Progress 07/01/09 to 06/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: IPM in Agronomic Crops: In collaboration with Western SARE, two mini-grants in agronomic crops were awarded, and resulted in a workshop, bulletin, and grower survey on using IPM to manage Townsend's squirrel in alfalfa, and demonstration sites on using goats to manage Russian olive. IPM in High Value Crops: Two mini-grants in high value crops were awarded, resulting in a television program, demonstration site, and booklet on using chickens for vegetable pest control and a demonstration peach orchard showing IPM methods to manage boring insects. In our IPM Pest Advisory program, we delivered newsletters covering small fruits & vegetables (5) and tree fruit (17) to over 3500 e-mail subscribers. We enhanced content on the IPM website by: uploading all advisories from 2003-current to a searchable format on the IPM website (over 300); added social media (Twitter); and converted the home orchard guide to html. We developed IPM spray tables for commercial tree fruit growers and will be expanding the content to a multi-state publication. We expanded the online pest decision aid tool, TRAPs (Timing Resource Alert for Pests) with new models (fire blight) and weather data access. We conducted a tree fruit IPM survey to evaluate the program's successes and future needs and achieved a 75% response rate (results are currently being analyzed). We produced a codling moth mating disruption fact sheet based on several years of research and presented findings at meetings and distributed to all commercial growers. We produced a raspberry horntail fact sheet based on biology and management research, and presented findings in newsletters and 9 professional meetings. The IPM staff delivered approximately 19 talks to commodity groups, Master Gardeners, and pesticide license applicators; 21 tree fruit and vegetable grower field meetings; 2 in-service pest training workshops (Extension and NRCS); 8 gardening radio programs; and 1 fire blight workshop. IPM Support for Pest Diagnostic Facilities: The IPM group met monthly with the diagnostic lab to coordinate workshops, budgets, etc. We scanned and uploaded over 400 images with captions to the pest diagnostic website, representing 13 insect and disease categories. We delivered 4 quarterly Utah Pests newsletters to approximately 5000 e-mail subscribers, and uploaded each to the website. IPM in Schools: We met with school IPM committees in Utah and the western U.S. region, and an IPM staff member attended two professional development conferences, and presented two school IPM talks. Consumer/Urban IPM: In collaboration with Western SARE, one mini-grant in consumer/urban IPM was awarded, and resulted in the production of four pest identification posters distributed across the state, and three pest ID workshops. The IPM staff delivered approximately 10 talks to green industry professionals, Master Gardeners, and pesticide license applicators. We conducted the first IPM survey of green industry professionals as a baseline for future programs targeting this group. We delivered newsletters covering landscape (5) and turf (3) to over 3000 e-mail subscribers. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals: Diane Alston, Entomologist and State IPM Coordinator, Utah State University, Principle Investigator. Facilitates coordination of IPM programs, supervisory role, research, training, diagostics, etc.; Marion Murray, IPM Project Leader, Utah State University, Co-PI. Carries out daily operations, training, research, etc.; Ruby Ward, Economist, Utah State University, Co-PI. Survey design and analysis; Ryan Davis, Arthropod Diagnostician, Utah State University. Runs school IPM program; Kelly Kopp, Turf Specialist, Utah State University, turf IPM. Partner Organizations: Utah State Horticultural Association (tree fruits); Utah Department of Agriculture and Food; Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Lab. Collaborators: Colorado State University tree fruit plant pathologist and agronomist; Western Region School IPM Implementation and Assessment Work Group; Utah Climate Center; Western Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education; Utah Cooperative Agriculture Pest Survey Committee. Training Opportunities: tree fruit, vegetable field days; undergraduate student training in IPM; faculty professional development at professional organization meetings. TARGET AUDIENCES: Producers in fruits and vegetables throughout Utah, Master Gardeners, pesticide applicators, green industry professionals, school administrators and staff, USU Extension agriculture and horticulture agents, and citizens of Utah learned about IPM through field days, grower meetings, workshops, fact sheets, conference calls, website, social media, newsletters, and face-to-face, phone, and email contacts. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
