Goals & Funding

StopAB.org is the central, public-facing website representing a project involving more than 50 researchers at 14 institutions across the Eastern United States working to develop a sustainable, long-term management program for ambrosia beetles (ABs) in apple and pecan orchards, as well as nurseries, both ornamental and horticultural.

Along with research updates, this site will host management techniques and information for apples, pecans, and nurseries. The funding for this collaborative work comes from the USDA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI). This project will run from 2021 to 2025 and is led by Christopher Ranger with the USDA-ARS. Many thanks to the AB IPM Working Group, as their efforts are the basis of this project.

ABs continue to threaten nurseries and are emergent pests in apple and pecan orchards. As research findings are made public, we will update this website as quickly as possible with practical information for growers.

Project summary (PDF) for the project “Ecology and Integrated Management of Ambrosia Beetles in Eastern US Orchard and Ornamental Tree Crops”
Logic model (PDF) showing the project structure and potential outcomes
The project team will report on its progress in a series of annual reports

Objectives

Objective 1: Biology & Ecology – Predict the risk of infestations in orchard and nursery crop systems through better understanding of ambrosia beetle biology and ecology

Objective 2: Monitoring Tools – Develop novel tools to enhance the accuracy and precision of AB infestation and monitoring tactics

Objective 3: Management Strategies – Compare, evaluate, and combine varying control methods to develop comprehensive management strategies

Objective 4: Economics – Assess potential economic harm and evaluate value saved by management tools and tactics

Objective 5: Outreach – Deliver science-based information. Survey stakeholder needs, deliver crop-specific information, and evaluate reaction and utilization.