4* r t 'C _ A I r r V.WV Fr.. 41 ( )/ g :4 ffdr ap /9o . r 1"''/; ~ 'C- ,atI a r * r a N r $ 4 Pag 5 In this issue F a I I 1 9 9 7 V (o I u mn e 4 4 N u m h e r A\Qi \ikri) Rriliki or RISI5RCII Pt ii .ih[t io iiii Ai \ii\StS\A (m(iihk R \i \i\I Sri w,{A \i Ii~ k\ iv t\ n \il5 \TME S E. MARION ...... Director EDfITORIAL COMMITTEE. Art Chappelka. Associate Professor of Forestry: Rohet JTAMES R. ROBE RSON ...... Editor Nelson. Associate Protessor oft Agriculiural E conomics anid Rural Sociology. Art Axvcry, ('AlIIlRINE. L. SMITH .. Associate Editor Protessor, School of Human Sciences: Daxvid Stringfel lowA, Associate Pirofessor of Animal ROBET A.HI RN Asocite dito Health Research. Beth Gttertal. Assistant ROF3,RTA. HAR ... Assciat Edtor Professor of Agronomy and Soils: Geoffrey "Zehnder. Associate Protessor ot Entomology: TERESA F. ROD)RIGUEIZ . .. Art D~esigner and Roy Roberson. Fltoi s N'ote. Mentiioni oh trad namCiiies doces not inidicauie end~orsement hy the Alaihama~ A\giicultral hirand overi auiothie. Ans ise of pest ite raties in exces~s of labeled amiiounts in rTesearch repoi ied does not constitiuie recoonendatioii of ..uh rute. Such use is simlyt part oh ihe scienficu im~esui gtion nec.essairS to evaluiiae varioiis mateiais. No chetieocal should he used ai rates aibove those permitied hs tie lahel. Informai~tin containcd tein is as ailahlc to all persons wiithouti regard to ra,ic color sex. or naitioiial ork-iii Alabama Agricu'lmural Fxpu'riment .Station Hig'hlightsr of A ii/rlural Rensearch Vol. 44, No. 3, Fall 1 997 Consu~mer Choice ot U.S. Brands in Foreign Markets: Opportuniities for Alabama Textile and Apparel Manufacturers Transgenic Tomato Withstands CMV Epidemic in North Alabama Should Catfish in Ponds be Fed Oxer Winter? Some Stitnging Caterpillars on Shade and Ornamental Trees Runoff. Frosion, and Water Qutality Detriment Evaluated in Graz'ing Studies Organic Sprays Effective for Worm Control in Cabbage and Lettuce Role of Fiber in Litter-Based Diets AAES Develops Fast. Efficient lest for Diagnosis of Viral D~isease of Chickens ON THE COVER: This harmless imnperi caterpillar is among several *furry" cater lars found in Alabama. Some, however. not so harmless. See related story on pa~ In the last issue of Highlights, we mentioned the Sup- port prov ided to the Alabama Agricultur al Experi menut Stat i(on (A AES) by tax dollars, g'ifts, grants, con triacts, and incomie frohml sale of produicts. These Sources of income allowA the AAF S to continue research programis by scientists in the different schools and colleges within Auburn Unixversity (AUl). AAES research programis hav e historically been based on partnerships that allowA more to be done wAith less. ']'lie orig inal paiinership wxas between the fedeiral and state governments to jointly sponsor research at the state level. This partnership 5 continues today, bnt is Supplemented by other equal ly important wAorking relationships. AAFS has exvolv ed into an organization that partners 6 with five different schools and colleges on the AU campus. These are the colleges oif Agricultuic. Sciences and Mathematics, and Veterinary Medicine plus the Schools (if 8 Forestiy and Human Sciences. Scientists supported by AAES in these fixve schools/colleges work across administratixve dixvisions to jointly conduct research needed by AAES clientele. Under a federal court order of txwo years ago. AAES is now spnorn joint iresearch wAith Alabama A&M Unixversity 1 I (AAMUJ). Scientists firom both campuses are utilizing AAES facilities across the state to conduct research on both the AU and AAMU1 campuses. While some cooperatixe research was already underway between our Scientists, this Iegal action 14 Spurred us to Support needed research in areas wAhere both of our faculties have expertise. Other partnerships are being strengthened wi thin the 17 state and across state lines. We have gene transfer wxork in swAinc being conducted by animal scientists at AU and molecular biol- ogists at the Unixversity of Alabama in Birmingham. Aciross State lines, we are doing regional reseairch in a nuniber of areas xxith 19 other state universities. After all the abov e working relationships are consid- ial ered., oui most impoitant partner is still the usci of AAES-geii rpil- erated information. This partner may be a producer. pirocessor, are agribusiness person, or consumer of products covered by AAES research. To youi. that partner. we pledge our best ye 8. efforts in service to you, your family. and your business. LONSUMLH LHU Lt OF U.S. BRANDS IN FOREIGN MARKETS: OPPORTUNITIES r ALAB a -s A N II . , - 7 - . RND Lisk A iii HANUFACTUBli, C hiief Can and S Iut/ra \1/1(, uture success in the global marketplace reqires