion Risk of Selectively Bred Switchgrass Bioenergy Crops. University of Minnesota - Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve Intern Symposium. East Bethel, MN. Eckberg, J, G Johnson, G. Heimpel, J Peterson, J Kaser, C Sheaffer, and D Wyse. 2012. Integrative Perennial Cropping Systems to Improve Biological Control of the Soybean Aphid. Organic Field Day - SouthwestResearch and Outreach Center. Lamberton, MN. Eckberg, J, G Johnson, G Heimpel, C Sheaffer, J Peterson, M Plecas, J Kaser, D Wyse. 2015. Integrative cropping systems to enhance biological control and increase soybean yield. Monsanto Corporation. Chesterfield, MO. Eckberg, J, R Shaw, G Johnson, M Casler, C Sheaffer, K Blaedow, N Anderson, N Jordan, S Flint, R Schafer, and D Wyse. 2013. Testing the Invasive Potential of Biofuel Grasses. University of Minnesota - Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Research Intern Symposium. East Bethel, MN What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Agriculture is at the intersection of major global challenges for the 21st century. There is a growing need to simultaneously increase food security and production, meet the demand for renewable products, and address critical environmental issues. The challenge to designing cropping systems for multiple environmental, agronomic, and economic objectives hinges on identifying and understanding potential tradeoffs and synergies among multiple interacting crops within a single production field. We tested the efficiency of three perennial biomass cropping systems to provide tangible values in the form of floral resources and plant cover that support natural enemies of soybean aphid, a devastating invasive pest in soybeans, as well as biomass for biofuel production. Biomass cropping systems were established in annual soybean production fields in an integrated crop production strategy. We found that integrating perennial biomass crops into soybean fields in a way that maximizes the amount of perennial-soybean edge enhances perennial biomass production and biofuel yield. Furthermore, integrating perennial polyculture with short-rotation coppice willow in an alley cropping configuration led to no depression in biomass yield of polyculture, despite the prevalence of shading from willow. Instead, some herbaceous species in the polyculture treatment were promoted in alley configurations including species that flowered early and late in the season. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, we did not find an overall positive effect of biomass plantings on natural enemies. Consequently, biological control of soybean aphid was not enhanced by presence of perennial biomass plantings in soybean fields. However, preliminary data suggests that parasitoids of soybean aphid in the genus Aphelinus increased during each year of the study. An understanding of the implications of diversified multi-species bioenergy cropping systems in the context of providing crop protection and ecosystem services benefits is critical to the long-term sustainability of multi-use landscapes. This research provided key information that will help make decisions on biomass cropping systems design, placement, and potential scale of influence. As data continues to be analyzed, new information will be available that will add greater clarity as to the potential for these biomass systems to provide greater value to the surrounding landscape. Objective 1. Compare growth and productivity of three classes of bioenergy plantings and control site. This study evaluated potential synergies and tradeoffs between floral resources and yield of biomass and biofuel among a series of perennial cropping systems (short-rotation coppice willow and herbaceous polyculture) and cropping structure (continuous or alley configuration) in conventional soybean production fields. Positioning perennial crops along the edge of soybeans greatly improved herbaceous polyculture and willow production. Consistent with other experiments, biomass productivity drove patterns in biofuel production, not variation in cell wall composition. Consequently, SRC willow produced substantially more biofuel than polyculture. The presence of strong positive perennial-soybean edge effects on willow and polyculture yield suggest that integrating perennial crops into soybeans in a way that maximizes the amount of perennial crop-soybean edge enhances perennial biofuel yields. Integrating polyculture with willow in an alley cropping configuration led to no depression in biomass yield of polyculture, despite the prevalence of shading from willow. Instead, some herbaceous species were promoted in alley configurations including species that flowered early (i.e. M. fistulosa) and late in the season (i.e. A. novae angliae). Furthermore, polyculture integrated with willow showed significantly greater cover late in the season owing primarily to a dominance of New England aster. There was significantly more total biomass on the edge versus interior and the edge effect was greater for polyculture surrounded by soybean then when surrounded by willow, especially for H. maximiliani and E. Canadensis. Other species showed different patterns: more A. novae angliae biomass in the edge of polyculture surrounded by willow plots versus polyculture surrounded by soybean, more S. nutans biomass in the interior versus edge in the polyculture surrounded by soybean, and more A. gerardii biomass in the interior versus edge of polyculture surround by willow. Objective 2. Compare biological control of soybean aphid adjacent to three classes of bioenergy plantings and control sites in an agricultural setting. Soybean aphid populations steadily increased over the three years of the study from initial low aphid year to two subsequent high aphid years. According to proposed mechanisms, the first year of our study should have low natural enemy density, and then build-up natural enemies from the second year should prevent aphids reaching high abundance in last year. However, we did not find great increase in overall natural enemy abundance between first two years. It also appears that ratios of various groups of natural enemies change across years. Increase in coccinellid abundance was coupled by decrease in minute pirate bug and spider abundance. Several studies have showed that perennial bioenergy plantings can promote higher abundance of natural enemies. In our study, however, we did not find overall positive effect of biomass plantings on natural enemies. Cumulative Predator Days, as measure of natural enemy presence across whole season, did not differ between biomass systems. Instead we found differential response depending on natural enemy group and their life stages. Our study indicates that biofuel plantings at least partly support diversity of natural enemies. As expected, overall natural enemy diversity increased from early to mid and late season as various groups of insects established within agricultural fields. Early in the season (May-July) species richness was greater in inside locations regardless of the biofuel plantings but after establishment of soybean aphid those differences are lost or even partly reversed. This is probably driven by differences between locations in actual biofuel treatments and not in soybean control fields but the analyses were not able to parse them out. There is also some indication that treatments with herbaceous polyculture (Polyculture, Alley) support greater species richness than Willow and this is probably due to increased presence of spiders and hoverflies. However, dominance of spiders and hoverflies inside biofuel plantings led to decreased Shannon diversity index. Contrary to our expectation we did not find that biofuel plantings had significant impact on aphids in soybean fields. Although these results are opposing initial hypotheses they are further supported by results of analyses from individual natural enemy groups. As neither of the natural enemy groups responded positively to biofuel plantings it is therefore not likely that negative response would exist for aphids. Apart from direct effect of biofuel plantings soybean aphid we examined effect of location within the soybean field. As natural enemies did not responded to distance from biofuel plantings, observed differences for soybean aphid is thus not driven by natural enemies but by some other factors. Primers were successfully designed and optimized to detect T. salignus DNA. Percent positive for both aphid prey species varied significantly by date and based on both types of plot collected from (control, willow, polyculture, alley) and on location (within plot, soybean near, soybean far). The role of parasitoids on biological control of soybean aphid is on-going. However, preliminary data suggests that aphid densities increased during each year of the study as did parasitoids in the genus Aphelinus. ?

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Eckberg, J.O., G.A. Johnson, R.E. Pain, D.L. Wyse, and G.E. Heimpel. 2015. Spillover of tent caterpillar herbivory onto willow bioenergy crops in an agricultural landscape. Ann Appl Biol. 167:178-185.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Eckberg, J.O., J.A. Peterson, C.P. Borsh, J.M. Kaser, G.A. Johnson, J.C. Luhman, D.W. Wyse, and G.E. Heimpel. 2015. Field abundance and performance of hoverflies (Diptera:Syrphidae) on aphid prey: implication for biological control of soybean aphid. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 108(1): 2634
