Pest Management

1
Basics of Crop Production

• Pest Management

2
Pest Control Goals

• Prevention - goal when pest presence or
  abundance can be predicted
• Suppression - goal is to reduce pest
  population to an acceptable level
• Eradication - rare goal, difficult to
  achieve, more common indoors and
  controlling foreign pests

3
Types of Pests

• Insects Mites
• Bacteria Fungi
• Viruses Nematodes
• Weeds Wildlife
• Climate Man-made

4
Pest Identification

• As a producer, you need to be familiar with the
  pests that you are likely to encounter.
• You need to know
• - the physical features of the pests
• - their development and biology
• - characteristics of their damage
• - what your control goal is

5
Parts of the Insect
6
You all know what the cricket looks and sounds
like.

• 4

5
1
6
2
3
Insects have six legs lets count them on this
cricket.
7
This carpenter ant clearly shows the three body
parts of the insect.
Abdomen
Thorax
Head
8
How long have insects been here on Earth?

• Insects were here long before the dinosaurs, over
  250 million years ago.
• Fossils of insects show many different types of
  insects. Some can still be found today.

9
Fossil records show that this insect has been
around a long time. What is it?

• Dragonfly
• (some had wingspans of 3 ft.)

10
Complete Life Cycle
Larva and adult are different
11
Imported Cabbage Worm

• This is an example of a complete life cycle.
• You have seen, and eaten this worm in broccoli,
  cabbage, and kale.

Larvae
Adult
12
This monarch butterfly shows the stages of its
life.
Pupa
See the butterfly?
Larva Caterpillar
Adult
13
These insect larvae will make a silk nest in
trees in the spring.

• Eastern Tent Caterpillar

14
This insect is another web builder in our trees.

• Fall Webworm
• It builds its nests in late summer at the end
  of tree branches.

N E S T
15
This is a serious pest of our forests in the
region.

• Gypsy Moth
• People often confuse the tent caterpillar with
  the gypsy moth. The gypsy moth doesnt spin a
  silk nest.

Adult
Larva
Egg Mass
16
Incomplete Life Cycle
Nymph and adult look the same.
17
This insect has an incomplete life cycle. What
is it?

• Grasshopper

18
Have you seen this relative of this grasshopper.
What is it?

• Katydid

Its here!
19
These are some of the oldest insects in the
world. What are they?

• Cockroaches

20
Talk about annoying, this insect is a real pest.
What is it?

• Mosquito
• They will suck blood from their victims and
  can carry diseases like West Nile Virus..

21
Some of our more favorite insects are beneficial.
What is the orange beetle below?

• The ladybird beetle adult and larvae will eat
  aphids, helping to control this plant pest.

Ladybird Beetle Larva
Ladybird Beetle Adult
Aphids
22
Arachnids include spiders, ticks, scorpions, and
mites.

• Ticks suck blood from their victims and can
  spread diseases such as Lyme Disease.
• Brown Dog Tick

Abdomen
1
5
2
Arachnids are different from insects in that
they have eight legs and two body parts.
6
3
4
7
8
Head
23
These are our two problem ticks.

• Deer Tick Wood Tick

24
Mites are Arachnids too!
25
Im sure that you recognize this beautiful
spider.

• Black Widow Spider
• This is a very venomous spider that can
  inflict a very painful bite.

Red Hourglass
26
This is the other dangerous spider besides the
black widow in the USA.

• Brown Recluse Spider
• They are found in the southern states and are
  brought here when items are moved or shipped
  north.
• They are shy and reclusive, preferring closets
  and out-of-the-way places.

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Insects can look scary, but most are harmless.
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Why Control Weeds?

• Some have been declared noxious weeds by the
  State. Its the law!
• Weeds look bad, they reflect poorly on your
  management.

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Why control weeds?

• Weeds reduce the desirable plant population.
• Weeds reduce overall forage quality and yield.
• Weeds reduce overall animal yield.

