Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:Specialty crop growers, conventional and organic growers, Spanish- and English-speaking farm workers, beginning and women farmers, Commonwealth Quality growers, UMass Extension staff, Regional Extension IPM specialists, IPM consultants and scouts, agricultural service providers, farm managers and decision-makers, industry representatives including UAS (drone) pilots and trainees, and other stakeholders. Changes/Problems:Our team grew considerably in the past year, adding three new educators on the fruit and vegetable teams and two new Extension educators focusing on Urban Agriculture. Our priorities shifted somewhat, and we prioritized onboarding new staff as opposed to hiring students. We were able to provide a higher degree of expertise in our response to growers and conduct more site visits, more mentor farm plans, and more educational opportunities for our growers than usual. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? McKeag and Scheufele attended the Great Lakes Producers EXPO Dec 2023. Scheufele attended the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Veg Convention in Jan 2024. Scheufele attended the Undoing Racism Workshop 3-day anti-racism training in March 2024. Bley, M. 2024. "BF 224: Tree Fruit Scouting". Online Seminar series by Anna Wallis and Hannah Tolz. Cornell Small Farms Program. 5 weeks, 20 total contact hours. Bley, M. 2024. "The Biology and Management of Common Invasive Plants in the Northeastern U.S. and Southern Canada". Online Lecture by Toni DiTommaso. Northeastern IPM Center. 90 Minutes. Bley, M. 2024. "Berry Call: Regional Small Fruit Updates". Zoom Call led by Laura McDermott. Northeastern IPM Center. 12 weeks, 12 total contact hours. New York, New England, Canada Pest Management Conference, October 24-25, 2023.Lake George, NY. Attended by Pinero, Clements, Garofalo, and Bley. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Newsletters • Bley, Clements, Garofalo and Pinero, wrote 13 issues of the Healthy Fruit newsletter, 100 paid subscribers, 75 complimentary subscribers. • Sandler, Sylvia and Ghantous contributed articles to 7 issues of the Cranberry Station newsletter, reaching 285 subscribers. • Gannett, Higgins, McKeag, Scheufele, Shokoohi, and Whitehead prepared 13 issues of Vegetable Notes reaching 3,080 subscribers. New outreach initiatives: Lunch Bunch: weekly IPM updates on tree and small fruit from April through June with an average of 25 attendees per session 15 "Fruit Loop" podcasts for 28 subscribers and 6 articles for Fruit Notes Published the first 6 weekly Cranberry IPM messages of the 2024 growing season (online and also available as recorded message by phone. Whitehead hosted two webinars on IPM for cut flower production for 151 attendees. Social media was used (https://www.instagram.com/umassvegetableteam/ and /umass_extension_fruit_team) to promote events, make announcements, promote new newsletter issues, and share on IPM topics such as frost protection and pest identification, reaching 1,279 followers. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?PLAN OF WORK FOR 2024-2025 Anticipated Reporting Period: June 16, 2024-June 15, 2025 Goal 1: Increase awareness and implementation of known sustainable IPM strategies among Specialty Crop growers and IPM practitioners Increasing IPM Implementation on Mentor Farms. Continue to engage with mentor farms (9 total) and conduct end of season interviews to evaluate success and impacts. Respond to mentor farmer inquiries on IPM topics on fruits, vegetables, and cranberry. Support proper identification of plant pests through the diagnostic lab and our own expertise and experience. Monitor sweet corn pests and invasive insect pests (SWD, BMSB, spotted lanternfly) on farms. Host at least 5 on-farm Twilight meetings and/or field days to highlight applied research and technology. Expanding Reach by Training Students in IPM. We will conclude mentorship of summer scholars and REEU interns as students return to class in September. Train Educators, Consultants, and Growers to Enhance Understanding of Basic and Advanced Specialty Crop IPM. General: disseminate research-based info through web-based and in-person meetings, fact sheets, social media, trainings, podcasts and newsletters Hold multiple in-person and virtual workshops on IPM. Continue to respond to grower inquiries, support mentor farms, and make farm scouting visits. Summer meeting of the Massachusetts Fruits Growers Association (July, 2024). Host integrated weed management workshops. Write fact sheet on pollinator habitat. Expand Reach to Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Growers. •Work with UMass Extension Urban AgricultureMentor Farm Program, providing scouting assistance, pest ID and other support. Translate factsheets. Distribute new and available resources with our networks and via social media. Promote IPM Collaborations in the Northeast. •We will participate in regional coordinating committees, multistate Hatch projects, Guide Committees, and NEVF Conference Steering Committee, Scheufele will serve as General Chair. Increasing Awareness of Climate Resiliency. •Address CC issues with growers one-on-one, Mentor Farmers, individual consultations, social media, cross-commodity state and regional workshops •Build on previous presentations to educate cranberry growers about climate