accurate response to consumer demands in international markets Successful firms must identify customers needs and expectations so they can develop product and marketing strategies that will enhance success in international markets. An AAES study is helping Alabama textile and apparel producers identify their customers' needs around the world. AAES researchers developed a model of the con- sumer choice process and tested it with consumers f'rom Korea. China, Mexico, and the United States. This model proviles a framework for understanding customer needs and demonstrates the interrelationship between product attrihutes. the customer's perception of product attributes. and resulting evaluations of the product's quality and value. Purchase decisions are based on consumers' per- ceptions, and those perceptions may vary by country since cul ire is a powerful force shaping perceptions and, thus, product choices. That is why careful examination of cus tome dcmoigraphics purchase behaviors, ard attitudes toward U.S. products ard birands is critical. Mall intercept studies of consuiers in four coun- tries were conducted to examine the effect of product attributcs on consumers' perceptions of quality, value, and A labama Ag~rh 01/0/ al I' \/rifliuiI .Shoboo Higligsof Agricid oluol leorho I Vol. 44, No. 3, Fall 1997 v S. brand apparels"111~ illinness to buy a roduct. Product attrib- Ic*A important to the msumer f or apparel G oducts include physi- i attributes ot the roduct, such as the tvle. fabric quality, and w\orkmanship, as well as brand name and price. In caliinin"' consumoer attitudes and purchase hehav iors in international markets we can see how the i nd i vidual markets differ. China, South Korea. and Mexico rep- resent diverse emerging markets with a growing middle class and- rowing potential for U.S. textile and apparel products. The U.S. market was used as a benchmark to com- pare Asian and ILatin American mat kets. Foreign Markets, continued on page 4 ('oIIsuio ci scii lentti were conmpaired On a number of variables to better understand how market seg- inents differed and what was necessary to satisfy customers in each nrket. [or example, consumers xho are most likely to purchase U.S. brands are typ- ically younger, more highly educated. inire affluent, and more fashion and brand conscious than the average con- sumer in those markets. Most bought U.S. brands because they represent the American lifestyle or image. Statistical analysis was used to test the effect of physical attributes. Intrinsic Perception of Attributes Intrinsic Attributes Brand _ Perception of Name Brand Name er than intrinsic attributes or brand (except for U.S. customers, who have been conditioned to look for sales). U.S. brand name did affect quality per- ceptions in all countries except China; however, most respondents did not examine the country-of-origin label when evaluating garmients. They appeared to base their evaluations on their perception of U.S. brands rather than actual country of origin. That is, consumers appeared to use U.S. brand names as an indicator If product qual- ity, fashionability, etc. The direct effect of price on perceived salue is TI rceived uality SCALE = weakest 4 = strongest 0 = not significant ll Price -> Perception Perceived of Price Value Modl o U.S. brand name, and price on percep- tions (If quality, valie, and willingness to buy amiong custoiers in each of the four countries. The model (see the fig- ure) shows color coded country paths: red-China, orange-Mexico. purple- Korea. aid green-USA. The width of the line indicates the strength of the relationship. Consumei perception ofl phys- ical attributes had a strong iipact on perceivedc quality. Braid was also important. but tie elffect of price oi perceived quality was less important NNW C u m K -4 3 2 --0 significant in all markets. There is a strong relationship between perceived quality, value and willingness to buy in all markets. Understanding customers needs. expectations, and notivations for purchase allows companies to develop more effective product and marketing strategies to naximize cus- tomer satisfaction. For example. among Mexican apparel customers, image and status are very important; thus, high status brand naies are very popular. Furtherimlore. high quality apparel is desired to convey a high sta tus and image. Mexican customers are willing to pay higher pirices for appar- el than Korean. Chinese, or U.S. con- suiners. They seldom purchase apparel products that are on "sale because they believe it denotes inferior quality. Therefore, marketing strategies that build a strong brand image consistent with the status-oriented attitudes and values of Mexican customers xill be most successful