Source: RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY submitted to NRP
IR-4 MINOR CROP PEST MANAGEMENT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
SPECIAL GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0225073
Grant No.
2011-34383-30564
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
2011-01111
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Aug 1, 2011
Project End Date
Jul 31, 2013
Grant Year
2011
Program Code
[RR]- IR-4 Minor Crop Pest Management
Recipient Organization
RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
3 RUTGERS PLZA
NEW BRUNSWICK,NJ 08901-8559
Performing Department
Interregional Project
Non Technical Summary
IR-4 strives to benefit both large and small growers to produce a safe variety of fruits, vegetables and ornamentals without undue losses from pests that threaten to put them out of business; to effectively employ minor uses of pesticides, and biologically based pest control products in helping keep food and non-food costs at realistic levels for the public and to meet new demands by regulatory officials for additional research data for pesticides and biopesticides in or on food, feed and fiber, crops and ornamentals. Most crop protection products (fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, plant growth regulators and biopesticides), necessary tools in the integrated "war" against destructive pests, are developed for large markets on major crops such as corn, soybean and cotton where the cost of discovery, development, registration and production can be offset by significant sales of the product. Due to the expensive process of bringing a new chemical crop protection product to market (in the US, the cost is in excess of $50 million dollars), the agriculture chemical industry often does not register their products on specialty crops (most vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs, nursery and flower crops) - the cost of necessary data is greater than any potential return on investment. IR-4 endeavors to provide domestic specialty crop growers the means to remain viable and competitive by facilitating the registration of crop protection products on specialty crops (IR-4 is the only publicly supported research program in the US to do so).
Animal Health Component
95%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
95%
Developmental
5%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2111099116010%
2111199113010%
2111199114010%
2111199116010%
2111499113010%
2111499114010%
2111899113010%
2121499116010%
2131099114010%
2131499113010%
Knowledge Area
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants; 211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants; 213 - Weeds Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
1499 - Vegetables, general/other; 1099 - Tropical/subtropical fruit, general/other; 1199 - Deciduous and small fruits, general/other; 1899 - Oilseed and oil crops, general/other;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology; 1160 - Pathology; 1140 - Weed science;
Goals / Objectives
The mission of the publically funded IR-4 national program is to facilitate registration of sustainable pest management technology for specialty crops and minor uses. The main focus is providing safe, effective and economical pest management solutions for growers of minor/specialty crops. Our principal duties are to assist in the cooperative registration process and promotion of safe and effective pesticides products and/or pest management technology. IR-4 supplements the efforts of industry in markets where economic factors preclude full industry development; concentrating our efforts on lower risk technology that respects man and the environment. The main focus of IR-4 is encompassed in three core objectives: food, biopesticide and organic support and ornamental horticulture. IR-4 HQ provides overall program coordination involving national and international agencies; grower and commodity organizations; stakeholders and the agrochemical industry to meet the IR-4 national program objectives. IR-4 consistently provides pest control products to domestic growers and promotes the use of new and safer products that better protect the environment. In addition, HQ has added the goal of reducing or removing pesticides as a potential trade barrier for the export of U.S. produced specialty commodities, providing organic growers access to approved and relevant pest management solutions by adding new products to the National Organic Program's National List of substances approved for organic production and assisting providing regulatory support for new pesticides and other technologies in the control of arthropod pests that transmit diseases to humans, concentrating on pests relevant to US military troops deployed in environments where vector borne diseases threaten human health.
