September 2016 · Bird-dropping spider Flower or crab spider Triangular spider 16 Spider functional groups: ... / early vine dormancy Leaf fall Vines entering dormancy July 2014 August

www.viti.com.au

September 2016

Evaluating native insectary plants to boost beneficial arthropod populations in vineyards (Initial PhD findings)Presented by Mary Retallack

Findings of two studies in Australian vineyards

1. Which native insectary plants enhance biological control of vineyard pests throughout the year?

Ladybird beetle

Epiphyas postvittanaLight Brown Apple Moth (LBAM)

Greg

Bak

er

2. Which species of Tortricidae (pest leafrollers) are present in grapevine canopies?

Acropolitis rudisanaMerophyas divulsana

Lucerne Leafroller

$76 M

$63 M

$52 M

$18 M

$14 M

$12 M

$9 M

$6 M

Powdery Mildew

Downy Mildew

Botrytis and other bunch rots

Light Brown Apple Moth

Root-Knot and other …

Viruses

Birds

Trunk diseases

Mean Economic Impact $M/annum (Australian Vineyards)

The problemKey vineyard pests and diseases

Source: Scholefield, P.B. and Morison, J. (2010). "Assessment of Economic Cost of Endemic Pest and Diseases on the Australian Grape and Wine Industry." GWRDC, Adelaide.

LBAM moths (L: Female, R: Male)

Gre

g Ba

ker

LBAM larvae

Mar

yRe

talla

ck

LBAM webbing

Mar

yRe

talla

ck

Botrytis

Mar

yRe

talla

ck

Mealybugs

Mar

yRe

talla

ck

$70M

Other key pests Vine moth

Oechalia schellenbergi (Predatory Shield Bug) consuming a leafroller larvae

Arkys sp. (Triangular Spider) eating a western flower thrips

The solutionBeneficial predators can provide natural biological control for free!

The solutionNative insectary plants enhance natural biological control

FoodNectar =

Carbohydrates and energy

Pollen =Protein to produce more eggs > ladybird beetles,

lacewings

Shelter

Alternative prey

Study 1

www.viti.com.au

September 2016

Slide 7 Bursaria spinosa (Christmas Bush)

Vacuum sampler (STIHL Petrol Blower with tube attached to the air intake)

Slide 8

Modified insect collecting net

Bursaria spinosa (Christmas Bush)

Vitis vinifera (grapevine)

Slide 10

Modified beat net

Pitfall trap(charged with propylene glycol)


www.viti.com.au

September 2016

Bursaria spinosaEach collection comprised 5 shakes of foliage x 5 sub-samples into insect collecting net (modified) = 1 sample, repeated 10 times per collection date.

Leptospermum continentale (Prickly tea-tree)Each collection comprised 5 shakes of foliage x 5 sub-samples into insect collecting net (modified) = 1 sample, repeated 10 times per collection date.

Austrodanthonia sp (Wallaby Grass)10 x pitfall traps emptied fortnightly.

Vitis vinifera (Shiraz and Chardonnay)Each collection comprised 5 taps of the cordon x 5 sub-samples to collect arthropods in a beat net (modified), process repeated 10 times for each sampling date.

Processing1,400 containers collected and processed, comprising 140 samples (10 sub-samples ea)

27,470 arthropod specimens were collected and preserved in 95% ethanol

681 individual arthropod reference specimens stored in the Waite Insect and Nematode Collection (WINC)

Black field earwigPraying mantis

Hover flyRobber fly Parasitic wasp

Red and blue beetle

Observed arthropods > 285 taxa (77 predator taxa, 52 predator taxa found in vineyards)

www.viti.com.au

September 2016

Wolf spider

Orb-weaving spider

Jumping spider

Bird-dropping spider

Flower or crab spider

Triangular spider

16 Spider functional groups:Family Araneidae: Orb weaving and bird-dropping spidersFamily Deinopidae: Net-casting spidersFamily Desidae: Lace web or house spidersFamily Dysderidae: Woodlouse (slater) hunters Family Gnaphosidae: Ground spiderFamily Linyphiidae: Money spidersFamily Lycosidae: Wolf spidersFamily Oxyopidae: Lynx spidersFamily Philodromidae: Running crab spidersFamily Pholcidae: Cellar SpidersFamily Salticidae: Jumping spidersFamily Sparassidae: Huntsman spidersFamily Tetragnathidae: Long jawed spidersFamily Theridiidae: Comb-footed and red back spidersFamily Thomisidae: Flower or crab spidersFamily Zodariidae: Ant spiders