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Poison Hemlock
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Pokeweed
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Jimsonweed
33
Johnsongrass

34
Canada Thistle
35
Broadleaf Plantain
36
Lambsquarter
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Poison Ivy
38
Crabgrass
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Disease is another pest management concern.
Alfalfa Phytophthora Root Rot
40
Disease
Alfalfa Bacterial Wilt
41
Disease
Alfalfa Anthracnose
42
Disease



Southern Corn Leaf Blight
43
Disease



Northern Corn Leaf Blight
Southern Leaf Blight
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Disease
Diplodia Ear Rot
45
Disease
Corn Smut
46
Disease
Wheat Powdery Mildew
47
Disease
Wheat Yellow Rust
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Disease
Wheat Take-all
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What are these snakes? They are scary
looking, are they dangerous?

• Black Rat Snakes
• They are non-venomous and are good snakes to
  have around the farm.

Baby Black Rat Snake
50
This is how snakes eat their food.

• All snakes swallow their food whole.
• There are no vegetarian snakes.

Excuse me, I cant talk with my mouth full.
51
This is how you can tell the difference between
venomous and nonvenomous snakes.
Arrow
Rounder
Cat
Round
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Do you know this snake?Is it poisonous?

• Copperhead
• Yes, it is venomous.

Rat Tail
53
Recognize this snake?Doesnt it look a lot like
the baby black snake?

• This is a baby copperhead.
• Note the yellow tip on the tail.
• It is still venomous.

Note the hour glass markings
Baby Black Rat Snake
54
These snakes are rare, but can be found in this
area, what are they?

• Timber Rattlesnakes
• Yes, they are very venomous and are
  considered to be the most dangerous snakes
  around here.

55
Methods of Control

• Natural Control
• Climate
• Natural enemies
• Geographic barriers
• Food and water supply
• Shelter

56
Methods of Control

• Applied Controls
• Resistant varieties
• Biological control
• Cultural control
• Mechanical control
• Sanitation
• Chemical control
• An integrated system uses components of all of
  these applied controls

57
The Threshold

• Level of pest populations at which you should
  take pest control action to prevent unacceptable
  injury.
• A threshold may be based on aesthetic, health, or
  economic considerations.
• A threshold often is set at the level at which
  the economic losses from the pest damage is
  greater than the cost of control.

58
Potato Leafhopper Threshold on Alfalfa

• Average stem height hoppers/100
• (inches) sweeps
• ___________________ _____________
• lt3 20
• 4-6 50
• 7-10 100
• 11-14 200

59
Pest Monitoring Questions

• What kinds of pests are present?
• Are the numbers great enough to warrant control?
• When is the right time to begin control?
• Have the control efforts successfully reduced the
  number of pests?

60
Organic Low-input Systems Rely on

• Sanitation - habitat, over-wintering sites
• Eliminating, or managing nearby weeds that host
  pests
• Rotations for fertility to deprive pests of a
  suitable host
• Maintain proper plant nutrition

61
Organic Low-input Systems Rely on

• Building and maintaining soil organic matter,
  which improves drainage and water-holding
  capacity
• Soil organic matter helps to support
  populations of microorganisms which feed on
  disease organisms and nematodes.
• Encouraging indigenous beneficials

62
Organic Low-input Systems Rely on

• Importing in predators and parasites
• Physical controls, such as flaming and row covers
• Cultural controls, such as delayed planting,
  early harvesting, pruning, or mulching
• Use of selected pesticides

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Insect ManagementOrganically Approved

• Soaps
• Oils
• Rotenone
• B.T. (Bacillus thuringiensis)
• Pyrethrums
• Traps
• Pheromones
• Repellents
• Two blocks of wood

64
Disease Prevention

• Many factors are involved
• - environmental management
• - crop rotation
• - sanitation
• - good plant nutrition
• - soil health organic matter, drainage,
  tilth
• - resistant varieties, seed treatment
• - cultural techniques

