Location: Imported Fire Ant and Household Insects Research
Project Number: 6036-32000-051-019-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2021
End Date: Apr 30, 2023
Objective:
To prevent the spread of imported fire ants in the USA by improving treatments of nursery stock used to maintain the Federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine.
Approach:
1) Improve IFA treatment methods of ball and burlap (B&B) root balls in collaboration with the Tennessee State University, Otis L. Floyd Nursery Research Center (TSU) by conducting bioassays on female fire ant alates using soil samples from root balls treated by TSU.
2) Determine an application rate for non-repellent insecticides that a) consistently eliminates imported fire ants from infested B&B root balls and b) minimizes treatment cost.
3) Determine the efficacy of water-resistant baits against imported fire ant colonies infesting irrigated B&B root balls.