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Eckberg, J.O., G. Johnson, G. Heimpel, J. Kaser, M. Plecas, J. Peterson, and D. Wyse. 2015. Integrative perennial cropping systems to produce food, bioenergy, and ecosystem services. ASA Meetings, Minneapolis, MN
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Plecas, M., J.A. Peterson, J.O. Eckberg, G.A. Johnson, and G.E. Heimpel. 2015. Do floral resources of bioenergy crops improve sugar status of natural enemies of soybean aphid? ASA Meetings, Minneapolis, MN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Eckberg, J., G. Johnson, G. Heimpel, J. Peterson, J. Kaser, M. Plecas, C. Sheaffer, and D. Wyse. 2014. Integrative perennial cropping systems to produce food, bioenergy, and ecosystem services. ASA meetings, Long Beach, CA
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Peterson, J., J. Eckberg, J. Kaser, K. Blaedow, G. Johnson, and G. Heimpel. 2013. Perennial bioenergy plantings enhance an ecosystem service and provide resources for beneficial insects in agricultural fields. Ecological Society of America. Minneapolis, MN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Eckberg, J., D. Mulla, J. A. Peterson, D. Wyse, G. Heimpel, and G. A. Johnson. 2013. Designing farm landscapes to enhance ecosystem services. Entomological Society of America. Austin, TX.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Peterson, J. A., J. Eckberg, K. Blaedow, J. Kaser, G. Johnson, and G. Heimpel. 2013. Biological control and resource utilization by natural enemies in integrated perennial bioenergy plantings. Entomological Society of America. Austin, TX.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Peterson, J.A., J.O. Eckberg, G.A. Johnson, G.E. Heimpel. 2012. Diversified bioenergy plantings to enhance ecosystem services: biological control of soybean aphid. Ent. Soc. Am. Ann. Mtg. Nov. 11-14, 2012.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Eckberg, J, G Johnson, G Heimpel, C Sheaffer, J Peterson, M Plecas, J Kaser, and D Wyse. 2015. Integrative cropping systems to enhance biological control and increase soybean yield. Monsanto Corporation. Chesterfield, MO
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Pleas, M., J. Eckberg, J. Kaser, I. Lane, G. Johnson, G. Heimpel. 2014. Integrative perennial cropping systems to produce food, bioenergy, and ecosystem services. American Soc. of Agron., Long Beach, CA.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Peterson JA. 2013. Toys of the Trade: Detecting Non-Prey Foods. International Organization for Biological Control: Nearctic Regional Section Newsletter, 35(3): 5.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Peterson JA. 2014. Mixing it up: impacts of within field plant diversity on conservation biological control. In: Member Symposium: Practical Implementation of Conservation Biological Control. Annual Meeting of the ESA, Portland, OR
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Peterson JA. 2014. Understanding the trophic ecology of natural enemies to enhance biological control in field crops. In: Symposium: Asking Basic Questions in Applied Systems. NCB-ESA, Des Moines, IA.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Peterson JA, JO Eckberg, KE Blaedow, JM Kaser, GA Johnson & GE Heimpel. 2013. Measuring the impact of predators and parasitoids in integrated bioenergy cropping systems. In: Symposium: Shut Your Trap: Quantifying Biocontrol Services. NCB-ESA, Rapid City, SD.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Peterson JA, JO Eckberg, KE Blaedow, JM Kaser, GA Johnson & GE Heimpel. 2013. Utilization of perennial bioenergy crop-provided trophic resources by natural enemies of the soybean aphid. 2nd International Symposium on the Molecular Detection of Trophic Interactions, Lexington, KY.
• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Peterson JA. 2013. Understanding complex arthropod food webs in changing agroecosystems. Invited seminar at University of Minnesota-Duluth Department of Biology, Duluth, MN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Eckberg, J, G Johnson, D Mulla, and D Wyse 2013. Designing and Valuing Future Farm Landscapes. In: Ignite Session: Complementarity Considers Ecological Principles to Create Sustainable Pathways. Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America. Minneapolis, MN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Plecas, M, J Eckberg, J Kaser, I Lane, G Johnson, G Heimpel. 2014. Effect of bioenergy crops in soybean fields on abundance and diversity of pollinators. Entomological Society of America. Portland, OR.
• Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Invasion, bioenergy, and natural enemies of insect pests: Ecological and agricultural tradeoffs in two study systems. Eckberg, James O. University of Minnesota, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2015. 3746839

Progress 01/15/14 to 01/14/15

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1. Across three years we have evaluated polyculture and willow biomass, plant cell wall composition, and floral production. These data have been used to better understand the role of perennial crops in supporting biological control insects and producing biofuels (theoretical ethanol yield). In 2014 there was significantly more biomass on the edge versus interior polyculture (F1, 61 = 55.9, P< 0.0001) with the effect being much stronger for the pure polyculture adjacent to soybeans (t61 = 8.2, P <0.0001) than alley polyculture adjoining willow (t61 = 2.1, P = 0.039). Helianthus maximiliani (F1, 61 = 18.4, P = 0.0001) and Elymus canadensis, (F1,61 = 4.054, P = 0.0485) significantly drove this pattern, albeit the latter was much less productive. In 2014, four dominant species (Monarda fistulosa, Helianthus maximiliani, Aster novae angliae, and Elymus canadensis) constituted 82.8% of the flowers. Again, there was a similar pattern of more flowers on the edge of the polyculture (P = 0.014). Over three years, willow yielded more biomass than polyculture (F1, 15 = 11.51, P = 0.0040) and more theoretical ethanol yield (F1, 15 = 18.49, P = 0.0006) with the effect being greatest for willow growing in a monoculture versus adjacent to polyculture (t6 = 3.19, P = 0.0188). Soybean yield was greater next to willow (P = 0.0004), alley (P = 0.0361), and polyculture (P = 0.0123) than the control (soybeans). Objective 2. Compare biological control of soybean aphid adjacent to three classes of bioenergy plantings and control sites in an agricultural setting. Various methods and sampling techniques were used to characterize the arthropod community within and around 16 biofuel treatment plots. Sweep net sampling was performed every two weeks from early May to early September (05/11-09/11/2014). Samples were collected at locations within treatment plots and in the adjacent soybean at near (2 m) and far (15 m) locations resulting in total of 572 samples. A total of 5844 predators were collected and identified to species or to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Coccinelidae (lady beetles) was the most abundant group with 78% of all specimens. Peak insect densities occurred in mid and late August. Preliminary data exploration detected the highest density of predators in fields with the polyculture treatment, lowest density in fields with alley cropping treatment with a trend of increasing densities farther away (15 m) from treatment plots into the soybean fields. Visual surveys to quantify beneficial insect life stages that can be difficult to collect via sweep netting, such as eggs, larvae, and pupae, were performed every two weeks from early July to mid September (07/02-09/16/2014). Surveys were done at two locations within biofuel plots and two location in the adjacent soybean at near (2 m) and far (15 m) distance resulting in total of 640 samples. A total of 2089 specimens of subadult predators were found and identified to species or the lowest possible taxonomic level. Coccinelidae was overall the most abundant group with 51% of all specimens. Preliminary analyses suggested that coccinellids were dominant in fields with control and polyculture treatments but not in fields with alley cropping and willow treatment where chrysopids (lacewings) or Ceccidomyiids (predatory midges), respectively, had similarly high densities. Coccinelidae were more abundant far from treatment plots (15 m), while chrysopids and ceccidomyiids were more abundant near treatment plots (2 m). The population densities of aphids and several groups of natural enemies on soybean plants were estimated by whole plant visual inspection over 12 sampling periods between late June and late September (06/26-09/25/2014). Eight samples were collected within each field, at 1 m and 15 m distances from treatment plots resulting in total of 3132 samples. Natural enemies that were surveyed included: parasitoid mummies from the braconid subfamily Aphidiinae and Aphelinusspp., and chrysopid larvae, syrphids (predatory hover flies) and Aphidoletes aphidimyza (predatory midges). Mummies from genus Aphelinuswere the most abundant group with 59% of all natural enemies sampled. A total of 623980 aphids and 9751 specimens of natural enemies were found. Peak aphid and natural enemy densities occurred in lateAugust. Analyses of seasonal population dynamics and effects of treatment plots on aphid and natural enemies abundances are in progress. To measure the effect of biofuel plantings on biological control of the soybean aphid, a Biocontrol Services Index (BSI) was calculated for each treatment plot. This was accomplished by establishing 6 pairs of "caged" and "uncaged" soybean plants at each of the 16 plots during two weeks in mid August, totaling 96 paired plants. Aphids were counted at the start and the end of the experiment period to detect differences in aphid density change between "caged" and "uncaged" plants. Preliminary analysis showed that highest BSI index was detected in fields with willow treatments and lowest in fields with alley cropping treatments. To evaluate resource utilization by natural enemies up to six specimens each of Coccinelidae, Chrysopidae and Syrphidae were collected using hand-held aspirator or sweep net within treatment plots and within soybean fields. Anthrone tests were used to analyze gut sugars, body sugars, and glycogen (storage sugars) present