change and continue collaboration with UMass Extension Climate Change group and others. •Hold twilight meetings on improving water use efficiency and plant health. Research on heat mitigation strategies for veg growers will be conducted and shared via field day and newsletters, research reports, and presentations. Goal 2: Increase development and implementation of IPM practices via data sharing and participatory applied research trials and demonstrations On-Farm Applied Research Trials on Emerging Pests Affecting Specialty Crops. •Research on organic management of Japanese beetles using mass trapping and self-composting systems. •Cranberry: New research will build on past research, e.g., monitoring for timing of putnam scale crawler emergence, golden casebearer, and earlier timing of green spanworm. BMPs and education will focus on safe pesticide usage for both applicators and environment. •Vegetables: conduct trials on cucurbit and basil downy mildew with resistant varieties, sentinel plots for cucurbit downy mildew and corn earworm Bt resistance, and heat mitigation for field-grown lettuce. Facilitate Extension Outputs Related to Network for Environment and Weather Applications. •NEWA weather stations will be monitored for data integrity and operability; weather stations will be repaired or replaced as necessary; new farms will be recruited. •Growers will continuously be reminded of NEWA 3.0 changes/updates, and during the growing season presented with relevant IPM tools using twilight meetings and Healthy Fruit. Goal 3: Develop IPM capacity to address on-farm challenges and promote awareness andimplementation of new and under-utilized IPM strategies and technologies Professional development. •Work on long-term evaluation skills. •Increase knowledge of advanced IPM techniques and of NRCS financial assistance for IPM implementation Monitoring and Training with Unmanned Aerial Systems. •Conduct 6 UAS surveys and generate data and outputs for various farms to support ongoing investigations into UAS workflows and techniques generate data and outputs. •Publish guidance for growers who wish to use UAS for pesticide or fertilizer applications to comply with CFR Title 14 Part 137 and MDAR regulations. Dual-Use Solar. •Conduct outreach on findings. Economics. •We will present cost of treatments when sharing results of field trials with growers e.g., in the heat mitigation experiments, we will include cost of mulches and/or shade cloths, etc. Develop and Distribute Promotional IPM Resources for Growers and Consumers. •Routinely update re-designed website. •Work with direct-sales growers to disseminate brochures to increase consumer awareness of IPM.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Our team grew considerably in the past year, adding three new educators on the fruit and vegetable teams and two new Extension educators focusing on Urban Agriculture. Increasing IPM Implementation on Mentor Farms (90% complete):Gannett worked with two mentor farms on integrated weed management plans and provided ongoing support for those projects; Scheufele and Shokoohi worked with two vegetable farms as IPM mentor farms; and two farms served as NRCS-IPM Planning mentors, as we invited NRCS planners to the pre-season interviews to assist NRCS implement IPM planning and financial assistance--this will be a focus in our future EIP project. We worked with the new Urban Ag Extension team to facilitate IPM planning on 3 urban mentor farms and conducted intake interviews and provided ongoing support for scouting and pest ID. We provided technical assistance to other growers at least 251 times via phone and email and made at least 109 farm visits with these and other growers during the reporting period. Expanding Reach by Training Students in IPM (90% complete): One undergradand one graduate student received training in IPM via the CAFÉ summer scholars program and through their MS program with Petit.Six undergrads were hired as "Research and Extension Experience for Undergrads" (REEU) interns Train Educators, Consultants, and Growers on Basic and Advanced Specialty Crop IPM (90% complete): Organized 33 educational programs, alone or in partnership with other organizations including the MA Fruit Grower's Association, the New England Vegetable and Berry Grower's Association, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, and NOFA-MA through the Transition to Organic Partnership Program for 1,197 live attendees. The team gave 31 invited presentations for grower and Extension audiences. The Cranberry Team edited and published the 2024 - 2026 Cranberry Chart Book and the vegetable team updated the 2025-2027 New England Vegetable Management Guide. We wrote 10 new factsheets which were published in our newsletters and/or websites listed below under dissemination section. Diagnosticians completed 111 diagnostic analyses and reports for growers Expand Reach to Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Growers (90% complete):Worked with three mentor farms from urban settings, addressing their unique challenges in IPM. Promote IPM Collaborations in the Northeast (90% complete):Scheufele served as General Chair for New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference, coordinating 35 Northeast Extension staff to host biennial conference (1,600 attendees). New England Vegetable Pest Alerts (60 Extension Educators/Specialists