in that market. By comparison, customers in South Korea are more price and value conscious and more prone to puirchase apparel products on sale hina h.trii are Mexican consumers. .S.A. I I tis, strategies of value-oiented Mexico area motion. advertising, pricing. i sourcing are necessary to I mi e cu stomer satisfactiOi w..South Koiea. Position in" a f S. brand/product near the In'h end of the market was typ- wally the most successful posi- tioning strategy in Mexico. In Korea, positioning products toward the top with emphasis on ngness mOrlpetitive prices was the best Buy ,Iu tegy. This research can bene- iit the Alabama apparel and tex- tile industry by prosiding better forecasting of potential customer response to changes in product quality, offerings, and service levels for each market: enhanc- ing customer satisfaction (and sales and profitability) by more effectively identifying and responding to cus- toier need1s and expectations: reduc- ing risk associated with errors in developing and positioning a product for specific international markets; and anticipating potential effects of adver- tising, promotion, pricing, or other positioning strategies on consumer perceptions of the brand/product. Cane i a Technology Speciaist for the Center for Text le and Appare Technology and Forsythe is Wrangler Professor of Consumer Affairs. Alhana Agriculuiiul Evpelrinwnrt Station HighIli'lms o/fA ric u/lto, ul R'wuct Icl Vol. 44. No. 3. Full / 99' 7 Lii proplit O io n of Alabama's fresh mar- ket tomlat() production /-\occurs in Blount and St. Clair counties in North Alabama and each year since 1992 tomato growers in these and surrounding counties have sttf- fered severe losses dute to an epidenmic of the plant viruts cucumhler mosaic viruis (CMV). Recent AAES and Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) tesearch indicates that ) Cult' of sHpine ics rs ents~l doss itIs Ciaterpillars, continuatJ on pn e 10 Alabamao AgiculIural Lupeiiew .Sation Hio,hlig'hls of Ag~ri/in IWual ceunh Vol. 44, No. 3, Fall 199; kllcv l.. /11,011' ,(ill 1, A hack; lon ger r.tistled spines occur along lie si des. Ini Al abamna, the catetpillIat h as beel founid only on oak: post oak seems to he pref cited. Larv ae ate generallIs pre- sent dunrig May arid the first half oif .1titne. Sex ciity (of sting is generallI' con- sidered to he about ctqtial to that of' the t. aterpllldr (Norahw ov//hi wxhite flannel moth is I to I I iniches long wxhen f uly I , ossi C'olorationi and mat kiries are a, pictured. Redbud is the primiai host in Alabama. buit lars ae alsi fced on itc Ol~ocLust, til1 1iios; a d h c h r y C a e p l a s bgto appear iii late J uily a nid A uigu - arid ate pr esetnt inIto Octohe i ILarxvae ate someitimties abundat onl ortntamnital tclhuid. P rp ila r 1 he full roxxn ,tineins tose larx a is 3/4 to /8 inch lone. The hody is airmed wi tth conspicuous D orn-like. hrtistled spines. (Coloration and miarkinges arc as pictured. I osts include apple. cottotiwxood. Jogxx ood., h ickotr5. oak, I edhud. sy canmotr, and rose. Catetrpillats ate gen- : rally present in August rid early Septembet hut :oe not utsually abundant. lag "Moth ate~r p1ila r __ Phobell-n pill/C(iiwi~) The dlistt netix c I orin of the hag moth cater- ilfar makes it easy to iden- tify. Full et11ows i larx ae ate htowxn, hairy and 1/2 to 5/8 itich lone. The latetral extensionis of the body hear urticatinl setae. 1Tree hosts include apple, ash. hitch, dogwxood, hickor%. oak, and vwifllosw. Larv ae ate geuralki sol itary Ifceder s. and are usual ly pie- Nent in August and Septembier. possess uiiticaitingz sti ucturles should not gzenerate undue fear ol cater pil- lars. Oniy a relativ e cx species hav e s tingin g capahilIities, and these are not of ten abundant. Of the species rexiessed. the puss caterpillar, saddle- hack, and buck mioth ate the most irOU- blesome "tingers." Reactions pro- duced by these are somiew.hat si milar and may somieti mes he sex ere (see puiss caterpillar). The renining species ate def initely *stingers.'" hut reactions pr oduced are less painfult and of ten short-Iivxed. H-oxx cver, the se eri- ty of reaction depends on the species of caterpillar degree of contact, and susceptihilits of the individual. Reactions may he par tienularlN sexverc for allergy sufferers or indix idials xxith setnsitixve skin. In case of sex crc reac- tion. x ictimis (often children) should promptly seek medical attention. Hyc~'he is ar Associare Professor of Etmo o M/ore (/'lc/il on.ining4,1I Ini 51/5 ill he mviuhl in 1 AAEIS Budletin 032, "Siing~iii In We/s of Alabamio.i, w'hichi wil/ e puibshed /l/cl this S ( (: II' hmlilla Alabaa A igroid/n il Iseecin Stati ion Higlig~hts of A gricui/lrail Research