Araneidae

Sedentary or ambush

Active predators

Cermatulus nasalisGlossy Shield Bug

Oechalia schellenbergiPredatory Shield Bug

Coccinella transversalisTransverse Ladybird beetle

Harmonia conformisCommon spotted Ladybird beetle

Gminatus australisOrange Assassin Bug

Gminatus australisOrange Assassin Bug

Coranus sp(Brown assassin bug) Coranus granosus

Peirates spBlack Ground Assassin Bug

Nabidae: Damsel bug

www.viti.com.au

September 2016

Mallada signataGreen Lacewing

Micromus tasmaniaeBrown Lacewing larvae

Micromus tasmaniaeBrown Lacewing larvae

Mallada signataGreen Lacewing larvae (’junk bug’)

http://www.goodbugs.org.au/Good%20bugs/lacewing-brown.html

Observations

Vegetation flowering times?Insectary plantings versus grapevines

Grapevine Phenology

(including *modifiedE-L system)

Full

Dor

man

cy

Vin

es d

orm

ant

/ bu

d sw

ell (

budb

urst

of

som

e ea

rly

vari

etie

s)

Bud

sw

ell a

nd

budb

urst

/ fl

ower

de

velo

pmen

t

Str

ong

peri

od o

f ve

geta

tive

grow

th

Flow

erin

g an

d fr

uit

set

/be

rrie

s pe

a si

ze

Bun

ch c

losu

re /

sh

oot

leng

th s

et

Ver

aiso

n

Gra

pe m

atur

atio

n /

ca

nes

ligni

fy

Gra

pe m

atur

ity

Gra

pe m

atur

ity o

f lat

e ri

peni

ng v

arie

ties

/ea

rly

vine

dor

man

cy

Leaf

fall

Vin

es e

nter

ing

dorm

ancy

July 2014 August 2014 September

2013October

2013November

2013December

2013January

2014February

2014March 2014 April 2014 May

2014June 2014

Grapevine

Chardonnay EL1 EL4 EL12 EL15 EL16 EL17 EL18

EL21 EL25 EL27 EL31 EL32 EL33 EL37

EL37 EL38 EL41 EL47

EL1

Shiraz EL1 EL4 EL12 EL15 EL16 EL17 EL25 EL27 EL29 EL31 EL32 EL35 EL36

EL36 EL38 EL38 EL41 EL47

EL1

Insectary plants

Christmas bush Flowering period

Prickly tea-tree Flowering period

Wallaby grass

Flowering period

*Modified from Eichhorn and Lorenz (1977) and referred to as the Modified ‘E-L’ system.

Peak predator activity?

Predatory arthropod

Full D

orm

ancy

Vine

s do

rman

t /

bud

swel

l (bu

dbur

st

of s

ome

early

varie

ties)

Bud

swel

l and

budb

urst

/ flo

wer

de

velo

pmen

t

Stro

ng p

erio

d of

ve

geta

tive

grow

th

Flow

erin

g an

d fru

it se

t /

berri

es p

ea s

ize

Bunc

h cl

osur

e /

shoo

t len

gth

set

Vera

ison

Grap

e m

atur

atio

n /

cane

s lig

nify

Grap

e m

atur

ity

Grap

e m

atur

ity o

f lat

e rip

enin

g va

rietie

s /

early

vine

dor

man

cy

Leaf

fall

Vine

s en

terin

g do

rman

cy

July 2014

August 2014

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

Damsel bugTransverse Ladybird

BeetleCommon spotted ladybird

CarabidaeRed and blue beetle

Green LacewingBrown Lacewing

Predatory Shield BugGlossy Shield Bug bug

European earwigSpiders

Predatory arthropod

Full D

orm

ancy

Vine

s do

rman

t /

bud

swel

l (bu

dbur

st

of s

ome

early

varie

ties)