in the insects which are all indicators of nectar or other sugar resource utilization. A total of 859 specimens were used for this test. Pollen extraction from the gut contents of 860 insects was achieved using an acetolysis technique and extracted pollen grains were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. DNA extractions were performed on the dissected gut-contents of 577 coccinelid individuals. Screening of these DNA extractions for soybean aphid DNA was done using PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis. These procedures are approximately 60%, 75% and 100%, respectively, completed to date. There was an addendum to the previous year's project objectives. In 2014, the existing treatment plot design was used to evaluate effect of treatments on the pollinator community and pollination service. To do this, pollinators (bees (superfam. Apoidea, clade Anthophila)) and adult hoverflies were collected from sweep net samples that were previously described. A total of 273 pollinator individuals were found and identified to species or to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Preliminary analyses showed that pollinators had higher densities in prairie and alley cropping treatments. Additional sweep net samples for pollinators were done in surrounding seminatural habitats to compare these samples with treatment plot samples. Sampling was done at 10 locations biweekly from late May to late September (05/29-09/25/2014). Identification of the specimens is still in progress. To evaluate the potential effect of treatments on pollination services, two groups of 4 sentinel sunflower plants were placed in 16 soybean fields at 1 m and 50 m distances from treatment plots. In each group half of the plants were "covered" to prevent pollination by pollinators. After maturation, seed yield, as a proxy for pollination service, for both "covered" and "uncovered" plants was estimated by counting developed seeds. The lowest pollination service was detected in fields with control treatments and farther away (50 m) from treatment plots.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Eckberg, J, G Johnson, G Heimpel, J Peterson, J Kaser, M Plecas, C Sheaffer, and D Wyse. 2014. Integrative Perennial Cropping Systems to Produce Food, Bioenergy, and Ecosystem Services. American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, & Soil Science Society of America. Long Beach, CA.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Eckberg, J.O., G.A. Johnson, R.E. Pain, D.L. Wyse, and G.E. Heimpel. 2015. Spillover of tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) herbivory onto willow bioenergy crops in an agricultural landscape. Annals of Applied Biology.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Eckberg, J.O., J.A. Peterson, J.M. Kaser, C.P.Borsh, G.A. Johnson, J.C. Luhman, D.L. Wyse, and G.E. Heimpel. 2015. Field abundance and performance of hoberflies on soybean aphid. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 108:26-34
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2015 Citation: Eckberg, J, G Johnson, G Heimpel, C Sheaffer, J Peterson, M Plecas, J Kaser, D Wyse. 2015. Integrative cropping systems to enhance biological control and increase soybean yield. Monsanto Corporation. Chesterfield, MO.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Plecas, M, J Eckberg, J Kaser, I Lane, G Johnson, G Heimpel. 2014. Effect of bioenergy crops in soybean fields on abundance and diversity of pollinators. Entomological Society of America. Portland, OR.

Progress 01/15/13 to 01/14/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Field experiments are being conducted at the University of Minnesota Rosemount Research and Outreach Center in east-central Minnesota to develop an agronomically-realistic platform for the production of both woody and herbaceous perennial bioenergy crops and support a strategy for the integration of bioenergy cropping systems that supports ecosystem services leading to reduced pest pressures in surrounding crops. Our approach includes a comparison of the influence of plant diversity on biological control in agricultural and prairie habitats. Treatments comprise bioenergy cropping system design configurations including willow monoculture, native polyculture, willow and polyculture in an alley cropping arrangement, and soybean monoculture. Specifically, we compared growth and productivity of each bioenergy cropping system. In the prairie system, total yield was largely influenced by Helianthus maximilliani. We observed positive effects of willow on prairie biomass production in the alley-cropping configuration (versus soybeans on prairie) and the effect depends on position within the prairie plot. We observed flowering between mid-July to mid-October thus providing a continuous resource based for predators and pollinators. Soybeans growing adjacent to willow showed the greatest yield followed by soybeans growing next to alley, polyculture and control. We described the arthropod community in and around the 16 biofuel plots using a variety of methods. To elucidate resource utilization by natural enemies we measured sugar, pollen, prey, and extra-floral nectories. To measure the effect that biofuel plantings have on biological control of the soybean aphid, a Biocontrol Services Index (BSI) was calculated for each research plot. Objective 1. Compare growth and productivity of three classes of bioenergy plantings and control sites. We harvest prairie biomass in September to determine species composition and in November to determine biomass yield relevant to biofuel production. For the senesced prairie plant material we observed significantly less biomass in the interior of the plot versus the edge