Vol. 44. No. 3, la/Il I1997f RUNOFF, EROSION, AND) WATER QUALITY DETRIMENT EVALUATED IN GRAZING Fr i P'ins, K) iu/; Yoo, M/nd, AuIlr-Goodmni,, S ANIMALS GRAZE FOR- 4 BakAGES, they alter the vegetative Icover and soil physical proper- ties of pastureland. These alter- ations may decrease infiltration of water through the soil which, in turn, increas- es the amount of surface runoff. On lands where poultry waste has been used as a fertilizer for t perennial pastures, this increased runoff can deposit high concentrations of nitrogen into wxater bodies adjacent to pastures, which can be detrimental to the ecology of the water sources. , a, The potential for negative effects to the environ- ment surrounding the areas where the waste is S applied increases the need for sound manage- ment practices. A recent \a \ES study was con- ' ducted to help define best managzement practices in these situiations. A ~IC 0/ /iio (1Id 10/ 0/II /' Ijlol IUII)I(/ I ItllIIIi/i iidiGrazing Studies, con tinued on page 12 A lubtomi A ir'ii f/tO HI F \/)Ciellt' it Station ] ] Hig'hlights of Agricu~ltural/ Research Vol. 44, No. 3, ku/i 1997 Runoff (in.) 12r Grazing Studies, continued tro~m page 11 I he Itud\ I dalctd "i a/inc pressure to surface erosion, runoff. and runofIf water quality cornparing tw\o grazing pressures on three pas- ture vegetation types (switchgrass. berinudagrass, and tall fescue) in the Tennessee Valley recion of Alabama. Runoff, sediment loss, and water quality data were recorded at the Tennessee Valley site from November 1994 through September 1996. Data gathered in the field are being compared to trends predicted by two non-point source computer simulation models (GLEAMS and WEPP). WEPP is the USDA Water Erosion Prediction Project and was initiated in 1985 to develop a new generation of water erosion predic- tion technology. The nodel is designed for use in soil and water conservation planning and environ- mental assessiment. It is capable ot 10 8 6 4 F- Proper grazing runoff Heavy grazing runoff Sediment loss (tons/ac.) 0.2 r 0.175 0.15 0.125 0.1 0.075 0.05 0.025 F Bermudagrass D Tall fescue D Switchgrass Proper Heavy sediment sediment loss loss p rcis"ctar fot h Ibeirn ' ,h//i lll feucu, and .vigiNI /Icc plois, eInIIIei'Ne Uali Subcstutio,, B/lle Mina. estimating spatial variability in topography surface roughness, soil properties, hydrology, and land use capabilities. GLEAMS is a field- scale model that consists of hydrol- ogy. erosion, nutrient, and pesticide simulation components. The latest veision of GIAMS (\ersion 2.1) Observed and GLEAMS Predicted Average Sediment Loss and Runoff by Grazing Pressure for Bermudagrass,Tall Fescue, and Switchgrass Plots, January through August, I 996,Tennessee Valley Substation, Belle Mina Proper grazing regime Observed Predicted Sediment loss (tons per acre) Bermudagrass 0.039 Tall fescue 0.020 Switchgrass 0.066 Runoff (inches) Bermudagrass 2.32 Tall fescue 2 17 Switchgrass 3.48 0.045 0.055 0.085 1.72 1.72 1.72 Heavy grazing regime Observed Predicted 0.037 0.022 0.049 2.46 2.43 3.13 0.050 0.060 0.075 1.72 1.72 1.72 has been updated to make it more user friendly and comprehensive. Mainly, changes have been made to streamline the input to reduce user dependence and allow more inter- nal estimation of parameters. The study was conducted at the Tennessee Valley Substation in Belle Mina on 12 0.25-acre rectan- gular runoff plots. Each plot was equipped with a flume for measur- inite surface runoff and a runoff sampler. Plots were fenced so that cattle were restricted to certain plots according to the type of man- agement practice the plot was under. Grazing could take place only in plot area or in the travel area between plots. Al/abamia A gricultural F x/wriml( it Staltion Higligits o/ Agic ltual fResearch Vol. 44, No. 3, hill 1997 I I III I 1 I The plots were divided into proper (recommended) and heavy (twice the recommended rate) graz- ing treatments. Grass height was used to determine the grazing pres- sure. Control heights of four inches for bermuda, six inches for tall fes- cue, and eight inches for switch- grass were used for the proper graz- ing treatment. Control heights of two inches, three inches, and four inches for bermudagrass, tall fes- cue, and switchgrass, respectively, were used for the heavy grazing treatment. Once a grass was grazed to the control height, the cattle were removed from the plot until the grass recovered enough for grazing to resume. A combination of cow- calf pairs and single cows were used throughout the grazing period. Broiler litter was applied to the site in split applications at a rate of 3.02 tons per acre each in spring and summer for bermudagrass and switchgrass and 2.52 tons per acre