from Canada to PA) discussed crop phenology, weather, and pest outbreaks. We received training on invasive/emerging pests of vegetable crops.Bley attended the weekly seasonal New England Berry call. Scheufele serves on the Executive Committee of the New England Vegetable and Berry Grower's Association (NEVBGA).Scheufele participated in Hatch coordinating committee for high tunnel specialty crops which met in person in January 2024. Gannett, Higgins, McKeag, and Scheufele contributed to New England Vegetable Management Guide Update 2023-24. Increasing Awareness of Climate Resiliency (90% complete). Scheufele spoke at two conferences on climate change impacts on vegetable crops and pests for ~60 attendees. McKeag and Scheufele collaborated with a buy-local group (CISA) to put on a series of climate change workshops and completed planning for the series which includes several on-farm meetings and webinars this summer and fall. Routinely provide education and support for growers to implement climate mitigation and adaptation strategies through consultations and farm visits. On-Farm Applied Research Trials on Emerging Pests Affecting Specialty Crops (80% complete). •Fruit team conducted on-farm research and demonstrations at numerous cooperating farms within and outside MA: (1) ECOstacking: using sunflower and buckwheat as trap crops in association with an attract-and-kill system for management of native and invasive stink bugs (8 commercial apple orchards); 2) State-wide monitoring system for tortricid moths (10 sites; 3) Spotted-wing drosophila monitoring system using effective low-cost attractants (9 sites; 4) Enhanced monitoring of codling moth at two commercial fruit orchards that have experienced high moth populations. Provided weekly trap-capture data, Degree-day information, and insecticide recommendations. •Ongoing Cranberry Scale assessment included bog visits, inspections of over 30 samples, and monitoring for the timing of crawler release to time application of control measures. Survey also continued for black bug nymphs and adults as well as blunt-nosed leafhopper and incidents of false blossom. •Cranberry team conducted an herbicide efficacy and crop safety trial for moss management, an herbicide efficacy trial for poverty grass control, and screened a novel herbicide for crop safety and efficacy on problematic woody weeds. •Vegetables: One trial was completed on winter spinach and fall cucumber production using varieties with downy mildew resistance. Heat mitigation in lettuce and tomato production was evaluated.Planned 7 trials to be completed summer 2024. Facilitate Extension Outputs Related to(NEWA) (95% complete). Jon Clements NEWA Massachusetts state coordinator 42 on-farm NEWA weather stations in Massachusetts 36 contact hours, 50% desktop, 46% tablet, 4% mobile Grand total users (across all resources) 795; total visits 3,149; total page views 7,931 Top 10 resources: apple scab; fire blight; all weather data query; degree day calculator; Cornell apple carbohydrate thinning model; plum curculio; codling moth; Oriental fruit moth; oblique-banded leafroller; sooty blotch and flyspeck Professional development (90% complete): see section below Monitoring and Training with Unmanned Aerial Systems (60% complete). •Wicks held 2 6-hr classes training people to test for the Part 107 UAV license. Classes were recorded and students accessed videos. Circa 30 people attended each night. Of the 63 total attendees, 27 were farmers. •Wicks provided 1-on-1 training with UAVs with a member of the fruit team at Cold Spring Orchards, as well as a research faculty member at Cranberry Station to increase capacity in these teams to conduct drone surveys. •Wicks participated in a cranberry focus group including members from the UMass Amherst Cranberry Station to help navigate state regulations regarding pesticide applications via UAS. •Clements did apple blossom density mapping at 3 locations using UAS. Wicks collected 100 acres of multispectral imagery of the "All Farmers" farm in West Springfield. Dual-Use Solar (100% complete):UMass Extension is a partner on a large DOE grant investigating the impacts and opportunities of producing agricultural products under solar panels in MA, so much of this work has shifted to that project. Sandler and Scheufele are involved in reviewing proposed projects and research trial designs in vegetable and cranberry systems. Our technical staff have assisted with setting up research plots for on-farm trials. Economics (100% complete):Our grant economist retired. Develop and Distribute Promotional IPM Resources for Growers and Consumers (100% complete):Pinero re-designed Apple IPM infographic. 75 distributed amongst growers to increase the customer's awareness of IPM, andWhiteheadcompleted a re-design of IPM website to make the site more user friendly, update contact info, and remove out-of-date information
