1. Integrated Pest Management February 19,2008

2. What is a Pest? Insect, disease, or pathogen Insect, disease, or pathogen May be situational May be situational IPM requires some pest tolerance IPM requires some pest tolerance Only 5% of known insect species are considered “pests” of humans. Only 5% of known insect species are considered “pests” of humans.

3. What is IPM? Multiple arsenals of pest control methods Multiple arsenals of pest control methods Multiple tactics used simultaneously Multiple tactics used simultaneously Requires knowledge and time Requires knowledge and time Management vs. eradication Management vs. eradication Rethink acceptable pest population levels Rethink acceptable pest population levels Develop action thresholds Develop action thresholds

4. Four Components of IPM Pest Identification Pest Identification Monitoring (aka scouting) Monitoring (aka scouting) Control Guidelines (aka thresholds) Control Guidelines (aka thresholds) Methods of control Methods of control

5. Pest Identification How can you control it if you don’t know what it is? How can you control it if you don’t know what it is? Family or group vs. species Family or group vs. species Where is it from? Where is it from? How often will it reproduce? How often will it reproduce? What is its dispersal pattern? What is its dispersal pattern? How much damage does it do? How much damage does it do? What part of the plant will it eat? What part of the plant will it eat?

6. Monitoring The earlier, the better! The earlier, the better! Early detection = more control choices Early detection = more control choices Remember undersides of leaves Remember undersides of leaves In greenhouses or crops, use random letter patterns to scout In greenhouses or crops, use random letter patterns to scout Repeat throughout season Repeat throughout season

7. Control Guidelines aka thresholds aka thresholds May be aesthetic, economic, or personal May be aesthetic, economic, or personal Decide when action will be taken Decide when action will be taken Vary with crop and intended use Vary with crop and intended use Not developed for all crops and insects Not developed for all crops and insects

8. Control Guidelines Sometimes no control is needed Sometimes no control is needed Typically multiple controls are chosen to work together Typically multiple controls are chosen to work together Timing is crucial Timing is crucial Better understanding of pest leads to better control decisions Better understanding of pest leads to better control decisions

9. The IPM Arsenal Natural Controls Natural Controls Host resistance Host resistance Cultural Cultural Mechanical/ Physical Mechanical/ Physical Biological Biological Chemical Chemical

10. Natural Controls Climate Climate Natural enemies Natural enemies Geography Geography Supply and demand of resources Supply and demand of resources

11. Host Resistance Tomatoes bred for disease resistance Tomatoes bred for disease resistance ‘Underhill’ wheat is an early example ‘Underhill’ wheat is an early example Monoculture cropping requires continuous resistance development Monoculture cropping requires continuous resistance development Should genetically modified crops be included, i.e. Bt corn? Should genetically modified crops be included, i.e. Bt corn?

12. Cultural Controls Rotation cropping Rotation cropping Time planting for low pest levels Time planting for low pest levels Diversify Diversify Companion planting Companion planting Cleanliness in greenhouse Cleanliness in greenhouse Watering methods Watering methods

13. Mechanical / Physical Controls Nets, barriers, traps Nets, barriers, traps Picking or knocking insects off plants Picking or knocking insects off plants Repellant devices Repellant devices Foil or moving objects Foil or moving objects Tree shaking machines Tree shaking machines Human or dog urine or hair Human or dog urine or hair

14. Biological Controls Beneficial insects- predators and parasites Beneficial insects- predators and parasites Nematodes Nematodes Naturally occurring pesticides Naturally occurring pesticides Bt, Neem Bt, Neem

15. Chemical Controls Last for a reason Last for a reason Don’t work well with some biological controls Don’t work well with some biological controls May be only option if pest caught too late May be only option if pest caught too late Make informed use choices Make informed use choices Broad spectrum pesticides kill beneficial insects Broad spectrum pesticides kill beneficial insects

16. Basic IPM Concepts INTEGRATED- tactics from multiple arsenals may be used simultaneously INTEGRATED- tactics from multiple arsenals may be used simultaneously Suppression is more likely than eradication Suppression is more likely than eradication Actions are taken based on “thresholds” Actions are taken based on “thresholds” Requires time and knowledge of operator Requires time and knowledge of operator Takes longer to control pests Takes longer to control pests Many “old-time” practices are IPM tactics without the fancy name! Many “old-time” practices are IPM tactics without the fancy name!

