Objective:
The main goal of this project is to develop new knowledge to increase the understanding of the biology and ecology of plant and insect pests in order to develop economical, effective, and environmentally acceptable technologies to improve their management in high latitude agriculture, especially in plant hardiness zones not found in the conterminous United States. This goal will be achieved through the two listed objectives. Objective 1. Monitor and map the distribution and spread of weeds and invasive plants in high latitude agricultural systems and immediately adjoining natural land for patterns of diversity, origin, and spread, to provide strategies for integrated weed management programs in a changing climate. Subobjective 1.1 Determine non-indigenous plant distributions in agricultural and adjacent natural lands to assess their origin and spread. Subobjective 1.2 Determine physiological limits of important selected invasive plant species at high latitudes. Subobjective 1.3 Determine the impact of cold climates on weed management methods. Subobjective 1.4 Develop methods to control important invasive weeds species. Subobjective 1.5 Develop models to predict change in plant and crop insect pests in response to changes in land management and climate. Objective 2. Determine expanding habitats of select insect pests and insect vectors, including grasshoppers as a model, to elucidate the impact of landscape and climate variables on IPM strategies for sustainable, high-latitude agricultural systems. Subobjective 2.1 Assess the importance of predators and parasitoids on grasshopper population dynamics in Alaska. Subobjective 2.2 Develop environmentally sound management of grasshoppers in subarctic ecosystems through habitat manipulation. Subobjective 2.3 Develop management techniques for aphid/leafhopper-mediated disease transmission in Alaska.

Approach:
The research agenda is derived from discussions with collaborating scientists, Alaska producers, and state and federal agencies. The main goal of this project is to develop new knowledge to increase the understanding of the biology and ecology of plant and insect pests in order to develop economical, effective, and environmentally acceptable technologies to improve their management in high latitude agriculture, especially in plant hardiness zones not found in the conterminous United States. Research will be conducted to enhanced productivity, profitability, and environmental quality of Alaska's farming industry and natural resource areas by reducing threats posed by plant and insect pests through research and technology transfer resulting in new and innovative IPM strategies in an environment of long days, short growing seasons, and a cool climate. The distribution and spread of weeds and invasive plants in high-latitude agricultural systems and immediately adjoining natural land for patterns of diversity, origin, and spread, to provide strategies for integrated weed management programs in a changing climate will be studied. The expanding habitats of select insect pests and insect vectors, including grasshoppers as a model, to elucidate the impact of landscape and climate variables on IPM strategies for sustainable, high-latitude agricultural systems will be determined.Replacing 5341-22000-002-00D (03/2011).