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Specialty crop growers, conventional and organic growers, Spanish- and English-speaking farm workers, beginning and women farmers, Commonwealth Quality growers, UMass Extension staff, Regional Extension IPM specialists, IPM consultants and scouts, agricultural service providers, farm managers and decision-makers, industry representatives including UAS (drone) pilots and trainees, and other stakeholders. Changes/Problems:Due to staffing changes on the Vegetable team (2 members on leave) and at several of our mentor farms (3 lost farm managers), we were not able to conduct pre-season interviews with our Mentor farmers during the reporting period. We are in the process of accruing additional team members and anticipate resuming this task in 2024. We also anticipate that the farms will also be able to hire replacement staff. Our economist (Dr. Bernard Morzuch) retired in May 2022. We did not have enough funds to enlist a new economist for this grant cycle. We hope to include adequate funds to include an economist in the next funding cycle. We plan to do as much of the ecomonics as we can on our own to reasonably address the project's goals. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Sylvia, Ghantous, and Sandler attended CCCGA Winter workshops. Ghantous and Sylvia attended three "Brown Bag" Wisconsin cranberry research and extension updates (virtual). Sylvia, Ghantous, and Sandler attended USDA Lunch time seminars. Scheufele, Ng, and McKeag attended UMass Extension Climate workshop on May 18, 2023 (Cape Cod; in-person) plus virtual on Jan. 24, 2023. Clements attends monthly NEWA meetings for state coordinators. Sylvia attended working group on interdisciplinary discussion on False blossom and blunt-nose leafhoppers (virtual). April 14, 2023. Ghantous and Sylvia serve on MRL subcommittee (periodic virtual meetings) of Cranberry Marketing Committee regarding MRLs for cranberry. Sandler attended weekly Berry Call-in sessions sponsored by Cornell Extension. Sandler attended WSSA/NEWSS Jan 2023. Sandler attended multiple zoom seminars on agrivoltaics sponsored by the Fraunhofer Institute, Germany. Ghantous attended 2022 and 2023 Northeast Virtual meetings for IR-4. Scheufele, Higgins, Ng, and McKeag attended Vegetable pest update calls weekly during the season. EIP Team members received 1-on-1 training on the use of UAS (drones) by Ryan Wicks. As State IPM Coordinator, Sandler represented MA at the annual meeting of NEERA. Sandler participated in the NE IPM Center's Advisory Committee meetings (2-3 times per year). Sandler attends workshops on agrivoltaics, once or twice monthly throughout the year. Clements attended New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association Annual Meeting, Milton, NH. April 2022. Whitehead, Scheufele, and McKeag attended NEVF Conference 2023, NEVBGA, NH. December 13-15. Whitehead, Higgins, Scheufele and Clements attended HW. NEVBGA Winter Meeting, Northampton, MA. January 6. Whitehead attended 2023 Winter Cut Flower Webinar Series, Cornell Extension, Virtual. January 10 - February 14. Whitehead attended Producing & Marketing Cut Flowers on a Small Scale, UNH Extension, Virtual. March 7. Whitehead attended Commercial Bumble Bees in High Tunnels, UVM Extension, Virtual. 3/22/2023. Whitehead attended Multifunctional Riparian Buffers - Service Provider Training, Berkshire Agricultural Ventures, Hybrid - MA and Virtual. Summer 2022-Fall 2023. Scheufele and McKeag attended NEVBGA 605th Meeting, Lexington, MA, 3/25/2023. Scheufele and Clements attended NEVBGA 606th Meeting, Tyngsboro, MA, 31-Mar-23. Scheufele attended SEMAP Ag and Food Conference, SEMAP, Online, 26-Feb-23. Scheufele attended, IR4 Research Symposium and Northeast Regional Annual Meeting, IR4, Online, 4/11-12/2023. Scheufele and Sandler attended NIPMCC Annual Meeting, National IPM Coordinating Committee, Online, 10-May-23. Scheufele attended MDAR Pesticide Subcommittee Meeting on Renewal of SLN Labels, MDAR Pesticide Subcommittee, Online, 4/18/2023. Higgins and Whitehead attended Climate Change Listening Session, CISA, Hadley, MA, 1/27/2023. Ng and Scheufele attended On-Farm Research: Tillage Reduction at Sawyer Farm, CISA, Online, 3/6/2023. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?This reporting period covers a partial year (Sep 1, 2022-June 15, 2023). As listed in Box 1, we delivered an extensive array of workshops, presentations, and training sessions throughout the reporting period. We published 4 newsletters (39 issues total) that reached more than 3,500 specialty crop subscribers. We trained, educated, visited, and advised more than 4,700 stakeholders. We participate in Regional IPM "call-ins" and working groups, which help to strengthen our Extension network and re-focus our educational efforts as needed. We bring unknown crop damage issues to the table for discussion and the knowledge we gain is transferred directly to our growers. Almost all EIP Team members are part of the organizing committee for the New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference, a bi-yearly event that attracts nearly 1,600 growers from across New England. This 3.5 day event offers multiple opportunities for Extension personnel and growers to share experiences and information on specialty crop production. We are invited speakers (by our Extension colleagues) throughout the Northeast to present and train specialty crop growers. We are well networked with our colleagues and this facilitates exchange of information that helps our grower community. TESTIMONIALS FROM GROWERS Hi Elsa, Luckily, thanks to your visit and advice, we were able to implement several changes to one of our vineyard blocks to prevent further downey mildew damage. Without this expert advice and guidance, our vines clearly would have been devastated from disease. This advice