each in spring and fall for tall fes- cue. Runoff from the plot areas was sampled after each runoff produc- ing rainfall event and weather data was monitored at the site. Data suggest that there is a significant interaction between for- age species and grazing pressure (see the figure). Under proper grazing management, the bermudagrass plots contributed the least amount of sedi- ment (0.088 ton per acre), followed by tall fescue (0.089 ton per acre). Switchgrass lost the most, 0.17 ton per acre. Under heavy grazing man- agement, the bermudagrass and tall fescue plots were very close, losing 0.131 and 0.132 ton per acre respec- tively. Switchgrass lost the least sed- iment, 0.11 ton acre, when grazed heavily. Runoff amounts observed also varied. Under proper grazing management, bermudagrass had 7.21 inches of runoff, while tall fescue had 6.91 inches, and switchgrass 11.12 inches. When grazed heavily, the bermudagrass contributed the least amount of runoff, 6.93 inches. Switchgrass was next with 8.43 inch- es, followed by tall fescue, which contributed 9.24 inches. The total rainfall amount recorded for the 23- month study was 92.8 inches. Although the switchgrass plots produced significantly more cumulative runoff and sediment than the other plots under proper grazing management, nutrient analysis for total nitrogen indicated that tall fescue pasture lost signifi- cantly more than both bermuda- grass and switchgrass regardless of the grazing pressure. Dissolved phosphorus and sediment phospho- rus in the runoff water showed sim- ilar patterns of loss. In the context of surface water quality, this trend becomes critical considering the influence of phosphorus on eutrophication, the extensive use of tall fescue as a win- ter pasture grass, and the wide use of poultry litter as a nutrient source for tall fescue pastures in areas where poultry is produced in Alabama. The collected data was com- pared to the GLEAMS and WEPP models, and showed that in all cases except for switchgrass heavy grazing pressure contributed to increased amounts of sediment when compared to the proper grazing pressure. The GLEAMS model overpredicted amounts of sediment loss in all cases, while underpredicting runoff amounts. Using site-specific input parameters and observed weather data for the same time period, the WEPP model has predicted no sedi- ment losses, yet very large amounts of runoff for all of the plots. Compared to observed data, these predictions were not on target, and more work will be needed to make sure that adequate documenta- tion is provided and the models per- form well enough to develop reliable decisions on pasture management practices. This is especially impor- tant in the Southeast, where very lit- tle research such as described here has been done. Pitts is a Graduate Research Assistant and Yoo is an Associate Professor of Agricultural Engineering; Miller-Goodman is an Associate Professor and de los Santos is a Graduate Research Assistant ofAgronomy and Soils. Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station 13 Highlights of Agricultural Research Vol. 44, No. 3, Fall 1997 JAML, tf V EGETABLES are of ten plagued by insects. pairticuilarly caterpillars that can cause sev ere feeding damtage to the marketable parts of the plant. While sn thetic insecticides are axvailable. recent AAES studies hav e shown that garlic. red pepper, and other organic materi- als also provide efftectivxe cointrol ot these pests on lettuce and cabbage. Some of the moire dlamag)innt of the lepidopterous species include the diamondback moth, thle cabbale Ilooper, and the i mported cabbace wormv. These pests pimarily feed on cruc i crous crops (cabbage. col lards. broccoli, kale. etc.). Sevecral army- wXorm species also mnay occasional ly attack cruc iters and other Alabama x eg etablc crops. including lettuce. Adult female moths lay eggs on the cabbage and lettuce plants, and the hatching caterpillars, or "worms," feed on the outer leav es and heads causi ng defolijation and reducing~ the krade or marketabii ty of the crop. Application of synuthet ic insecticides is one method that growxers can use to protect v.egetable crops against insect attack. However, organ ic growxers or eioxx ci s interested in adopting inte- grated pest management (IPM prac- tices are interested in alter natix e meth- ods of insect management. I/is, brocco/i field (aibov ) in BIl/dwiin 1nopn (reniter I impornted nah/nige w om: (ii'/it , dintin nnuc moit/h udlult, cocoon. Organic insecticides and insect repellents. usually derived from plants or microbes, haxve a long history in ag ric ulIture and reports (miany~ are anec- dotal ) xary as to their efl ectix eness. IUnfortunately, fexx formal studies haxve been done to compare these materials. particularly the organic insect repellents. w'~ith standard, synthetic insecticides. A two-0yNear AAE S study wxas conducted to compare commonly used. sn thetic insecticides wxith some readilyN axvailIable organ ic materials, inclI rding A labama Agi~riculrl/o k\/N'ieini .Stton Highigi~hts of Agxricultural o Researcht Vol. 44. Ni. .3, Fall 1997 (;~~~Li o!