Bud

swel

l and

budb

urst

/ flo

wer

de

velo

pmen

t

Stro

ng p

erio

d of

ve

geta

tive

grow

th

Flow

erin

g an

d fru

it se

t /

berri

es p

ea s

ize

Bunc

h cl

osur

e /

shoo

t len

gth

set

Vera

ison

Grap

e m

atur

atio

n /

cane

s lig

nify

Grap

e m

atur

ity

Grap

e m

atur

ity o

f lat

e rip

enin

g va

rietie

s /

early

vine

dor

man

cy

Leaf

fall

Vine

s en

terin

g do

rman

cy

July 2014

August 2014

September 2013

October 2013

November 2013

December 2013

January 2014

February 2014

March 2014

April 2014

May 2014

June 2014

Damsel bugTransverse Ladybird

BeetleCommon spotted ladybirdCarabidae (ground beetle)

Red and blue beetleGreen LacewingBrown Lacewing

Predatory Shield BugGlossy Shield Bug bug

EarwigsSpiders

www.viti.com.au

September 2016

Presence of Araneae by vegetation type and potential significance as a vineyard predator

Family #Abundance (1 = highest 15 = lowest)

Presence of Araneae by vegetation type(high = >100, med = 50 to 100, low = 10 to 50, very low = <10)

Significance as a vineyard

predatorSedentary or active

Nocturnal or diurnal

Potential vineyard predator

rating (1= high, 2 = med, 3 = low)

Overall rating

(1= high, 2 = med, 3 = low)

Christmas Bush

Prickly Tea-tree

Wallaby Grass Chardonnay Shiraz

Lycosidae(Wolf spider) 605 1 Very low Low High Low N/A

Lycosidae are robust and agile

hunters with excellent eyesight.

Active Nocturnal 1 1

Araneidae(Orb weaving) 341 2 Low Medium Very

low High Low

Orb webs (dense centre) are used to

capture flying prey.

Sedentary Diurnal 1 1

Tetragnathidae (Long jawed

spiders)304 3 Low Medium N/A Medium Low

Small orb webs (open centre) are used to

capture flying prey.

Sedentary Diurnal 1 1

Salticidae(Jumping spiders)

289 4 Medium Low Very low Low Low

Jumping spiders have excellent

eyesight and are generally

diurnal, active hunters

Active Diurnal 1 1

Thomisidae (Flower or crab

spiders)207 5 Medium Low Very

low Very low Very low Ambush predators Active Diurnal 2 2

Gnaphosidae(Ground spiders)

56 6 Very low Low Very low Low Very low Ground based

predators Active Nocturnal 3 3

Sparassidae (Huntsman

spiders)50 7 Very low Low N/A Very low Very low Hunting

predators Active Nocturnal 2 3

Family #Abundance (1 =

highest 15 = lowest)

Presence of Araneae by vegetation type(high = >100, medium = 50 to 100, low = 10 to 50, very low = <10)

Significance as a vineyard predator

Christmas Bush Prickly Tea-tree

Wallaby Grass Chardonnay Shiraz

Forficula auricularia(European earwig) 1269 1 Very low Low High High Very low

Predator of vineyard pests but also a pest

at vintage

Micromus tasmaniae(Brown Lacewing) 957 2 Medium High Medium Medium High Known predator of

key vineyard pests

Coccinellatransversalis

(Transverse Ladybird Beetle)

857 3 Very low Low N/A Very low High Known predator of key vineyard pests

Cermatulus nasalis(Glossy Shield Bug) 147 4 Very low Very low Low Very low Low Known predator of

key vineyard pests

Carabidae 129 5 Very low Low Low Very low Very low Predator and seed eater.