impacted us immensely and allowed us to keep our vineyard healthy and productive. Vineyard Owner, Noth Hatfield, MA Ryan, Thank you for teaching this (UAV) class to ag related folks. You covered a daunting amount of material with speed, yet allowed for time repeatedly toask questions to helpus. Your work paid off for me. And the non test items of handling processing of applications and sites was most certainly helpful. And thank you Hilary and Marty for arranging Cranberry growers tobe eligible and funding theclasses. It was wonderful to have the class schedule meld perfectly into my hectic schedule. I just passed the FAA Exam tonight with an 87. Lower than I hoped, higher than I expected! Next to figure out what higher tech ways to use my drone, and possibly help others as well. Diversified Fruit and Vegetable Grower, Guilford, CT I have been an Ocean Spray cranberry grower for 45 years and the business is changing day by day and it's hard to keep up. The Extension team at the UMass Cranberry Station is something I rely on all the time. A few weeks ago, I called and sent a picture of an unknown plant that was taking over my farm (totally new to me!). Within 1 day, it was identified and I had a management plan in hand and I knew what to do. Without Marty, Katie and Hilary, I think much of the industry would be lost. Cranberry Grower, Plympton, MA What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Goal 1: Increase awareness and implementation of known sustainable IPM strategies among Specialty Crop growers and IPM practitioners Increasing IPM Implementation on Mentor Farms. •We will have two mentor farms. We will visit farms across MA, scout and connect with new farmers. We will recruit mentor farms for 2024, and support farms in implementing IPM now. •We will monitor sweet corn pests with 18 farms. We plan 5 on-farm Twilight meetings and a field day to highlight applied research and irrigation technology. •Monitoring of invasive insect pests (SWD, BMSB, spotted lanternfly) will continue. Expanding Reach by Training Students in IPM. •We do not plan to hire students due to a lack of capacity to train them, instead we hope to hire full-time year-round staff to support the EIP project. We will use our Instagram account to reach new audiences with timely pest alerts, scouting tutorials, and important announcements. Train Educators, Consultants, and Growers to Enhance Understanding of Basic and Advanced Specialty Crop IPM. •General: disseminate research-based info through web-based and in-person meetings, fact sheets, social media, trainings, podcasts and newsletters •Weed Management: hold winter workshops on grape, tree fruit, vegetable and cranberry. Write fact sheets. •Hold multiple in-person and virtual workshops on Cranberry IPM. •Vegetable Twilight Meetings (5 veg planned June-October, 2023), Research Field Day (Veg-Aug, 2023) •Vegetable Notes Newsletter weekly (2,880 subscribers) •Transition to Organic Partnership with NOFA-MA--plan 7 workshops in-person or remotely over winter with at least 3 focused on IPM specifically (Veg, Small Fruit, Greenhouse). •NRCS IPM Planning Workshops-provide IPM training to NRCS planners. •Summer meeting of the Massachusetts Fruits Growers Association (July 12, 2023). •Grapes: host 3 grape IPM workshops on zoom in May, June and July. •Host pollinator workshops; write fact sheets on pollinator conservation and honey producer IPM. • Soil Health: workshops, newsletter articles, fact sheets. Expand Reach to Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Growers. •Work with Flats Mentor Farm Program, providing scouting assistance, pest ID. Write pest alerts and IPM articles. Offer live interpretation and Zoom, train Extension staff. Translate factsheets. Distribute new and available resources with our networks and via social media. Promote IPM Collaborations in the Northeast. •We will participate in regional coordinating committees, multistate Hatch projects, Guide Committees, and NEVF Conference Steering Committee, Scheufele will serve as General Chair. Increasing Awareness of Climate Resiliency. •Address CC issues with growers one-on-one, Mentor Farmers, individual consultations, social media, cross-commodity state and regional workshops •Build on previous presentations to educate cranberry growers about climate change and continue collaboration with UMass Extension Climate Change group and others. •Hold twilight meetings on improving water use efficiency and plant health. Research on heat mitigation strategies for veg growers will be conducted and shared via field day and newsletters, research reports, and presentations. Goal 2: Increase development and implementation of IPM practices via data sharing and participatory applied research trials and demonstrations On-Farm Applied Research Trials on Emerging Pests Affecting Specialty Crops. •Research on organic management of Japanese beetles using mass trapping and self-composting systems. •Grapes: Deliver 1 presentation; write 2 fact sheets, newsletter articles and 1 peer-reviewed article. •Cranberry: New research will build on past research, e.g., monitoring for timing of putnam scale crawler emergence, golden casebearer, and earlier timing of green spanworm. BMPs and education will focus on safe usage to both applicator and environment. •Vegetables: conduct trials on cucurbit and basil downy mildew with resistant varieties, Alternaria