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Oral Presentation
Oral Presentation
Poster Display
Poster Display
Student Competition
Student Competition
Ticketed Event
Ticketed Event

Student Poster Display Competition

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Student Competition

Student

Undergrad Poster Competition: P-IE, IPM

A novel method for augmentative biological control for wheat stem sawfly management in Nebraska wheat

Monday, November 10, 2025
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Pacific
Location: Exhibit Hall A-A1, OCC
Poster Display Student Competition
The wheat stem sawfly (Cephus cinctus Norton) is a significant pest in wheat production across the Northern Great Plains causing yield losses and lodging by larval feeding within wheat stems with reports stating its spread further south in recent years. Traditional control methods, including pesticide application and resistant wheat varieties (e.g., solid and semi-solid varieties), have proven insufficient in fully mitigating damage. Bracon cephi and Bracon lissogaster, are parasitoids capable of parasitizing sawfly larvae, offering a promising approach to suppress sawfly populations. Those parasitoids are naturally present in non-cultivated grasses and can establish in wheat fields with high sawfly infestations over time. This study evaluated a novel way to implement augmentative biological control with the goal of promoting local parasitoid establishment and reducing sawfly impact. Wheat straw containing parasitoid pupae was baled, transported, and unfurled at eight wheat fields with sawfly infestation in western Nebraska. Wheat stubble samples were collected before and after parasitoid release to measure sawfly infestation levels and parasitoid population changes. We anticipate successful emergence of parasitoids from the straw, leading to increased parasitism of sawfly larvae. This innovative method could offer a sustainable and scalable solution for managing wheat stem sawfly infestations, reducing economic losses and supporting integrated pest management strategies across the High Plains.