Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching IPM of Insect Pests and Disease Adapted from original presentation by D. P. Muehleisen, Evergreen State College

What is IPM?  There are many different definitions  Key concepts: Pests and management  Integrated pest management is a sustainable approach to controlling insect pest populations that combines (PAMS)(PAMS)  prevention,  avoidance,  monitoring  suppression strategies in a way that minimizes economic, health, and environmental risks.

History of IPM  Early years, pesticide based – some feel it was more “Integrated Pesticide Management ”  Now moving towards ecosystem based  Key concept: integrate numerous of compatible control strategies to maximize population stabilization

Prevention  Various practices that keep pests from infesting a production site (i.e. field, orchard, or greenhouse) Examples  Using pest free seed or transplants  Field sanitation  Eliminating alternative hosts

Avoidance  When pests are already present in the general area, but pest impact can be minimized through various cultural practices. Crop rotation Crop choices Trap crops Adjusting planting schedule  Early planting, late planting, not planting Resistance traits Fast maturing varieties

Monitoring  The key component to any IPM program  Proper identification of pest – know your enemy Monitoring program  Traps  Weather monitoring  Soil testing, when appropriate Record keeping  Pest incidence and distribution in each field

Suppression To avoid economic loss, population suppression technique may be necessary  Cultural practices  No-till or strip till  Cover crops or mulches  Companion planting  Allelopathic properties  Physical suppression  Baited or pheromone traps  Exclusion devices  Row covers  Biological Control  Mating disruption  Pheromone  Sterile release  Conservation  Augmentation  Chemical/biopesticide control  Considered a last resort  Evaluate Cost to benefit ratio

Problems with pesticides: The pesticide treadmill  Resistance  Resurgence  Secondary pests  Residues

What does Resurgence and Resistance look like?

The Basic Elements of an IPM Program Know crop growth cycle Know the pest Combine methods Attack the weak link Monitor Preserve beneficials Gain threshold= management cost ($/ac)/market value ( $/bu)

Planning an on Farm IPM Program  Ecosystem management  Cultural control  Information resources  Monitoring program  Record keeping  Know your options

Ecosystem management effects on carrying capacity  Carrying capacity impacts Economic Threshold and Economic Injury Level  Farmscaping - Managing habitat for beneficial populations require shelter food water

Plants to Attract and Feed Beneficial Insects Umbelliferae family  carrot, yarrow, Queen Anne’s lace, dill, anise, fennel, coriander, parsley Compositae family  zinnia, marigold, aster, daisies, mums, black-eyed susan, coneflower, Coreopsis Mint family and Perennial herbs  mints, thyme, sage, oregano, bee balm, basil Other plants  salvias, wallflowers, nasturtiums, poppies, etc. goldenrod dill wild carrot

Cultural Control  Varieties/Cropping System Developmental rate  Planting dates/harvesting dates  Crop rotation

Plant varieties /Cropping systems  Cultivar selection is critical  Control achieved through various planting methods – multiple, interplanting, intercropping  Multiple cropping Sequential production  Interplanting Cover crop  Intercropping Two or more crops on the same land at the same time Strip cropping

Cover Crops

Click on image to start video

Biological Controls  Conservation of naturally occurring methods of population stabilization Predators Parasitoids  Augmentation of organisms that will help to stabilize population of pests Predators Parasitoids

Predators Lady bird beetles AdultsLarva

Predators Green Lacewing AdultsLarva

Predators Syrphid fly AdultsLarva

Predators Orius insidious

Parasitoids  Peristenus digoneutis  Encarsia inaron

Augmentation: Predator/Parasite release

Mechanical/Physical controls  Row covers  Hand picking  Sticky boards  Plant collars

Insecticides  Chemical pesticides Biochemicals  pyrethrins  rotenone  azadirachtin  Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) Synthetic pesticides with properties of natural substance  Permethrin (Pounce)  Biopesticides Bacteria Fungi Viruses

Monitoring of pest populations  Scouting fields Hand lens Random samples  Trapping Pheromone traps Light traps Pit fall traps Sticky traps  Sweep Net  Vacuuming  Beat sheets Random Samples: a measure of the total population

Field Scouting Point Sample Random samples

Sweep net sample

Trapping Lure trap Visual trap Pheromone trap Visual trap Pheromone trap

Beat sheet

Sustainable Small Farming and Ranching Disease Control

ID your problem  Contact County Extension Educator  Contact Plant, Soil and Entomological Sciences Dept. at University of Idaho Check out the Idaho Plant Disease Reporter

How does a disease spread?

Disease Distribution and its Impact Disease distribution Occurrence over time Apple powdery mildew

Principles of Disease Management  Resistant varieties  Disease free seed  Crop rotation  Sanitation  Healthy soil  Weed control  Control insect pests

Traditional Principles of Plant Disease Control  Exclusion  Eradication  Protection  Resistance  Therapy

Apply Specific Tactics for: Reduction of Initial Inoculum Reduction of the Infection Rate Reduction of the Duration of the Epidemic

Disease Causing Agents  Fungi  Bacteria  Viruses

Fungi life cycle Example: Venturia inaequalis (Cooke) Wint Apple scab

Bacteria Erwinia amylovora Fire blight

Viruses  Tobamovirus, Tobacco Mosaic Virus

More on plant diseases  Check out this 4 page colored publication from ATTRA’s publication on Organic Integrated Pest Management

Healthy Plants = stronger immunity to pests & disease Click on image to start video

Good house keeping skills for controlling disease and pests Click on image to start video

Credits Presentation developed by Dave P. Muehleisen, Evergreen State College. Video segments taken from: “Nothing But Herbs: A Case Study of a Small-Acreage Farm” produced by Ben Troka, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Copywrite 2001, University of Idaho Extension. “Weed ‘Em and Reap, Part 2: Reduced Tillage Strategies for Vegetable Cropping Systems.” Produced by Alex Stone, Oregon State University, Department of Horticulture. Copywrite 2005, Oregon State University.