leaf spot and head rot in broccoli using sprayer technology to reduce pesticides, sentinel plot for cucurbit DM, and heat mitigation for field-grown lettuce and tomato. Facilitate Extension Outputs Related to Network for Environment and Weather Applications. •NEWA weather stations will be monitored for data integrity and operability; weather stations will be repaired or replaced as necessary; new farms will be recruited. •Growers will continuously be reminded of NEWA 3.0 changes/updates, and during the growing season presented with relevant IPM tools using twilight meetings and Healthy Fruit. Goal 3: Develop IPM capacity to address on-farm challenges and promote awareness and implementation of new and under-utilized IPM strategies and technologies Professional development. •Work on survey skills. •Increase knowledge about irrigation technology, water use, soil steaming for pest control in high tunnels, grafting for tunnel and field production of tomatoes and cucurbits. •We hope to hire expertise in the areas of weed management, soil health, IPM, and pollinators. Monitoring and Training with Unmanned Aerial Systems. •Conduct 6 UAS surveys and generate data and outputs for various farms to support ongoing investigations into UAS workflows and techniques generate data and outputs. •Publish guidance for growers who wish to use UAS for pesticide or fertilizer applications to comply with CFR Title 14 Part 137 and MDAR regulations. Dual-Use Solar. •Hire post-doctoral fellow and support staff. Gather field-based data, work with growers, 1-on-1; evaluate scouting and monitoring under PV. •Dual-use solar projects have had multiple setbacks that have precluded much work to date. We anticipate at least one of the cranberry projects will be successfully constructed in 2023. Economics. •We will present cost of treatments when sharing results of field trials with growers e.g., in the heat mitigation experiments, we will include cost of mulches and/or shade cloths, etc. Develop and Distribute Promotional IPM Resources for Growers and Consumers. •Print and distribute educational banners for growers to display at point of customer contact. •Routinely update re-designed website. •Work with direct-sales growers to disseminate brochures to increase consumer awareness about IPM.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1. Increasing IPM Implementation on Mentor Farms. •Provided technical assistance to at least 98 times via phone and email and made at least 15 farm visits. Held 3 monthly IPM workshops to recruit new farmers to urban farm serving socially disadvantaged BIPOC farmers. Consultation with NRCS IPM planner. Expanding Reach by Training Students in IPM. •Two undergraduate and two graduate students received IPM training. •Social media used 19 times (https://www.instagram.com/umassvegetableteam/) to promote events, make announcements, and share IPM topics reaching 1,081 followers. Train Educators, Consultants, and Growers to Enhance Understanding of Basic and Advanced Specialty Crop IPM. •7 Grapes Notes Newsletters, once per month, reaching 62 to 166 subscribers. •13 issues Healthy Fruit newsletter, 100 paid subscribers, 75 complimentary subscribers. •Contributed to 6 issues of Cranberry Station newsletter, reaching 285 subscribers. •Prepared 13 issues Vegetable Notes reaching 2,880 subscribers. •Tree Fruit, Cranberry and Veg teams wrote 15 fact sheets. •Six UMass and/or MDEP factsheets were translated into Spanish and posted online: https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/resources/recursos-en-espanol-spanish-language-resources •Cranberry Team made 22 presentations on IPM and pest biology. •Cranberry Team published 2023 update to the Cranberry Chart Book. •9 cranberry workshops held (411 attendees). •Spring WPS trainings held April 26 and May 17, 2023 (8 trained). •Team updated MDAR Pesticide Cranberry Examination. Tutored 15 growers. •Assisted 45 cranberry growers with state audits to renew pesticide license. •Issued 4 cranberry insurance letters, 6 Zone II letters with 23 bog visits made. •Cranberry Team consulted with more than 250 growers by phone, email, and in-person. •Vegetable Team (co)organized 9 grower workshops for 413 attendees and gave 4 presentations to 190 attendees on IPM. •Scheufele served as general chair for New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference (NEVFC); 3 days of education for 1,598 attendees from Northeast region. •Veg team did presentations on FSMA and Veg IPM (2 for 300 attendees) •Presented on Trunk diseases management for NH Winery Association (12 attendees). •Produced podcast on grape downy mildew with e-towns videographer. •Presented at Pioneer Valley Microbiology Symposium (100 attendees). •Wrote article on pollinator habitat for Vegetable Notes (2,880 subscribers) and Hort Notes (29,248 subscribers; landscape professionals and home gardeners). Presented twice on pollinator Health (62 attendees). Expand Reach to Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Growers. •Worked with 3 mentor farms from disadvantaged backgrounds: a primarily Spanish-speaking farm, a farm cooperative for Spanish speaking immigrant workers, and a community farm for Hmong and African immigrant and refugee farmers. Created and/or translated 5 factsheets. Promote IPM Collaborations in the Northeast. •Scheufele served as General Chair for NEVFC, coordinating 35 