Project Methods
In response to receiving a request for assistance from growers, commodity groups, researchers or extension personnel, IR-4 takes a 4-step approach: Step 1. Research Prioritization: research is prioritized at annual workshops involving growers, commodity groups, university researchers and EPA staff who collectively determine the priorities based on the importance of the pest and the ability of the control tactic to manage the pest. Industry partners are consulted to confirm their support for adding new specialty crop uses to their product labels. The workshops conclude with a list of projects designated as A, B or C priority. For ornamental projects that were prioritized at the Ornamental Horticulture Workshop. Step 2 Research Planning: A National Research Planning Meeting is held to assign field and laboratory sites for research projects in the coming year. Research protocols are drafted, reviewed by stakeholders and Field Research directors, revised to integrate comments, and issued as a final research protocol. The Biopesticide Program publishes a Call for Proposals for interested university and USDA researchers to submit grant proposals. A review committee selects the projects to be funded. Data generated from the projects are distributed the industry partner to support expansion of the registration and stakeholders to publicize that biopesticides, when used correctly and in conjunction with IPM, can be an effective pest management tool. Step 3 Research Implementation: Research for food crops is implemented in two phases - field and laboratory. IR-4 has 31 field research centers at strategic locations throughout the US to meet specific EPA requirements for geographic distribution of data. During the field phase, the crop protection product is applied to the target crop according to the specified protocol. Research for ornamental crops is performed in the field and/or greenhouse where the crop protection agent on the targeted crop or for a specific disease, insect, or weed is applied. IR-4 has 4 regional and 3 ARS analytical laboratories - field samples of the crop are harvested and transferred to the laboratories, where crop matrices are analyzed for potential residues. All field and laboratory research is conducted under EPA Good Laboratory Practices. Step 4.Data Submission and Approval: IR-4 critically reviews the field and laboratory data, drafts formal regulatory packages, and submits reports for each research study to EPA for review. EPA will review the reports, if the data show that the use would not expose consumers or the environment to unreasonable adverse effects, the EPA will approve the registration of a particular chemical on a specialty crop by establishing a maximum residue limit (MRL), or tolerance. This is published as a Final Rule in the Federal Register. The company that owns or licenses the product can register the use with the federal and state governments. For ornamental horticulture crops, GLP residue studies supporting MRLs are not required however research summaries are sent to each manufacturer who in turn uses them to register new products or expand existing labels.

Progress 08/01/11 to 07/31/13

Outputs
Target Audience: The primary stakeholders of IR-4 research activities are the domestic growers of food and non-food specialty crops. Representatives from this specialized segment of agriculture have significant involvement with the operations of IR-4. For example, all sponsored research is stakeholder driven and research is prioritized at the annual IR-4 Food and Ornamental Workshops by growers, commodity organizations and university research and extension specialists who specifically represent grower needs. IR-4 research activity is a direct reflection of the priorities set at these workshops by the representatives of the primary stakeholders. The representatives of the primary stakeholders also include the twenty-five members of IR-4 Commodity Liaison Committee and the thirty-five members of the Minor Crop Farmers Alliance. Changes/Problems: One of IR-4 major problems is the timing of delivery of grant funds. The majority of IR-4’s field research often starts in the months March to May. However, funds are usually not released to July/August time frame. To a point, Pre-Award spending authorization minimizes the problems. However, there are still several projects that are affected by the repeated late transfer of funds and in certain cases research is delayed by as much as a year thereby lengthening the timeline to deliver registrations. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The majority of IR-4 research operates in a regulated environment that requires compliance to US EPA Good Laboratory Practice Requirements (GLPs). In association with the GLP, we participate with other IR-4 units in monthly GLP/research process webinars. Every three years, IR-4 conducts a Project -Wide National Training Program that brings all the field scientists, analytical chemists, research managers, study directors, quality assurance and Project management in one location for extensive professional development. In February of 2013, the training event was held in San Antonio Texas. Additionally, new employees are trained formally with training documented or informally. IR-4 managed the international gathering of parties who are interested in learning about systems to help encourage the development of reduced risk pesticide registration for specialty crops and minor uses. The Global Minor Use Summit was held United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters (FAO) in Rome, Italy in February 2012. Over 230 delegates from 50 countries attended week-long event. The final report of the Global Minor Use Summit can be found at http://ir4.rutgers.edu/GMUS/FINAL%20REPORT%20GMUS%202.pdf C.L. Palmer participated in the Rutgers OASIS Program to enhance leadership and professional development on time management, priority setting, improvisation exercises to improve presentations, negotiation skills, and distilling messages. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? IR-4 has invested in a full-time Communication Manager to ensure that information about Project results and success are available to the communities of interest. The results of IR-4 research activity is broadly distributed to interested parties via the quarterly IR-4 Newsletter (http://ir4.rutgers.edu/media.html), through IR-4 news blogs, IR-4 monthly reports or via the IR-4 website (http://ir4.rutgers.edu/) . IR-4 maintains 2 Facebook pages and a Twitter account to further disseminate information. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? IR-4 continues to start new research project annually to ensure that there are an adequate arsenal of crop protection technology available to answer unmet and new pest management voids. Approximately 500 food project field trials and 100 ornamental horticulture experiments are started annually to develop the necessary data to support future registrations and availability for use of the technology by growers. Additionally, IR-4 funds approximately 25 biopesticide grant proposals annually to help facilitate the future approval of this lower risk pest management technology.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Food Use Program - based on priorities set by specialty crop stakeholders, the network of IR-4 research cooperators conducted studies at appropriate locations through the USA and Canada to provide necessary data to US EPA to support establishment of pesticide tolerances which are associated with expanded registrations on the specialty crops. Accomplishments include: New Registrations: activities supported the ability of cooperating agriculture chemical companies to add 1613 new uses/registrations to their product labels that provide tools to control many important pests of specialty crops. New Tolerances: Based on IR-4 submissions, US EPA established, via publication in the Federal Register and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations (see Chapter 40-Part 180) 346 new pesticide tolerances for individual crops, crop subgroups or crop crops. New Submissions: IR-4 submitted to US EPA 76 bundles requesting establishment of new or amended pesticide tolerances for 244 specific specialty crops, crop subgroups or crop groups. The majority of these submissions is under review by US EPA and will lead to establishment of new tolerances/registrations in the immediate future. New Residue Research: planned research on 157 studies that were designed to develop food/feed samples treated with pesticides. The studies consisted of 1028 field trials conducted at the appropriate US EPA required locations in the US and Canada. Efficacy & Crop Safety Testing: Regulatory authorities and agriculture chemical companies are increasingly requiring the development of enhanced product performance data in association with registrations. IR-4 has been able to answer some of these data needs through data mining and the direct development of data. The IR-4 network conducted 68 trials to collect data from tests where efficacy, or the ability to control the target pest or crop safety which monitors phytotoxicity on the test crop was obtained. Priority Setting: a priority setting workshop is conducted each year to gain direction from specialty crop growers, commodity group representatives, publically funded (Ag Experiment Stations & USDA-ARS) researchers and extension personnel, US EPA and the crop protection industry on what are the most important pest management voids in specialty crops and what are the most promising solutions, or pest management technology to manage the target pest(s). The 2011 Food Use Workshop was held Sept 2011 in Research Triangle Park, NC and was attended by 153 stakeholders. The 2012 Food Use Workshop was held Sept 2012 in St. Louis, MO and was attended by 137 stakeholders. IR-4 also worked with the crop protection industry on two pilot projects involving new products that are not yet registered on major crops. This would facilitate adding important specialty crops to the first registrations of new reduced risk