of the prairie. Yield was greater in the interior of alleys as compared to the interior of polycultures. This suggests that there are effects of willow on prairie biomass production (versus soybeans on prairie) and the effect depends on position within the prairie plot. We constructed models with the six most productive species to determine which species were driving patterns in yield. Total yield was largely influenced by Helianthus maximilliani. In total, 11 species of grasses (3) and forbs (8) flowered in 2013. The most abundant flowers were of H. maximilliani, A. novae-angliae and E. canadensis (Figure 4). We observed continuous flowering between mid-July to mid-October. Soybeans growing adjacent to willow showed the greatest yield followed by soybeans growing next to alley, polyculture and control. Many of these major differences were statistically significant when analyzed by a linear mixed effect model including: willow versus control (P = 0.0065) and willow versus prairie (P = 0.02). We measured willow stem diameter (mm) at the end of the 2013 growing season. Overall, from 2012 to 2013 the willow increased in size by 247% across all plots and treatment. Smaller willow showed a greater relative growth rate suggesting there might be compensation. Objective 2. Compare biological control of soybean aphid adjacent to three classes of bioenergy plantings and control sites in an agricultural setting. Describing the arthropod community in and around the 16 biofuel plots using a variety of methods. Once every two weeks from 10 May to 25 September 2013, sweep net samples were collected at locations within the biofuel plantings and in the adjacent soybean at near (2 m) and far (15 m) locations. This resulted in a total of 464 sweep net samples. All predators have been identified to species or lowest taxonomic level possible. A total of 6783 predators were collected and quantified using this method. The second method involved visual surveys to quantify beneficial insect life stages that can be difficult to collect via sweep netting, such as eggs, larvae, and pupae. Sampling was conducted once every week from 23 May to 23 September 2013 resulting in a total of 1052 samples. To elucidate resource utilization by natural enemies we measured sugar, pollen, prey, and extra-floral nectories. For sugar, anthrone tests were completed on predators collected from within and adjacent to biofuels plots to quantify the amount gut sugars, body sugars, and glycogen (storage carbohydrate) present in the insect, an indication of nectar or other sugar resource utilization. No significant differences were found in gut sugar, body sugar, or glycogen concentrations for the green lacewing species Chrysoperla plorabunda and the Asian multicolored ladybeetle Harmonia axyridis collected in 2012. Predator samples were also collected in 2013 using a hand-held aspirator and immediately frozen. These samples are approximately 65% completed to date. Pollen extraction from the gut-contents of insects was achieved using acetolysis techniques. The pollen grains found in the gut-contents of natural enemies collected from within and adjacent to biofuels plots were identified and counted for ladybeetles collected in 2012: Harmonia axyridis, Hippodamia convergens, and Cycloneda munda. The number of Asteraceae pollen grains was found to be highest in those beetles collected at prairie plots, followed by alley; beetles from both prairie and alley plots had a significantly higher number of Aster pollen grains in their guts than those collected from willow or control plots in 2012. Predator samples were also collected in 2013 using a hand-held aspirator and immediately frozen. Ladybeetles collected from within and adjacent to biofuel plots were collected via sweep net, separated out into individual microcentrifuge tubes, and stored. Whole-body DNA extractions were completed on the gut-contents of 460 Orius insidiosus collected in 2012 to be screened against soybean thrips and eastern flower thrips primers designed for this project. DNA extractions were completed on the dissected gut-contents of ladybeetles collected from 2012 and 2013. PCR to screen these extractions against primers specific to the soybean aphid, giant willow aphid, and ambrosia aphids are on-going. Extra-floral nectar was determined by observing adult ladybird beetles in the field to feed on the resinous exudates of the Helianthus maximiliani. In order to further study this trophic interaction, ladybird beetles from the native species Cycloneda munda and Hippodamia convergens, as well as the non-native Harmonia axyridis were collected from the field and have been successfully reared in a laboratory colony. During the 2013 field season, EFN resource utilization in the field was further studied by observing and collecting all arthropods found on 10 pairs of haphazardly selected plants at each of the prairie and alley biofuels plots once every two weeks from 6 June to 9 August 2013. Each plant pair consisted of one Maximillian sunflower plant and one other Aster of similar size. A total of 297 arthropods were observed and 136 were collected. Anthrone assays were also completed on the most abundant insect group collected. To measure the effect that biofuel plantings have on biological control of the soybean aphid, a Biocontrol Services Index (BSI) was calculated for each research plot. This was accomplished by establishing 6 pairs of “caged” and “uncaged” soybean plants at each of the 16 plots. The response of natural enemies to a flared source of aphids was measured by quantifying the number of aphids and natural enemies on soybean plants that had been caged during the above BSI field experiment and had resulted in greater than 250 soybean aphids/plant.