17. Pesticide Resistance More is NOT better! More is NOT better! That which does not kill them, makes them stronger That which does not kill them, makes them stronger Only resistant progeny will result Only resistant progeny will result

18. Common Pests Aphids- only 3,000 species! Aphids- only 3,000 species! Whitefly Whitefly Spider Mites Spider Mites Thrips Thrips Lepidopterous pests Lepidopterous pests

19. Aphids Many beneficial insects will attack them Many beneficial insects will attack them Look for mummified bodies Look for mummified bodies Congregate on new growth Congregate on new growth Spread slowly- at first Spread slowly- at first Winged individuals only when plants become overcrowded Winged individuals only when plants become overcrowded Up to 20 generations per year! Up to 20 generations per year!

20. Green Peach Aphid

21. Black Peach Aphid

22. Whitefly Wide range of host plants (> 250 species) Wide range of host plants (> 250 species) Control differs for young/ adults Control differs for young/ adults Biological, physical, chemical controls Biological, physical, chemical controls Cannot over winter in freezing temperatures Cannot over winter in freezing temperatures Found on undersides of leaves Found on undersides of leaves Common poinsettia and hibiscus pest Common poinsettia and hibiscus pest

23. Whitefly

24. Spider mites Mites are arachnids Mites are arachnids Thrive in hot, dry conditions Thrive in hot, dry conditions Apparent by “webbing” under leaves Apparent by “webbing” under leaves Leaves may be mottled or distorted Leaves may be mottled or distorted

25. Thrips Really tiny insects Really tiny insects asymmetrical mouthparts asymmetrical mouthparts Infest flowers and new growth Infest flowers and new growth Present in most flowers! Present in most flowers! Situational pests, i.e. greenhouses Situational pests, i.e. greenhouses Control with blue plastic plates (honest!) Control with blue plastic plates (honest!)

26. Caterpillars life cycle duration varies life cycle duration varies Single vs. multiple generations Single vs. multiple generations Chemical treatments only work early Chemical treatments only work early

27. Cabbage Looper- Early Instar

28. Cabbage Looper- Late Instar

29. Cabbage Looper Pupa

30. Cabbage Looper Adult

31. Beneficial Insects Spiders and mites may also be beneficial Predators, parasites, or parasitoids

32. Beneficial Insects Wasps Wasps Syrphid Flies Syrphid Flies Minute pirate bug Minute pirate bug Big-eyed bug Big-eyed bug Lady beetles Lady beetles Praying Mantids Praying Mantids Spined Soldier bug Spined Soldier bug

33. Beneficial Insects Lacewings Lacewings Damsel Bugs Damsel Bugs Earwigs Earwigs Rove beetles Rove beetles Tiger beetles Tiger beetles

34. Encouraging Beneficial Insects Diversify your plantings Diversify your plantings Plant the Compositaceae family Plant the Compositaceae family Don’t use chemicals right away Don’t use chemicals right away Use compatible control methods Use compatible control methods Don’t demand eradication Don’t demand eradication It amounts to the gardener’s version of a balanced ecosystem

35. Why a Balanced Ecosystem? Monoculture math Monoculture math potato monoculture +lack of host plant resistance = thousands of starving Irish A similar example: cotton, the boll weevil, ….and thousands of starving southerners

36. IPM is for all Gardeners Beginnings in agriculture Beginnings in agriculture Pesticide resistance has made IPM palatable even to chemical manufacturers Pesticide resistance has made IPM palatable even to chemical manufacturers IPM has always been practiced… IPM has always been practiced… We now have decades of scientific proof that IPM works We now have decades of scientific proof that IPM works Departure from man vs. nature mentality Departure from man vs. nature mentality

37. Questions and Discussion