LSU AgCenter scientists and researchers are constantly on the lookout for invasive pests that can decimate crops and herds and lead to significant financial losses for farmers and the local economy.
To fight against the new and consistent invasive species that enter Louisiana, researchers have had to work with farmers to develop and figure out the best ways to mitigate and hopefully remove the invasive species from the state.
At a recent invasive pest workshop, AgCenter researchers and extension agents urged the community to communicate and collaborate to work against pests that could have severe impacts on farms and ranches.
Topics for the workshop ranged from the state of specific crops in the past year to new pests that may be a problem to Louisiana agriculture. Extension agents, entomologists, crop breeders, agricultural consultants, industry representatives and farmers were all present at the event, hoping to learn about the issues with invasive species in the state.
The workshop began with AgCenter entomologist Rodrigo Diaz, who spoke about the Center of Research Excellence for the Study of Invasive Species, where he serves as director. The center, coordinated by the AgCenter, discerns which invasive species have the most potential to disrupt Louisiana agriculture and works to develop processes to most effectively and cost efficiently deal with the problem.
“The purpose of the center is to generate new technology to study invasive species to hopefully develop techniques to detect, mitigate and manage invasive species and not only in agriculture but also in natural resources,” Diaz said.
In this vein, Christine Navarre, AgCenter Extension veterinarian, spoke about the risks that New World screwworms hold to Louisiana cattle farmers. While the worms have yet to make it to Louisiana, they have been causing some problems in Texas, so she showed how cattle farmers can get help and advice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture website.
Navarre also spoke about Asian longhorned ticks, which carry a disease that can devastate cattle herds. She urged caution, saying farmers must be proactive if they have reasons to believe the tick is spreading.
“We need everybody to be aware of this. If we see any maggots in anything, you need to call a veterinarian. Call the state veterinarian’s office and turn those in,” Navarre said. “We want to stop it as soon as it gets in here. So, we need surveillance.”
There also were multiple talks on pests that could impact important crops like rice, cotton and corn.
AgCenter entomologist James Villegas spoke about the impacts cotton jassids can have on cotton production as well as basic information on the bug and how to deal with it. These insects were first seen in North America in 2023 and have recently been found in Louisiana.
The jassids can reproduce quickly and in more than just cotton plants — but there are potential pesticides that can control the pest if it’s present. Villegas also had samples of the insect, which is only a few millimeters long, available for viewing underneath a microscope at the workshop.
Also shown under microscopes were rice delphacids and apple snail eggs. Both pests can be a nuisance to rice farmers, and apple snails can even affect crawfish farms. The snails get caught in crawfish traps and force farmers to clean them out and sort out all the snails from the crawfish.
“I would say that the greatest risk is the impacts of apple snails on crawfish production. Some of the producers that are facing heavy, heavy infestations from apple snails are struggling to make any profits at all with their crawfish industry,” said AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson. “With the rice market conditions now, the crawfish side of the production system has really been become very valuable. And so, any losses are going to be felt throughout both industries.”