chemistry. Biopesticides – The goal of the IR-4 Biopesticide and Organic Support Program is facilitating the registration of crop protection products classified by US EPA as Biopesticides” The four major functions are: (1) “Early Stage” grants program to fund research proposals for products whose core data have not yet been submitted to US EPA; (2) “Advanced Stage” grants program to fund research proposals for products that have been registered by US EPA or are in the registration process and additional data is needed to assist with expansion of the registration to new crops or to new pests; (3) “Demonstration” grants program to fund large-scale demonstration plots to gather information and provide outreach indicating that biopesticides can be a useful tool in pest management systems; and (4) Provide registration assistance to university, USDA researchers and small biopesticide companies with regulatory advice and petition preparation assistance. Accomplishments include: Research Activities - funding 13 Early Stage, 19 Advanced Stage and 9 Demonstration projects that were conducted by different universities and USDA research units and on fruits and vegetables, tropical crops, honeybees, turf and ornamentals. Submissions and Successes - IR-4 submitted to EPA the new active ingredient registration for Oriental Beetle pheromone and Carob Moth Pheromone, amended volumes for Bacteriophage of Clavobacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in tomato, and Aspergillus flavus AF36 on pistachio & corn. Additional IR-4 submissions for EPA biochemical classification included packages for polyglycol alginate, hops beta acid and Lysine. From efficacy research funded through the biopesticide grant program, there were 12 additions of crops to biopesticide labels. In addition, a total of 26 Emergency Exemptions for 9,10 Anthraquinone were supported in 2012 including Avipel Liquid for Corn (10 states), Avipel Dry formulation for Corn (13 states), AV-1011 for rice in Louisiana and Florida and the Avipel Liquid in Sunflower in South Dakota Ornamental Horticulture Program - continues to support an industry valued at approximately $11.7 billion in annual sales. This industry is quite complex because growers cover many diverse markets including flowers, bulbs, houseplants, perennials, trees, shrubs and more. These plants are grown and maintained in greenhouses, nurseries, commercial/residential landscapes, interiorscapes, Christmas tree farms and sod farms. Accomplishments include: Research Activities – IR-4 conducted 2096 research trials, of which 911 were efficacy trials designed to compare different products to manage pests, diseases and weeds and to measure the impact of growth regulators; the remaining trials were conducted to determine the level of phytotoxicity to crops with herbicides used to manage common weeds in and around nurseries. Submissions– 42 data summaries were compiled based upon research reports submitted by researchers. Data from 8,786 trials contributed to the writing of these reports. Successes- 13 new products were registered with USEPA using label directions based partially on the efficacy or crop safety IR-4 generated: Basagran T/O (bentazon), Empress SC (pyraclostrobin), GrandEvo (Chromobacterium subtsugae NRRL B-30655), Marengo G (indaziflam), Marengo SC (indaziflam), Met52 (Metarhizium anisophliae), Micora (mandipropamid), Overture (pyridalyl), Orvego (ametoctradin + dimethomorph), Regalia 50 (extract of Reynoutria sachalinensis), RootShield Plus (Trichoderma harzianum T-22 + Trichoderma virens G-41), Sulfentrazone 4F, and TickEx EC (Metarhizium anisophliae). Seven label amendments were granted to add new crops partially based on IR-4 data submitted to manufacturers: Actinovate Soluble (Streptomyces lydicus WYEC 108), Barricade 4FL (prodiamine), Distance (pyriproxifen), two for Freehand (pendimethalin + dimethenamid-p), Hachi-Hachi (tolfenpyrad), Safari 20SG (dinotefuran), and Taegro (Bacillus subtilis var amyloliquefaciens strain FZB24). IR-4 data also contributed to 6 state registrations where efficacy data were reviewed:: Adorn(fluopicolide), Overture (pyridalyl),Palladium (cyprodinil + fludioxanil). Barricade 4L (prodiamine), Freehand (pendimethalin + dimethenamid-p), and Micora (mandipropamid). IR-4 data from 1,265 field trials contributed to these actions. IR-4 data was used to support the registration of Tower EC (dimethenamid-p) in Canada. Overall, these registration decisions impacted 5,145 ornamental horticulture crops uses. Priority Setting- research priorities for 2012/2013 were set by stakeholders in Oct 2011 at the IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Workshop, in Sacramento, CA. Entomology priorities included thrips, whiteflies, scale, borers, and foliar feeding beetles; Pathology priorities were bacterial disease and Pythium management, with a regional emphasis on Fusarium disease efficacy; Weed Science priorities included crop safety for: in-season, liquid herbicide applications and dormant and in-season application of products for liverwort management.