Publications

• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Peterson, J. A., J. Eckberg, K. Blaedow, J. Kaser, G. Johnson, and G. Heimpel. 2013. Biological control and resource utilization by natural enemies in integrated perennial bioenergy plantings. Entomological Society of America. Austin, TX.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Eckberg, J., D. Mulla, J. A. Peterson, D. Wyse, G. Heimpel, and G. A. Johnson. 2013. Designing farm landscapes to enhance ecosystem services. Entomological Society of America. Austin, TX.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Eckberg, J., G. Johnson, D. Mulla, and D. Wyse 2013. Designing and valuing future farm landscapes. Ecological Society of America. Minneapolis, MN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Peterson, J., J. Eckberg, J. Kaser, K. Blaedow, G. Johnson, and G. Heimpel. 2013. Perennial bioenergy plantings enhance an ecosystem service and provide resources for beneficial insects in agricultural fields. Ecological Society of America. Minneapolis, MN.
• Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Johnson, The role of diversified bioenergy cropping systems in enhancing biological control of the soybean aphid. 2013. AAIC meeting. Washington, D.C.

Progress 01/15/12 to 01/14/13

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Field experiments are being conducted at the University of Minnesota Rosemount Research and Outreach Center in east-central Minnesota to develop an agronomically-realistic platform for the production of both woody and herbaceous perennial bioenergy crops and support a strategy for the integration of bioenergy cropping systems that supports ecosystem services leading to reduced pest pressures in surrounding crops. Our approach includes a comparison of the influence of plant diversity on biological control in agricultural and prairie habitats. Treatments comprise bioenergy cropping system design configurations including willow monoculture, native polyculture, willow and polyculture in an alley cropping arrangement, and soybean monoculture. Vegetation structure was characterized in each plot by quantifying leaf area index and light penetration in 0.5 m intervals from ground level to canopy height in August. Plant density and stem number was determined in each plot. Flower abundance was measured biweekly in polyculture treatments from June to September 2012. Biomass production was quantified in fall 2012 for each crop. The arthropod community was described in and around each plot throughout the 2012 growing season (May - September) using sweep net and vacuum-suction samples along with unbaited sticky cards located 2 m and 15 m from the edge of each plot. Beginning in June 2012, weekly counts of aphids (apaterous and alatoid), parasitoid mummies (aphidiine and aphelinus spp.), syrphid larvae, and predatory midge larvae were made in the soybeans adjacent to the biofuel plantings. Timed observations of syrphid adult presence and abundance were conducted weekly in each plot. Predators collected via the above sampling methods are currently being tested for resource utilization by molecular gut-content analysis using prey-specific PCR primers, anthrone testing for presence of sugars, or acidolysis for presence of pollen. Oviposition by natural enemies was also measured weekly both within and adjacent to each plot. Six pairs of caged and uncaged soybean plants were established at each plot to determine Biocontrol Services Index. Natural enemies were removed and 10 soybean aphids were out-planted to each plant, and natural enemies were excluded from the caged plants using fine no-see-um mesh over a 2-week period. Following this period, cages were removed and total aphids and natural enemies counted on each plant and a Biocontrol Services Index calculated for each plot. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Julie Peterson joined the project as a Post-Doctoral Associate. Dr. Peterson is responsible for measuring insect occurance and abundance and using specialized techniques for measuring resource use among predator populations. Joe Kaser was also involved in measuring ground-dwelling insects across each treatment. Karen Blaedow joined the group as a lab technician. Karen is partially funded on AFRI dollars. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Soybean fields immediately adjacent to willow plots showed an increased abundance of several natural enemy groups, including minute pirate bugs (Orius insidiosus), lacewings (Chrysopidae and Hemerobiidae) and damsel bugs (Nabis spp.). Soybean adjacent to prairies had higher abundance of lady beetles (Coccinellidae). However, no significant differences in predator populations were found at further distances (15 m) from bioenergy plots. Within plots, willows had a greater abundance of lacewing adults and eggs than all-soybean control plots. Soybean plants with flared aphids that were located adjacent to willow, prairie or alley (combined willow and prairie) plots had a significantly lower proportion of their aphid populations remaining after being exposed to natural enemies in the field for two weeks compared to plants located in all-soybean control plots. Pending PCR, anthrone and acetolysis results will reveal levels of trophic connectivity between natural enemies and resources provided by bioenergy crops, potentially providing the mechanisms for the increased abundance and biological control observed. These data support the proposal that diversified, perennial bioenergy crops can promote populations of beneficial arthropods and enhance ecosystem services when integrated within monoculture crops. This system has the added potential to decrease insecticide usage by providing biological control of an agricultural pest. Soybean yield tended to be greater next to willow and alley-cropping systems, however more data is needed over time to make any conclusions about this trend. The prairie system consisted almost entirely of target species, however black-eyed Susan dominated the system early while Maximillian sunflower dominated later in the season.

