Progress 08/15/08 to 08/14/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: For the 2009 crop season the University of Maine Cooperative Extension's Potato IPM program operated: *50 Heliothis style pheromone traps for European corn borer. *60 sticky type pheromone traps for European corn borer. *70 yellow pan water traps for aphid collection. * 8 pheromone traps for Black cutworm detection. *Scouted 70 potato fields on a regular basis. Made: * 3000 individual personal grower contacts, May through September * During the 2009 growing season in Maine the Potato Pest Management Hot Line received 1500 calls from producers and technical field staff for updates. This is an increase of 200 calls from the 2008 season. * Information was also posted on two websites and was viewed by over 7600 different computers from fifty different countries. * A weekly newsletter with current regional pest updates was emailed to approximately 350 industry staff and another 450 newsletters were US mailed to individuals. This Pest Alert newsletter reaches 800 industry personnel. Trained: Trained 22 individuals and a consulting firm which would be field scouting potatoes using IPM scouting techniques which included: 1. Potato Late Blight identification 2. aphid identification 3. European corn borer identification 4. Colorado potato beetle identification 5. secondary pest identification 6. economic thresholds 7. scouting techniques 8. insect models for Maine producers 9. disease models for Maine producers Information dissemination: Information from the Maine Potato Integrated Pest Management was and will be disseminated by the following methods: 1. 8 Television news stories informing viewers throughout the State of Maine and western New Brunswick, Canada were broadcast. 2. 2 In depth radio interviews were completed by Extension staff. One was a synicated program broadcast throughout New England and other states. This resulted in Universtiy of Maine Cooperative Extension staff providing late blight information to individuals in 12 states other than Maine. 3. Multiple newspaper stories were completed and distributed throughout the state of Maine. 4. Information was presented at 6 technical field staff meetings. 5. Information was presented at the Maine Potato Conference. 6. Information was presented at the Maine Potato Pest Conference Conference. 7. Two websites were and are available for information. 8. 9 Issues of Potato Pest Alert were published dring the growing season. 10. 1500 callers recieved information via the Pest Alert "hot line". 11. A Late Blight Identification Poster was published. 12 A Late Blight indentification factsheet focused toward roadside stand producers was published and sent to roadside stand producers in the state of Maine. 13. A Late Blight indentification factsheet was published and sent to potato producers in the state of Maine. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. James F. Dill, Pest Management Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension. 491 College Ave. Orono, Maine 04473-1295 James D. Dwyer, Crops Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension. P. O. Box 727 Presque Isle, Maine 04769 Dr. Steven Johnson, Crops Specialist, University of Maine Cooperative Extension. P. O. Box 727 Presque Isle, Maine 04769 Partner Organizations: University of Maine Agricultural Experiment Station Dr. David Lambert, Plant Pathologist Dr. Andrei Alyokhin, Entomologist Gary Sewell, Entomolist Maine Potato Board Donald Flannery, Exceutive Director Timothy Hobbs, Director of Grower Relations Professional Development Opportunities: Potato IPM Scout Training Potato Pest Management Conference Maine Potato Conference Field and Technical Staff monthly meetings (six held) TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary target audience for this program would be commercial potato growers and the field and technical staff that work with these growers. A secondary target audience are the farm workers employed on the potato farms. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
*18 college age students were provided with summer employment. * During the 2009 growing season in Maine aphid populations were very low and as a result most growers were able to save at least one aphicide application. 56,000a x ($15/a chemical cost + $6/a application cost) = $1,176,000. * In 2009 European corn borer populations were dramatically lower than in past years. In 2005 52% of the fields scouted exceeded economic threshold levels for European *Corn borer. In 2009 only 5% of the fields scouted exceeded the economic threshold for ECB. This represents potential savings in 2009 as compared to 2005 $ 328,320 * Potato flea beetles in 2006 were found to be over threshold in 10 % of the fields Scouted: 58,000a x 10% x $6/a treatment = $34,800 No fields scouted in 2009 were found to be over threshold for potato flea beetle. Potential savings in 2009 as compared to 2006 $34,800 Economic impact from the insect scouting aspect of the program $1,539,120 The weather conditions during the 2009 growing season were extremely conducive for the development of potato late blight. In the central Maine area during the months of May through August the area received over 20 inches of rain, 7 inches above the average. In late June University of Maine Cooperative Extension staff discovered potato late blight on tomato transplants being sold by 42 big box stores around the state of Maine. This well distributed inoculum coupled with conducive weather conditions created a serious potential epidemic situation. The discovery of the late blight contaminated plant material by Cooperative Extension staff allowed for the removal of this plant material from the market. Therefore reducing the further distribution of contaminated plants throughout the state. University of Maine Cooperative Extension staff in concert with the Maine Department of Agriculture and the Maine Potato Board provided information for late blight management for commercial potato producers, roadside stand producers and home gardeners. throughout the state of Maine. Over 60% of the fields surveyed by the IPM program in 2009 had detectable levels of potato late blight in them. Grower's implementation of Extension of computerized disease forecasting coupled with fungicide selection and applications, field scouting, early detection and appropriate management strategies allowed growers to successfully cope with the unprecedented late blight pressure. It has been estimated that the value of the program impact exceeded $25 million dollars for the 2009 growing season. Total economic impact of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Potato Integrated Pest Management program for the 2009 crop year has been: $26,539,120
Publications
- Johnson. Steven B. 2009.http://www.umaine.edu/umext/potatoprogram/ Potato program website. University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Dwyer. James D. 2009.www.mainepotatoipm.com.Potato IPM website. University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Dwyer, James D.2009. Issues Controlling Colorado Potato Beetles With Neonicotinoids, proceedings 2009 Maine Potato Conference, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
- Dwyer, James D.2009. Potato Late Blight Management Plan for Maine and New Brunswick, proceedings 2009 Maine Potato Conference, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
- Johnson,Steven B.2009. Late Blight Control and Chemistries. proceedings 2009. Maine Potato Conference, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
- Johnson, Steven B.2009. Phorphorous Acid for Late Blight Control. proceedings 2009 Maine Potato Conference, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
- Dill, James, F., Dwyer,James,D., Hobbs, Timothy, J. 2009. Late Blight Identification For Potato Growers. University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
- Dwyer, James D.2009. Insect Trapping Study, proceedings 2009 Maine Potato Conference, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
- Dill, James, F., Dwyer,James,D., Hobbs, Timothy, J. 2009. Late Blight Identification for Roadside Stand Producers. University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
- Dwyer, James,D. 2009. Potato Pest Alert. Weekly newsletter to inform potato growers and technical field staff on current pest situations. University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
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