Chrysopidae: Malladasignata

(Green Lacewing) 124 6 Medium Very low Very low Very low Very low Known predator of

key vineyard pests

Coccinellidae (small Ladybird Beetle) 111 7 Low N/A N/A Medium Very low General predator

Dicranolaius bellulus(Red and Blue Beetle) 102 8 Low Low N/A Very low Very low Known predator of

key vineyard pests

Oechalia schellenbergi(Predatory Shield Bug) 67 9 Low Low N/A N/A Very low Known predator of

key vineyard pests

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

05/10/13 05/11/13 05/12/13 05/01/14 05/02/14 05/03/14 05/04/14 05/05/14 05/06/14 05/07/14 05/08/14

Aver

age

num

ber o

f spe

cim

ens

colle

cted

Date

Average abundance of Salticidae (Jumping Spiders) on key vegetation types in season 2013/14


Leptospermum continentale (Prickly tea-tree)

Chardonnay

Shiraz

Jumping spider

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

05/10/13 05/11/13 05/12/13 05/01/14 05/02/14 05/03/14 05/04/14 05/05/14 05/06/14 05/07/14 05/08/14

Num

ber o

f spe

cim

ens

colle

cted

Date

Number of Salticidae (Jumping Spiders) collected on Bursaria spinosa and adjacent Chardonnay in season 2013/14


Chardonnay

Jumping spider

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35




Leptospermum continentale

(Prickly Tea Tree)

Chardonnay Shiraz Shiraz

Belair NP Beaumonts Road, Balhannah

Adelaide Hills Vineyard (Lenswood) Barossa Vineyard A

Barossa Vineyard B

# of

spe

cim

ens

Number of Pentatomidae (shield bugs) collected on each vegetation type in season 2013/14

Pentatomidae: Oechalia schellenbergi (Predatory Shield Bug)

Pentatomidae: Cermatulus nasalis (Glossy Shield Bug)

68%

96% 98% 95%

32%

4% 2% 5%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Bursaria spinosa (Christmas bush)

n=294


(Prickly tea-tree)n=109

Austrodanthonia (Wallaby grass)

n=196

Vitis vinifera (Grapevine)

n=482

% s

peci

men

s

% Brown and Green Lacewings collected from each vegetation type in season 2013/14

Micromus tasmaniae (Brown Lacewing) Mallada signata (Green Lacewing)

Brown Lacewing

Green Lacewing

www.viti.com.au

September 2016

68%

96% 98% 95%

32%

4% 2% 5%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


n=294




n=196


n=482

% s

peci

men

s



Green Lacewing

Brown Lacewing68%

96% 98% 95%

32%

4% 2% 5%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


n=294




n=196


n=482

% s

peci

men

s



n=94 n=24

1 145

6

111

693

24 8 1860

18 11 140

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800





(Prickly Tea Tree)

Chardonnay Shiraz Shiraz

Belair NP Beaumonts Road, Balhannah

Adelaide Hills Vineyard (Lenswood) Barossa Vineyard A

Barossa Vineyard B

# of

spe

cim

ens

Number of Coccinellidae (Ladybird Beetles) collected on each vegetation type in season 2013/14

Coccinellidae: Coccinella transversalis (Transverse Ladybird Beetle)

Coccinellidae

Coccinellidae: Harmonia conformis (Common spotted ladybird)

Bursaria spinosa (Christmas Bush) ! Only vegetation type where orange assassin

bugs found (most abundant assassin bug species).

! Excellent host for a range of spiders (including active hunting predators Salticidae ‘Jumping’ and ambush hunters Thomisidae ‘Flower’ spiders).

! Excellent host for Brown and Green Lacewings.

! Good host for shield bugs (Predatory Shield Bugs in particular).

! Good host for Common Spotted Ladybird Bugs and Damsel Bugs.

! No Grapevine Moth observed.! Very few LBAM observed (n=2 instars total).


Leptospermum continentale (Prickly Tea-tree) ! Excellent host of a range of spiders (including

active hunting predators Salticidae ‘jumping’some Lycosidae ‘Wolf’ spiders, and ambush hunters Thomisidae ‘flower’ spiders).

! Excellent host for Brown Lacewings and good host for Green Lacewings.

! Good host for shield bugs (Predatory Shield Bugs in particular).

! Good host for Common Spotted Ladybird Bugs and Damsel Bugs.