IPM in Agronomic Crops: County agents that completed mini-grant projects are better able to serve their clientele due to their greater experiential knowledge of local and regional IPM issues. Their counties now offer more IPM services and products than counties that have not participated. Agents reported that the mini-grant program allows them to deal with local IPM issues based on stakeholder input. IPM in High Value Crops: Participant surveys, one-on-one conversations, and feedback at grower meetings showed that farmers subscribing to the IPM advisory program have reduced their pesticide use and/or have changed to reduced risk products. Several applied research projects contributed to pesticide reduction and increase in IPM implementation: 1) Utah onion growers now use IPM to manage onion thrips, resulting in an annual savings of about $180,000 and improved yields. 2) Growers have adopted a codling moth treatment threshold for mating disruption orchards developed by the IPM program, resulting in improved detection and decreased errors in supplemental insecticide applications. 3) A new program targeting an underserved tree fruit grower group used field meetings and demonstrations, and has energized this group to switch from organophosphates to alternative options. 4) Analysis of four brands of codling moth mating disruption dispensers showed clear differences, allowing us to advise growers on the most efficacious products. 5) Our recommendations of raspberry horntail control timing based on observations of biology and varietal susceptibility saved the raspberry industry $80,000 in crop loss. Individuals who have learned monitoring, identification, and correct pest suppression skills through IPM training are adopting IPM, as seen in the pest advisory user survey and at grower meetings. Growers' knowledge in the correct use and choice of pesticides has increased, resulting in a greater awareness of pesticide safety to humans and the environment. The Utah IPM Program and IPM training has helped growers produce healthier plants (26% increase). IPM advisory recipients also reported decreased costs (27%) due to reduced sprays, better spray timing, and knowledge of appropriate products. IPM Support for Diagnostic Facilities: Improvements made to the Utah Pests and IPM websites have driven more traffic to the sites, where the number of unique visitors for the month of May has increased by 38% since 2008 and the number of visits directed to the site from non-USU extension sites has also increased by 38%. IPM in Schools: Interaction with the Salt Lake School District has enabled the IPM program to be the primary source for pest identification and management in schools. Over 40 professionals in the district were trained at a school IPM workshop. Consumer/Urban IPM: The survey results of green industry professionals will be used to guide future programs. We found that most landscapers (40%) use IPM; however many (41%) offer season-long spray programs that are not tied in to a scouting service, 22% still spray on calendar dates, and 79% do not keep permanent scouting records.
Publications
- Alston, D. 2010 (February). Pesticide product use and safety for consumers. Deseret News (newspaper): Consumer Section, Provo, UT.
- Murray, M. 2009-10. Utah Small Fruits and Vegetables IPM Pest Advisory. Semi-weekly. Provides current pest activity, biology, timing, and technical information for residential and commercial growers. Via email and on utahpests.usu.edu/ipm.
- Murray, M. 2009-10. Utah Tree Fruit IPM Pest Advisory. Semi-weekly. Provides current pest activity, biology, timing, and technical information for residential and commercial growers. Via email and on utahpests.usu.edu/ipm.
- Murray, M. and Alston, D. 2010. Codling Moth Mating Disruption. Utah Pests Fact Sheet, ENT-137-10. 5 pp.
- Pereault, R. J., M. E. Whalon, and D. G. Alston. 2009. Field efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes targeting caged last-instar plum curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in apple and cherry orchards. Environmental Entomology 38 (4): 1126-1134.
- Teixeira, L. A. F., L.. J. Gut, R. Issacs, and D. G. Alston. 2009. Reproductive maturity of cherry fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in managed and natural habitats. Environmental Entomology 38 (4): 955-961.
- Alston, D. 2010. New fruit fly pest rapidly expands its distribution in the West during 2009. Utah Berry Growers Association Newsletter Vol. 3, Issue 2: 3-4.
- Alston, D., Murray, M. and Black, B. 2009. Raspberry Horntail. Utah Pests Fact Sheet, ENT-132-09. 4 pp.
- Alston, D., Davis, R., Murray, M., and Vorel, C. 2009-10. Utah Pests News. Quarterly. Articles on current pest news and research at Utah State University. Via email and on utahpests.usu.edu.
- Knight, A., D. Light, R. Hilton, and D. Alston. 2010. Pear ester for codling moth monitoring and management. Good Fruit Grower 61 (5): 40-41.
- Kopp, K. 2009-10. Utah Turf IPM Pest Advisory. Quarterly. Provides current pest activity, biology, timing, and technical information for residential and commercial growers. Via email and on utahpests.usu.edu/ipm.
- Murray, M. 2009. Community-Wide Grasshopper Control. Utah Pests Fact Sheet, ENT-131-09. 2 pp.
- Murray, M. 2009-10. Utah Landscape IPM Pest Advisory. Semi-weekly. Provides current pest activity, biology, timing, and technical information for residential and commercial growers. Via email and on utahpests.usu.edu/ipm.
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