/IlI(.I .Simonnom' 1(1/ B Hi ,', J1im Banon, aOtt! Matrvin Rull/ garlic juiice and red pepper poxxdci, for co ntrox l of' xworm pests in cabbace andI lettuce. The study demonistrated that appiicat ioii of' gamrlic aiid oithler organ ic mateials prov ided cxvels of' wxorm con- trol suit i iciii t to protect cabbage and let- tice heads f onm insect attack. Separate experimnicts were conducted wxithi Atlantis xvaiity cabbace transplanted on March 25. 1997. at the F. V. Smuithi Horticultuire Subsamomi in Shioter aiid Salinias 88 Supicme xaieity head lettuce transplainted on Juie 6, 1997, at the Sand Mountain iiSubstation in (Crossx illc. ('abbace treatmemit plots coiisi stedl of' a single. 25 foot- long treatmeint iroxx bordered on each side liv an nonticated or buffler row, and lettuce t eatmlemit plots consisted of txxo-irox plots xxith 40) plants per plot. Ciabbage treatments were sprayed oin a weekly Schedumle beginnin g on Apii 25 til Iharx est usiing a spray volume oif 55 gallons per acre. Iv ory S nox" xiqi 1 u id Ilaunidry soap (six drops per twxo-liter bottle) was added to the spray mixture in all spray treat- iments to ensure the cabbac-e leaxves Number of worms per plant (season avg.) 2.0 ZDBM Q CL 1.5 QlIcw 1.0 0.5 0 IE - Javelin Garlic Pepper Karate lb/lUl '(' w 111/rr , i// 1 1 1,1M ,It Karate l"'i applied at the rate of 0.75 iml per twxo-liter bottle. xxas used as the standard synthetic pyi'etlroid insecticide in the cabbage trial. This amouint xxas equix aleint to the recoimned field rate of 2.6 f'l iid ouiiccs of Karate per acre applied in 55 gallons oft water. (Note: a callon is 3.8 liters aiid a fluid otince is 29 ml.) Commrionly used by com- mer'cial groxwers to control caterpilI lamrs iii x eetables aiid ot her cr'ops, this pr oduct Conitainis 13.111 lamiida- cx halothrin . the activxe in-credient. The orcaniic niaterials under studx in the cabbace tria~l iniclutded the f'ol - lo w ing: G arlic B arrier xi A lien s"ae i G " an xco n i girounid red pepperi. The carlic miixturi', xxlich is 100c% garlic juice miixed wxith water. xxas applied as a f(11iar spray: I (/ gar- lic, I(( fish oil. 98c% xxatci'. This prod- uct is adx ertised as aii inisect repiellenit that eniters tie plants throug*h stomiata aiid iioxves sy stenmically thiroughi the plaii. The McCormiick grouiid red xppehr . ti ned at a local Supei market, has also been reported as 1 I isect repel lent. \Iicn is a botani- colitairling 3.0% az.adirachtiii. a na~tuiral inisecticide ubtained fromi the u pical neeni tree. \iadiracin is Ic i orted to hax e - - -- - - actix itv acainist Align Control axx i de x a r ie tx hou in 1l1 of insect Speccies, oil l~nl Ic ( '1. ineltiding lepidlop- terotiS pests. The actix c ingredient in Jaxveliii \W( is a toxini obtained ti om a bactei i u ii Bac illus~ thitu~iniens variety kiursliuki. The toxin is activec only against eater- pillar pests. and acts as a stoniacli poi- son that nmust he coinsunmed by the wxorims to he effectixve. Lettuee spray treatmients, applied approximately weekly begin- iiing on Juiie 1 2 through inky I 8. we rc made using 36 gallIons per aeire spray volutme. In the lettuce experimtents Galie Barrier wxas cx aluLated as a fol iar spray using the same oi muIa- tion of eLarlic. fish oil. and wxater. and aS a I oliar spray plus a tiransplant drench application. A combination of Sexvin XLRr" insecticide (at a one- pint-per-acre rate) pilus Kocide l)F i hactericide (at a t x -potiids-per-acre rate) wxas Lised as the chemical stan- dard t eatmniit in the lettuce tirial. In tie cabbage test. xworni counts we rc recorded we eklx on fixve cabbage plaiits per plot, aind a x isual daniage ratinig wxas assigned to fixvc plaiits per plot at harxvest oii May 28. Plaiits in the lettuce trial wxere cx aluated at harxvest using a 0 (nio insect or di- ease daniage) to 5 (severe insect feed- iiig damiage aiid disease symptoiis) visuial daiiaee ratiiiei scale to assess iiisect damac aiid foliar disease inci- dence. Caterpillar larx ae werie not ideii tilied by species iii the lettuce Irial. Woiii counts takeii ini the diff creiit cabbage treatient plots iiidi- cated that the 1axvcliii biolocical inisc ticile. Gairlie Barieir. aiid red pepper treatments resu Itedl in equivxaleiit or better control of' cabbage xxorms thiaii the Karate sxyithietic