Northeast Extension staff to host biennial conference (1,600 attendees). •New England Vegetable Pest Alerts (60 Extension Educators/Specialists from Canada to PA) discussed crop phenology, weather, and pest outbreaks. Received training on EddMaps/AgPestMonitor and discussed invasive/emerging pests of vegetables. •Scheufele attended the New England Berry call to monitor impacts of May 18 freeze event on regional berry crops. •Scheufele serves on Executive Committee of New England Vegetable and Berry Grower's Association (NEFBGA), organizing winter meetings and providing pesticide credits. •Scheufele participated in Hatch coordinating committee for high tunnel specialty crops. •Contributed to New England Vegetable Management Guide Update 2023-24. McKeag served as co-Editor, distributing to Extension offices around the region and NEFBGA members. Increasing Awareness of Climate Resiliency. •Presented information on climate change and impacts to MA cranberry at Jan 2023 Management Update Meeting (181 attendees). •Jerry Brust (EIP-invited, U. Maryland) discussed research on heat mitigation in vegetables and his was the highest ranked talk at NEFVC. •Worked with technical assistance providers and farmers on mitigation and adaptation. Group discusses strategies and challenges and shares relevant resources. Goal 2. On-Farm Applied Research Trials on Emerging Pests Affecting Specialty Crops. •Fruit team conducted on-farm research and demonstrations at cooperating farms within/out MA: (1) plant volatiles to monitor pear psylla, (2) trap cropping integrated with biological control to suppress BMSB, (3) perennial trap crops for multiple pests using attractive apple cultivars, (4) monitoring of SWD and spotted lanternfly (32 farms). •Quantified disease resistance in 9 grape hybrids to downy mildew and other leaf necrotrophs. •Putnam scale assessment included 24 bog visits, inspections of over 50 samples, and timing of crawler release. Golden casebearer monitoring included 12 sites scouted and collections from 3 sites. Green Spanworm was monitored at 12 sites and collected at 4 sites for phenology study. Field trials evaluated a new pyrethroid (Fanfare). •Cranberry Team conducted herbicide trials for YLS management, crop safety for moss herbicide, and crop safety on two newly registered herbicides. •Cranberry Team recorded more than 250 contacts with 122 different growers on issues ranging from using zoom to managing new pests. •Cranberry: conducted large-scale demonstration trials with new insecticides for cranberry weevil control (May 2023). •Vegetables: One trial was on winter spinach production using varieties with downy mildew resistance. Facilitate Extension Outputs Related to Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA) . •Clements attended monthly NEWA meetings for state coordinators. •Monitored and maintained 55 Connected NEWA Stations, mostly on farms/orchards. •Collected NEWA Resource Metrics (MA): 33 Contact hours, 65% desktop users, 34% mobile, 1% tablet. Goal 3. Professional development. •Evaluation Specialist David Lane (Cornell, NE IPM Center) gave 4-part series on evaluating IPM to EIP Team (39 attendees). Monitoring and Training with Unmanned Aerial Systems. •Held 6 2-hr prep classes for Part 107 UAV license. Classes recorded and students accessed videos. 63 attendees. •Provided 1-on-1 training with member of the fruit team at Cold Spring Orchards, as well as a faculty member at Cranberry Station to increase capacity to conduct drone surveys. •Participated in a cranberry focus group to help navigate state regulations regarding pesticide applications via UAS. •Clements did apple blossom density mapping at 3 locations using UAS. Dual-Use Solar. •Reviewed proposed projects and research trial designs in vegetable and cranberry systems as part of DOE project. Assisted with research plots for on-farm trials. •Presented on weed management under solar APV at Northeastern Weed Science Meeting, Arlington, VA, Feb 2023 (35 attendees). Economics. •Our grant economist retired and we did not have enough funds to enlist a new economist for this grant cycle. Please see changes in the REEport. Develop and Distribute Promotional IPM Resources for Growers and Consumers. •Re-designed Apple IPM infographic. 75 laminated copies distributed to retail growers to increase customers' awareness of IPM. •Re-designed IPM website to make more user friendly, update contact info, and remove dated information. Total number peer-reviewed publications: 6 Total number nonpeer-reviewed publications: 4 newsletters (39 issues), 15 fact sheets, 1 info graphic Total number presentations: 47 Total number people reached: over 4,700 stakeholders