Publications

• Peterson, J.A., J.O. Eckberg, J.M. Kaser, G.A. Johnson, and G.E. Heimpel. Diversified bioenergy plantings to enhance ecosystem services: Biological control of soybean aphid. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Knoxville, TN. November 2012.

Progress 01/15/11 to 01/14/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Field experiments were successfully established in 2011 at the University of Minnesota Rosemount Research and Outreach Center in Rosemount in east-central Minnesota. The experimental design is a randomized complete block with four replications. Treatments comprise bioenergy cropping system design configurations. Individual treatments were strategically placed within the Center and separated by a minimum of 0.5 km to minimize influence by other treatments. Individual treatments were placed within a corn field in 2011, but will be rotated into soybeans for the duration of the study beginning in 2012. A combination of herbicides and hand weeding were used to control weeds in each plot for each of the treatments. Treatment 1 is a polyculture mix comprising forbs, legumes, and tall grass prairie species. A native prairie plant polyculture mix system was chosen to represent an herbaceous perennial bioenergy cropping system because of its potentially high productivity and diversity of plant material. Individual plot size was 15 m x 20 m and consisted of the following mix: Agastache foeniculum, Lupinus perennis, Asclepias incarnate, Monarda fistulosa, Aster novae angliae, Petalostemum candidum, Astragalus canadensis,Rudbeckia hirta, Coreopsis palmate, Solidago rigida, Eryngium yuccifolium, Verbena stricta, Helianthus maximilliani, Elymus canadensis, Andropogon gerardii, Sorghastrum nutans. Treatment 2 comprised a willow monoculture. Willow (Salix purpurea 9882-41) was established from stem cuttings obtained from the Woody Biomass Program at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (Syracuse, NY, USA) in a high-density twin-row configuration. This particular clone has been shown to be high yielding and disease resistant in field trials in Minnesota. Moreover, we have observed the giant willow aphid Tuberolachnus salignus on this clone which may provide additional food sources for soybean predators during periods of soybean aphid scarcity. Willow cuttings were spaced 60 cm apart within the row and 75 cm between rows with 150 cm between each set of twin rows in a 15 m x 20 m plot. Willow plants were coppiced to a 10 cm height above ground after leaf desiccation in November 2011. Treatment 3 is a mix of perennial woody and herbaceous polyculture crops planted in an alley cropping configuration. In this planting configuration, the polyculture mix outlined in treatment 1 was planted between blocks of willow outlined in treatment 2. Total plot size for this treatment will be 22.5 m x 13.3 m in order to achieve the same area (300 m2) in all of the treatments. Treatment 4 is the control. Initial insect species occurrence was determined at each site at three times during the summer of 2011. For each plot (corn control, prairie, alley and willow) we established three posts each with 3 sticky traps at heights of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 meters radiating in each ordinal direction from the center of the plot. Insects are being identified to the species level and a gut analysis performed to determine resource consumption. PARTICIPANTS: James Eckberg is a graduate student on the project. Partial salary, tuition, insurance, and fringe have been charged to the grant. Mr. Eckberg is responsible for planting, data collection, and overall plot maintenance. Danial Basso worked on the project an undergraduate student worker. Mr. Basso assisted James Eckberg in data collection and plot maintenance related to field work throughout the summer. Danielle Spengler worked on the project as an undergraduate student worker. Ms. Spengler assisted James Eckberg in data collection related to insect identification and counting. Matt Bickell is a junior scientist on Dr. Johnson's project. Mr. Bickell provided technical and field support on the project. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
This is the first year of the study, so findings and results are not available.

Publications

• No publications reported this period