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Arsenovic, M., D.L. Kunkel, and J.J. Baron. The IR-4 Project: Update on Weed Control Projects (Food Uses). Proceedings Northeastern Weed Science Society, Volume 66, p. 72.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Arsenovic, M., D.L. Kunkel, J. J. Baron, and D. Carpenter, IR-4 Project: Update on Weed Control Projects. Weed Science Society of America Meeting, Kona, HI, Poster
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Braverman, M. and J.J. Baron.. The IR-4 Projects Efforts in Development of Natural Products in Weed Management. IPM Meetings, Memphis, TN.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Braverman, M. Supervised Field Trial Management. Global Minor Use Summit II, February 21-23, 2012. FAO, Rome, Italy.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Braverman, M. Coordination of Residue Studies. Global Minor Use Summit II, February 21-23, 2012. FAO, Rome, Italy
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Kunkel, D. L. and A. Norden.. Guidance Document on Regulatory Incentives for the Registration of Pesticides for Minor Uses. Global Minor Use Summit II, February 21-23, 2012. FAO, Rome, Italy.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Kunkel, D. L. and B. Barney.. Principles and Guidance for the Selection of Representative Commodities for the Extrapolation of Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides for Commodity Groups. Global Minor Use Summit II, February 21-23, 2012. FAO, Rome, Italy.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Kunkel, D. L., J. J. Baron and D. Infante.. US IR-4 Program and Global Minor Use Summit II, February 21-23, 2012. FAO, Rome, Italy.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Palmer, C.L., Establishing Some Boundaries: What Management Tools can be used for Edible Crops and Why. Presentation and Proceedings for SAF Pest & Production Management Conference, February.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Braverman, M. 2012. Overview of the IR-4 Program. Biopesticide Registration Workshop. Rabat, Morocco
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Braverman, M. 2012 Regulations that Influence the use of Biopesticide. Biopesticide Registration Workshop. Dakar, Senegal
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Braverman, M. 2012 Pathway for Registration of Atoxigenic Aspergillus flavus: Aflasafe SN01. Biopesticide Registration Workshop. Dakar, Senegal
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Novack, S. IR-4 Newsletter, Summer 2013, Volume 44 no.2
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Novack, S. IR-4 Newsletter, Spring 2013, Volume 44 no.1
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Palmer, C.L., editor. Whitefly Management Plan. November 2011. http://ir4.rutgers.edu/Ornamental/ornamentalLiterature.cfm.
  • Type: Other Status: Submitted Year Published: 2011 Citation: Palmer, C.L. and R. Yates, editors. Thrips Management Plan. February 2011. http://ir4.rutgers.edu/Ornamental/ornamentalLiterature.cfm.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Palmer, C.L., IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Program Grower & Extension Survey Summary  US Respondents. September 2011. http://ir4.rutgers.edu/Ornamental/ornamentalLiterature.cfm.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Novack, S. IR-4 Newsletter, Winter 2012, Volume 43 no.4
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Novack, S. IR-4 Newsletter, Fall 2012, Volume 43 no.3
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Novack, S. IR-4 Newsletter, Winter 2011, Volume 42 no.4
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Novack, S. IR-4 Newsletter, Summer 2012, Volume 43 no.2
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Hester, K. C.L. Palmer, E. Beste, M. Czarnota, J. DeFrancesco, J. Derr, R. Frank, T. Freiberger, C. Gilliam, H. Mathers, E. Peachey, M. Reding, A. Senesac, and C. Wilen. Liverwort Management Plan. July 2012. http://ir4.rutgers.edu/Ornamental/ornamentalLiterature.cfm.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Starner, V. and S. Novack, 2012. From Farm to Store to Your Front Door  Virginia Fruits & Vegetables  IR-4/EPA/USDA Field Tour June 20, 2012 tour book. New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Publication No. P- 27200-22-12, 16 pp.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Novack, S. IR-4 Newsletter, Spring 2012, Volume 43 no.1
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2011 Citation: Novack, S. IR-4 Newsletter, Fall 2011, Volume 42 no.34
  • Type: Books Status: Under Review Year Published: 2013 Citation: Baron, J.J. R.E. Holm, D.L. Kunkel, P.H. Schwartz, and G.M. Markle. The IR-4 Project: 50 Years of Sustained Success.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Scorza, R. A. Callahan, M. Ravelonandro and M. Braverman. Development and Regulation of the Plum Pox VirusResistant Transgenic Plum HoneySweet Chapter 12 in Regulation of Agricultural Biotechnology: The United States and Canada. C. Wozniak and A. McHughen, editors. Springer ISBN 978-94-007-2155-5