iiisecticide treat- mniit ( FiLcure I ). All these treatmeiits resulIted iniin/Lehr sigiificanitly lowxer iitiii A Itiitit it Agi( Ii uhura itt x ilenlt Stationi ighil/ig~,hts of Agric l/htra R('searchI Vol. 44, No. 3, FktU 199" i r r Growers interested in these alternative controls might consider performing their own evaluation by comparing the efficacy of various materials in a small portion of their vegetable plantings. Contact Geoff Zehnder at 334-844-6388 for additional information on design of an "on farm" experiment to evaluate vari- ous insect control treatments. hers i o i v ris tha I in th Ile nittl Icaictl control. Alicn provided the least cliec- tive w Xornm control of' all the spray treatments. Insect danmace tratintts taketn at harv\est indicated that cabbacye plnsin rthe .iavcdin treatment extlihit- edI the least w~orni damiage, tollowxed by red pepper. Karate. Garlic Barrier. Align, anid the nontreated control, in older of increasing damage (FigIure 2). The av erage wxorm dlamlage rati ngs in all organ ic treatments except f or Align wer e beloxx 4. inudicat ing that most of the damage occurred on the outer wxrapper leaxves and did not affect mar- ketahility ot the cabbage heads. In the lettuce experiment. dilfferenices iin tisect teedinc, damac,_e amonc treatmients also we rc cxident (Figure 3). Treatmrenits in order of increasing insect feedintg damage wxere: Garlic Barrier applied as a tr an spl ant dirernch arid fol iar spray, the chemical standard. Giarlic Harrier applted otily as a foliat sptray. and tie water control. In the carlic treat- mierits, insect teediric daiiac was limited to the wrapper leavecs arid did riot atffeet marketahiIi ty of the lettuce heads. No garlic odor was detected f romn the lettuce or cabbage plants at hatrvest. I hit stttilx inite,,t thai all the o1 eiate insecticides arid insect repellcnts exvaluated ini these studies. (,cept tot Align. xx e effectixve in erducing' caterpillar populations and insect teed iii damace ini cabbace arid lettuce. Sotrprisinrgly, application (it the ''ititec miaterials resulted in eylui a- lent or lowxer insect t eedinrg damiage han the chieical standard treatmrient. Ihis did niot occur ini the 1 996 cahhace tial. xxhere the organic materials pro- s ied acceptable Iinsi'ct cotrol and it itketable cabbaL, heads. but wxere n.i surperior to t he ceiiial statidail Karate ( Hii,'ligl,' .,CullYht Volumtie 4' No. 3. FallI. 1990 p Variabilitx ini result betxweeni years couhd be due to various, factors. intiludttru lexe of itnrsect rnles- tation arid environ- mental conditions. Howevcxer, these re- stilts demonstrated that application of .Jaxclini \\G. Garlic Hiarrier, arnd red pep- per reduce caterpil- lar feedinc damrace su ttieierit to resu It ini iiia ketable x ield ot cabbace and cei tuce. These mateli als hav e riot beci cx aluated for coi trol of' insect pest oft other x'egetahle crops. A Ithoutighi treatmienits tiay Control Align Garlic Karate Pepper Javelin ptos\ C ll~a1U ttLti in iii 1 ihC e~\fi- merits, pest. crop. arid eritonimenrtal conditions miay he di ftfeient on inidi- x idutal tarmis or cardenrs. Zerr is r n Associate Pirofessor of Entomrology; Sirmonne is an Assistant Profeso of Hori tculture Biggs is a Techricianr VII anid Bannor is Director of the E.V. Srmith Research Ceriter; and Ruff i Associatc Superintenoentr of the Sino Mountan Substationr Damage rating P i; I.bl i ,t , i !w /ui /. /1, n h~ I/)iti lict ti//ut liii. / ta/i/h il ihit I 1et nif 2 iiiiinot ft thdt' onl wrapp/er /liaec 3= iith'i Alt eet/u i i o in//it Itape lt ii i/ii no) lhtait i/tilnal, 4= iiiit/t ld ing onii (i/Iiii i/ learn / wii 1ithl/ inrl I tdi,, oni headii. A tcA/in of 4 (int ti/li/i is i/li uteu i itiiii tierl Ii r cc it// i ii t'c i iii t t/ltilftg to i/t birat/ is ntl a(1 ..... 6 Water Garlic spray Chemical Garlic dr. + spray 0 2 4 6 Damage rating Alabaman Agictul lural E '1 erili en Station Illfi/li, t o/ Agilrl 0/110/a'e h icn /u l. 44. No. 3, FilI /997 ________ -j AAES Develops Fast, Efficient Test for Diagnosis of Viral Disease of Chickens A vla reoviruses cause a nwlber of ecoomical Iy im~ tant. debi I tati ng diseases of commercial chicken tukyflocks wsorldwxide. Reovi ruS is an abbreviation respiratory, enteric orphan virus. These \'iruses got ti names hauCthey were oiial sltdfo h nei n p 1 Il ir it 11c () c iicall n nrI l hlrnsm c-l ensa o I A N RA A A-4 AW E Vt Pu I ' Igct iou oii aian reov1,1 RNA li ill i/tlit tirt 0/till iirl h I li I)) ini siu hxbiid ain iii on. Wih oi nfl to . in/l, dairk roind pur tl . por- In Suisceptible chickens, reox iruses ad can cause lameness and suhoptimnal wxeight br ain and feed conx ersion, as we ll as ni nunosuppression. I m innosuppi ess ion heir