! No Grapevine Moth observed.! Low number of Elephant Weevil observed

(n=11 at one site, on one date = average 1 per sample).

! Very few LBAM observed (n=6 instars total).Leptospermum continentale

(Prickly Tea-tree)Slide 42

Wallaby grassOther considerationsAustrodanthonia sp (Wallaby grass) ! Three species of assassin bug

predominantly found in Wallaby Grass (Coranus granosus, brown assassin bug, black ground assassin bug).

! Excellent host of Lycosidae ‘Wolf’ spiders, earwigs, brown lacewings and glossy shield bugs.

! No LBAM or Grapevine Moth observed.

! Lepidoptera: Agrotis sp (Army and Herringbone Cutworms) (n=230) were found early in the season at a single site (may present an issue if planting young vines).

Wolf spider

www.viti.com.au

September 2016

Biodiversity (species richness)! 287 taxa (all) including predators, known pests, alternative

prey, detritivores etc.! 77 predator taxa found

! 52 predator taxa found in vineyards (room to improve?)! 53 predator taxa found in Bursaria spinosa! 52 predator taxa found in Leptospermum continentale! 29 predator taxa found in Wallaby Grass= overlap between vegetation types and capacity to control different pest life stages (=diversity is important).

! 14 Tortricidae (leafrollers) found on native plants versus5,189 predators found on native plants

! = 0.27% leafrollers= 370 predators for every leafroller instar.

Study 2

3 x Tortricidae species have been collected in vineyard mid rows previously

Study 2Confirming the presence of key leafroller species in grapevine canopies

? species

Tortricidae(leafroller)?

Epiphyas postvittana(Light Brown Apple Moth)

Merophyas divulsana(Lucerne Leaf Roller)

Acropolitis rudisana


Greg

Bak

er

Question: Are Acropolitis rudisana and Merophyas divulsana(Lucerne Leaf Roller) also present in grapevine canopies?

Slide 47


Greg

Bak

er

Epiphyas postvittana Acropolitis rudisana Merophyas divulsana

BLAST search results

311 bp

CCCGTTACTTCAGTTTTGGTATTTGAGCAGGTATAGTAGGAACATCCCTAAGATTATTAATTCGAGCAGAATTAGGAAACCCTGGATCATTAATTGGAGATGATCAAATTTATAATACTATTGTCACAGCTCATGCTTTTATTATAATTTTTTTTATAGTAATACCTATTATAATTGGAGGATTTGGAAATTGATTAGTGCCTTTAATATTAGGAGCTCCTGATATAGCTTTTCCTCGTATAAATAATATAAGATTTTGACTTCTTCCCCCTTCAATTATACTTTTAATTTCAAGTAGAATTGTAGAAAATGGAGCTGGAACAGGA

Sanger sequencing results (n=407)

96.1%

3.7% 0.2%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Epiphyas postvittana (n=391)

Acropolitis rudisana (n=15)

Merophyas divulsana (n=1)

Tortricidae (leafroller) samples collected from grapevine canopies in season 2014/15 and 2015/16 (n=407)

Study 2Confirming the presence of leafroller species in grapevine canopies

First time Acropolitis and Merophyas have been described in vineyard canopies

Light Brown Apple Moth

www.viti.com.au

September 2016

Significance of these studies

1. Identified native insectary plants that can provide the provisioning requirements of key predators.

2. Determined which Tortricidae (leaf roller species) are present in grapevine canopies for the first time.

Acknowledgements

Scholarships:! Australian Postgraduate Award (APA), !C. J. Everard Supplementary Scholarship! Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation (GWRDC) Scholarship! SARDI Science Bursary

Project funding: ! Adelaide Hills Wine Region Postgraduate Biodiversity Study Grant! Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA)

Supervisors: ! Principal Supervisor: Prof. Michael A. Keller (Adelaide University)! Independent Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Duncan Mackay (Flinders University)! External Advisor: Dr Linda Thomson (Melbourne University)

Documents

September 2016 · Bird-dropping spider Flower or crab spider Triangular spider 16 Spider functional groups: ... / early vine dormancy Leaf fall Vines entering dormancy July 2014 August