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2013 Citation: Braverman, M., D. Kunkel, J. Baron, P. Golden, and Chuck Stafford. Magnitude of the Residues of Four Pesticides on Tomato: A Case for Global Zoning of Residue Trials.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2013 Citation: Hester, K.A., G. Bi, M.A. Czarnota, A. Fulcher, G.J. Keever, J.H. Liether, J.D. Orsi, B.E. Whipker, K. Sullivan, and C.L. Palmer. 2013. Impact of Augeo, Configure and Florel on Hydrangea Branching. Journal of Environmental Horticulture. 31(1):27-29.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Kunkel, D.L. Report of the Second Minor Use Summit. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome Italy, February 21-23, 2012. Outlooks on Pest Management 23(5) pages 229-239.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Fraelich, B.A., B. T. Scully, S.M. Schneider, C.L. Palmer, and P.H. Schwartz.. Phytotoxicity Of Fungicides, Herbicides and Insecticides/Acaricides On Ornamental Conifer (Division: Pinophyta) Species In Southeastern U.S for Interregional Research Program (IR-4). Poster at American Society for Horticulture Science Annual Meeting, August, 2012.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Hester, K., C.L. Palmer, E. Vea, J. Baron, and E. Lurvey. The 2011 IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Program Update. Proceedings of the 66th Northeastern Weed Science Society. January 2012.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Braverman, M., J.J. Baron and D.L. Kunkel. Global Tomato Residue Study. Global Minor Use Summit II, February 21-23, 2012. FAO, Rome, Italy
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: Braverman, M, D. Kunkel, J. Baron and M. Arsenovic. 2013. Biopesticides and Organic Herbicides for Weed Management. Tropical Weed Science Society, Chiang Mai , Thailand
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2012 Citation: D. L. Kunkel, J. J. Baron, M. Arsenovic, M. Braverman, and E. Lurvey. Fifty years of Providing Crop Protection Solutions to Specialty Crop Growers: The IR-4 Program. Weed Science Society of America Abstracts.


Progress 08/01/11 to 07/31/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Food Use: research project for 2012 were prioritized by IR-4 stakeholders in Sept 2011 at the IR-4 Food Use Workshop, in Cary, NC; approximately 217 nominated projects were discussed with an end result of 45 "A" priorities, another 30 priorities were established for 2012 research program through a written proposal process; the assignment of field and laboratory sites for the 2012 research was made at the National Research Planning Meeting in Oct 2011. The final research plan consists of 75 residue studies supported by 532 field trials on 56 commodities. IR-4 submitted data to EPA on 34 chemicals to cover 132 stakeholder requests. Biopesticides: the call for Biopesticide and Organic Support proposals was posted on the IR-4 website in Oct 2011; IR-4 received 73 proposals for 2012 research; the Biopesticide review committee made recommendations and IR-4 Project Management Committee approved the funding of 6 early, 12 advanced stage and 4 demonstration projects. Ornamental Horticulture: tesearch project for 2012/2013 were prioritized by IR-4 stakeholders in Oct 2011 at the IR-4 Ornamental Horticulture Workshop, in Sacramento, CA; Entomology priorities include thrips, whiteflies, scale, borers, and foliar feeding beetles; pathology priorities are include bacterial disease and Pythium management, with a regional emphasis on Fusarium disease efficacy; weed science priorities include crop safety for: in-season, liquid herbicide applications and dormant and in-season application of products for liverwort management; IR-4 gave a presentation to Society of America Florist in Feb 2012 on how food registration process. International: in 2011, IR-4 submitted approximately 24 Magnitude of Residue studies to the 2012 Joint Meeting Pesticide Residues with the intention of establishing 30 or more Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR) Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) in 2012; IR-4 personnel attended the NAFTA Technical Working Group on Pesticides Stakeholder-Government Meeting in November 2011 in Arlington VA; IR-4 managed the 2nd Global Minor Use Summit, February, 2012 in Rome, Italy. There were 226 participants representing 51 countries. The group formulated a 5-year plan of action to help resolve minor use issues; identifying issues as short, medium or long-term goals. IR-4 participated as part of the US delegation to the CCPR in Apr 2012, in Shanghai, China. The CCPR advanced the classification for the fruit commodity groups (citrus, pome, stone, berries/small fruits, and assorted tropical/ subtropical fruits) to the Codex Commission for final adoption. CCPR also advanced the IR-4 drafted companion document for Principles and Guidelines for