65
Minerals forDisease Control

• Copper - blights, downy mildew, black
  rots, anthracnose
• Sulfur - scab, powdery mildew, brown rot,
  on strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, potatoes,
  field crops, tree fruits
• Lime-sulfur - scales, mildews, anthracnose,
  brown rot on fruit trees

66
Minerals for Disease Control

• Bordeaux mix
• (copper sulfate)
• - anthracnose, mildews, blights, black rots
  on small fruits, flowers, shade
  trees
• Liquid copper-sulfur - blights, mildews, leaf
  rust, black rot, anthracnose on vegetables and
  fireblight on pears

67
Natural Sprays forDisease Control

• Fermented nettle tea (preventative)
• Equisetum tea (root dip, foliar spray)
• Chamomile tea (seed soak)
• Liquid seaweed (seed root soak)
• Watery compost extract (preventative) - compost
  in soils and starting media can prevent some
  diseases

68
Managing Weeds

• Organic low-input systems rely on
• - cultivation
• - giving the crop a head start
• - mulches
• - smother crops (cover crop)
• - companion crop
• - mowing

69
Managing Weeds

• Organic low-input systems rely on
• - flaming
• - solarization
• - allelopathy
• - biological controls
• - chemical controls

70
Preventing Weeds

• Simplest most effective approach
• sanitation is essential
• check transplant root balls
• wipe soil tilling implements clean
• keep field perimeters mowed
• do not let weeds go to seed - this includes
  cover crops

71
Types of Mulch

• Plant residues - leaves, grass clippings,
  straw, hay, sawdust, compost
• Living mulches - low-growing legumes, rye,
  ryegrass, oats
• Man-made materials - thin plastic sheets (in
  colors), woven materials, Mylar, newspaper

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Pesticides

• Any chemical used to control pests
• Types
• insecticides
• fungicides
• herbicides
• rodenticides
• miticides

73
Pesticides

• Formulation examples include
• granules
• wettable powders
• dusts
• dry flowables
• aerosols
• fumigants

74
Pesticides

• Classifications
• Caution (least toxic)
• Warning (moderately toxic)
• Danger, Danger-Poison (highly toxic)

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Pesticides

• Pesticides are also classified into two other
  categories
• Restricted Use
• - hazardous to humans or environment
• - requires Private Applicator License
• General Use
• - anyone can purchase and use these products

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Pesticide Modes of Action

• Insecticides
• stomach poison
• systemic
• contact
• broad spectrum
• selective
• Fungicides
• contact
• systemic

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Pesticide Modes of Action

• Herbicides
• contact
• systemic
• selective
• non-selective
• Herbicide application methods
• pre-plant
• pre-emergence
• post-emergence

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Steps to Selecting a Pesticide

• 1) Identify the pest
• 2) Try cultural, non-chemical
  alternatives
• 3) Review economic considerations
• - threshold level of the pest
• - what is the effectiveness of the
  recommended pesticides
• - expense (material, labor)

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Steps to Selecting a Pesticide

• 4) Select the pesticide
• - crop and pest must be on the label
• - least toxic to man environment
• - compatibility (mixing materials?)
• - Selectivity
• - Residual length of control, reentry,
  and days to harvest

80
Factors Affecting PesticideApplication Rate

• Soil type - heavy soils require higher
  rate
• Percent of organic matter - higher O.M. ,
  higher rate
• Maturity of crop - more plant material,
  higher rate
• Maturity of pest - bigger pest, higher rate
• Pest Population - more bugs, more
  pesticide is needed

81
Effective Pesticide Application

• Timing is everything, regularly walk your
  fields
• Note pests stage of development
• Use appropriate labeled amount of pesticide
• Unless otherwise noted on the label, use an
  adjuvant
• Evaluate weather current forecast
• Alternate pesticide chemistry

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