resuIts in poor x accinle r esponses and ren- res- ders the birds nioie susceptible to other nectious agents. Reox iruseS can alSO result ini inucreased mortal it x and higeh processi ng plant condlemination, wxhich xwiii increase the post of produict ion. Other economic loses Come from the cost of medications to ticat he disease as wxeli as for diagnostic prce luries and x acci nes to prex ent infection. Despite nexw xaccines and treat- m ents, losses due to reox irms infections Still Occur. The virus has the abilIity to mutate and cevade the chicken's immune response. D~iagnosis of reox iruis-induced diseases is difficult, becauise theyv are clinically indis- ingiishable from a number of other coi- mon problems. Therefore, a rapid laborato- rv diagnostic test f or reox irus infections in pouiltr is needed. Researchers in the AAI'S have dev eloped a rapid sensitivxe laboratory test for the diagnosis of av ian reox i uses. '['he test uses the very latest molecular bio- 101clprocedures for the detect ion of thle Iwesence of reox mus nucleic acid in the tis- ueS of infected chickens, In oin (ini the tis- Sue) hy bridization (the union (if two strands Of nucleic acid) xwas used to detectvia cnes in infected tissue sections. that had _been fixed in I ornal in and paratffin-mh med- Viral Disease, continued on pii,'e 20 HighIlights of Agiricturalo Resew-( h Vol. 44, No. 3. f'll 199 I -- r-4k v Viral D~isease, continuedi trcim paile 19 dled. I his histologic procedure of' for- main ixing and paraff in embedding is Commuion in the poulhtry diagnostic laborator y for the m~icroscopic obscr- vation of' lesions (abnormalities) in the tissues of sick chickens. The in siu hx hridiz/at ion ISH ) procedure cain assess infection in a SmiallI percentage oif the total iiuilibc of chicken cells. xxithoiit loss (if Sensit ixity dInc to large nou11 hers of cellular nucic acids. TIhis alloxws for early detection (24 howr af ter infection) xxith only a Small number of viral particles. The ISHI- test has been wxidely used for the detection of xviral infections. A clini- cafll unappaicnt x iial state in wxhich a pai ticular viral marker is sy nthe- sized at levels belowx the threshold of' detect ion by serol ogy (anti body detection) or innohistochemistry can he detected nsing ISH1. The AAFS ISH- test used a nonrad ioactixve, cloned cDNA (copy of deoxyribonucleic acid) probe aopli i td in 1. (ol hactcria I or the sale and irapid (one day of' processing) detection of xviral nucleic acid. The probe wxas labeled wxith the noiiradioactix e chemical digoxi- Lcenin (DIIG ). The DIG labeled probe is safe. sensitivxc, and stable for more than one year in the ircfrigeratoir. IDIG labeled probes accurately define xviral nucleic particles and shoxx less non- specific (backgaroundl) staiing than wxith other nonradioactixve probes. With this test the xviral RNA (ribonucleic acid) can be seen in close proxi mity to the imiicroscopic lesions i ndicati ng that the reox irns caused the lesions. The figure showxs an arrow, wxh ich indicates a positixve ISH signal ( preseince of' reoxinus RNA). TIhis is a heait tissue shoxxing microscopic lesions friom0 a reoxvirus in fected chicken. With this test. xviral containing particles could be local ized in the livcr, panreas. and sx noxiai membrane of' the tendon of' infectedl chickens. These tissues also had macroscopic and miicroscopic lesions indicative of rcox'irus il clion. The microscopic lesions xxerc in close pr\iiil\ withl the positix cS 1511 ti- Cdes i ndiClt inc that tihe i COxiruiS caused the lesions. 1Tissues shoxxinc the most amount of iiiicroscopic lesions had the most amount of positix cI\ stained par- tIeS. xxhich f nrthCi Shoxxed that reox iral replication xxas respoinsible for the imiicroscopic lesions. In addi- tion, tissues f'rom non iiifected chick- ens or chic.kens infected xxith nonie- lated poultrV x iruses did not Shoxw positivxc stained particles. This indi- cated the speci ficity aind refliabilIity of the test for routiine diagnosis of reox irus iiifections. 1Tle ISH- test cain be adapted to n\ui other poLtry xiiruses by siimi ply inaki ng specific pi obes for each piece of xviral iiucleic acid. Therefore. this test represeiits a iiajor break- through for the diagiiosis of all x iral diseases of poultry where the disease cannot be diaenosed based solelx on the clinical picture. GimLo i i arfessor and Liu i forrmr Ph.D. student of Poultry~ Science At ABAMA AGiRtCITURAI_ EXPI RMENT STATON AUBUttRN UNIVItRSIIY AUIRN UNIVtERSITIY. ALABAMA 36849-5403 ames E-. Mar io n, [Direct'oi PO)S TMAS~TE-Addrcss Correction Rctquested 20) A loun/i Ag icutuorl I ~w romn t St1(11out HIig~hits~~r ot A triceiitnuru Rcexeuoc Ii ol. 44, No. 3. Polt 1 997