the Selection of Representative Commodities for the Extrapolation of MRLs for Commodity Groups. IR-4 HQ team members and Canadian AAFC/PMC colleagues travelled to meet with registrant partners May - Jul 2012. PARTICIPANTS: Jerry Baron, Ph.D. - Executive Director; Marija Arsenovic, Ph.D. - Study Director, Weed Science; Tammy White Barkalow, M.S. - Assistant Director, Quality Assurance Unit; William Barney, M.S. - Study Director, Interdisciplinary Working Group and Manager, Crop Grouping; Michael Braverman, Ph.D. - Manager, Biopesticide Program; Deborah Carpenter, M.S. - Assistant Director, Registrations; Johannes Corley, Ph.D. - Study Director, Residue Chemistry Working Group; Keith Dorschner, Ph.D. - Manager, Insecticides; Jane Forder, B.A - Quality Assurance Unit; K. Hackett-Fields, A.A. - Quality Assurance Unit; Kathryn Homa, B.S. - Assistant Coordinator, Insecticides and Interdisciplinary Working Group; Diane Infante, A.A. - Research Associate, Project Planning; Daniel Kunkel, Ph.D - Associate Director, Food & International Programs; Raymond Leonard, B.A. - Study Director, Interdisciplinary Working Group; Cristi Palmer, Ph.D. - Manager, Ornamental Horticulture Program; Bharti Patel, B.S - Quality Assurance Unit; Kenneth Samoil, M.S. - Study Director, Insecticides; Van Starner, Ph.D - Assistant Director, Research Planning & Outreach; Tracey Switek, B.S. - Assistant Coordinator, Insecticides and Interdisciplinary Working Group; David Thompson, Ph.D. -Manager, Fungicides; High value specialty crop growers and food processors are represented throughout the process and in overall management decisions by involvement on the Commodity Liaison Committee (CLC), consisting of approximately 25 members; Crop Protection Industry -IR-4 would not have new products to make available as crop protection tools for specialty crop growers without the cooperation of the biopesticide and chemical companies, who discover, develop, register, and market their new technologies. IR- 4 personnel visit regularly with these companies to maintain connections and obtain new information; US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a long term IR-4 partner - IR-4 meets formally at least three times a year with EPA to discuss new regulatory approaches and ways to enhance the ongoing petition submission/review process, improving regulatory efficiencies, data requirements, and research collaboration. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary stakeholders of IR-4 research activities are the domestic growers of specialty crops and food processors have significant involvement with the operations of IR-4. All sponsored research is stakeholder driven and research is prioritized at the IR-4 sponsored Food and Ornamental Workshops by growers, commodity organizations and university research and extension specialists who specifically represent grower needs. IR-4 research activity is a direct reflection of the priorities set at these workshops by the primary stakeholders. High value specialty crop growers and food processors are represented throughout the process and in overall management decisions by involvement on the Commodity Liaison Committee (CLC), consisting of approximately 25 members. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
Food Program: IR-4 submitted data to EPA that resulted in 81 tolerances on 16 chemicals to provide 438 new pest control uses for growers and EPA published a crop group update notice that should result in new crop group codifications in the near future. Biopesticides: during a tour of tomato greenhouses, IR-4 learned of the problem bacterial canker on tomato. At the time, there were no conventional products to manage the disease so growers trimmed out infected stems, discarded the plants and re-sanitize the entire block of a greenhouse. IR-4 submitted the registration package to EPA and EPA approved the use of Agriphage-CMM as a bactericide on tomato. The target pest is for this product is bacterial canker (Clavibacter michiganensis). The phage is a type of virus that is very specific to the Clavibacter bacteria so the virus infects the bacteria. The product is labeled for use in tomato in both greenhouse and field application. Ornamental Horticulture: 19 project summaries and a management plan for Liverwort Management were written and posted to the IR-4 website based on research activities prior to and including 2011. In addition, 404 trials contributed to 8 registrations which enabled 3823 crop uses. The registered products include conventional materials and biopesticides: Barricade (prodiamine), Freehand (pendimethalin + dimethenamid-p), Micora (mandipropamid), Orvego (amectotradin + dimethomorph), Palladium (cyprodinil + fludioxonil), Regalia (Reynoutria sachalinensis), RootShield Plus (T. harzianum T-22 + T. virens G-41), and Sulfentrazone. International: 21 MRLs were established based on IR-4 submissions and 11 were established from Manufactures submitting IR-4 data to Codex.

Publications

  • No publications reported this period