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Wakil, W., Usman, M., Pi�ero, J.C., Wu, S., Toews, M.D., and Shapiro-Ilan, D.I. 2022. Combined application of entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi against fruit flies, Bactrocera zonata and B. dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae). Pest Management Science https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6899.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Bolton, L.G, Pi�ero, J.C., and Barrett, B.A. 2022. Behavioral responses of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) to blends of synthetic fruit volatiles combined with isoamyl acetate and ?-cyclocitral. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10:825653. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.825653.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Perez-Gonzalez G, Sebestyen D, Petit E, Jellison J, Mugnai L, Gelhaye E, Lee N, Farine S, Bertsch, C, Goodell B. Oxygen Radical-Generating Metabolites Secreted by Eutypa and Esca Fungal Consortia: Understanding the Mechanisms Behind Grapevine Wood Deterioration and Pathogenesis. Front Plant Sci. 2022. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2022.921961. PMID: 35909746; PMCID: PMC9327790.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Pi�ero, J.C., Godoy-Hernandez, H., Giri, A., and Wen, X. 2022. Sodium chloride added to diluted Concord grape juice prior to fermentation results in a highly attractive bait for Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9:813455. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.813455.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Wen, X., Stoffolano, J.G., Greamo, B., Salemme, V., and Pi�ero, J.C. 2022. Effects of diluted Concord grape juice laced with sodium chloride and selected boron-containing compounds on attraction, consumption, crop contractions, and mortality of adult Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Pest Management Science. DOI 10.1002/ps.6683.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Harris-Cypher, A. and Caterina Roman, Genevieve Higgins, Susan Scheufele, Ana Legrand, Anna Wallingford, Rebecca Grube Sideman. (2023). A Field Survey of Syrphid Species and Adult Densities on Annual Flowering Plants in the Northeastern United States. Environmental Entomology, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvad016
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Whitehead, H. and L. Adler. (submitted April 28, 2023). A comparison of three queen rearing techniques to improve sustainable small-scale beekeeping in the Northeastern United States. Journal of Apicultural Research.
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Specialty crop growers, conventional and organic growers, Spanish and English speaking farm workers, beginning and women farmers, Commonwealth Quality growers, UMass Extension staff, Regional Extension IPM specialists, IPM consultants and scouts, agricultural service providers, farm managers and decision makers, newsletter subscribers, workshop and meeting attendees, industry representatives including UAS (drone) pilots and trainees. Changes/Problems:Fruit Team member, Elizabeth Garofalo left University service May 13, 2022. Cross-Commodity Team member, Bernie Morzuch, retired from University service May 25, 2022. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Cranberry Team attended trainings on new pesticide products. Scheufele attended trainings on new pesticide products, soil health, and online facilitation. McKeag completed the 1-year Fellowship on Climate Adaptation January 2022. The program aimed to help famers and farm service providers work together to increase understanding of the science of climate change and better understand the tools available to help farmer adapt. Clements attends monthly NEWA meetings for state coordinators. Sandler attends weekly Berry Call-in sessions sponsored by Cornell Extension. Sandler attended multiple zoom seminars on agrivoltaics sponsored by the Fraunhofer Institute, Germany. Scheufele, Higgins, Whitehead, and McKeag attended Vegetable pest update calls weekly during the season. EIP Team members received 1-on-1 training on the use of UAS (drones) by Ryan Wicks. As State IPM Coordinator, Sandler represented MA at the annual meeting of NEERA. Sandler attended the annual NIPMCC meeting (zoom) representing MA, Oct 19-20, 2021. Cranberry Team attended Brown Bag webinars sponsored by WI Extension, 11/19/21. Sandler participated in the NE IPM Center's Advisory Committee meetings (2-3 times per year). Sandler attendsworkshops on agrivoltaics, once or twice monthly throughout the year. Mckeag attended Climate Change Communication program, sponsored by National Extension Cllimate Initiative, 9/2/21. McKeag attended Timpr Cultivation Equipment meeting sponsored by Brookfield Farm, 9/15/21 Higgins and Whitehead attended Soil Health webinar sponsored by UMass Extension, 10/6/21. McKeag attended National Farm Viability Conference, 10/22/21. Whitehead attended SETAC Short Course: Pesticide Risk Assessment for Pollinators, 10/28/21. Higgins attended Winter Cutworms program sponsored by UNH Extension, 12/1/21. Whitehead attended NEVFC, 12/13/21. Higgins attended Cornell Soil Health Training program sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension, 12/5/21 Veg Team attended 602nd NEVBGA meeting, 1/7/22. Higgins attended Delaware Ag Week, 1/10/22. Higgins attended Fundamentals fo Fungicides sponsored by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, 1/12/22. McKeag attended Risk-based Thinking in Agriculture sponsored by VA Tech, 1/13/22. McKeag and Higgins attended Pesticide Updates: Syngenta and Bayer, hosted by Scheufele, 1/23/22. Higgins attended annual meeting of VT VBGA, 1/25/22. Veg Team attended New England Extension Priority Setting Meeting, 1/26/22. McKeag and Whitehead attended Jumping Worm workshop hosted by UMass Extension, 1/26/22. Whitehead attended Economic value of wild pollinators to blueberry farms program hosted by VT VBGA, 2/10/22. Veg Team attended 603rd NEVBGA meeting, 2/11/22. Whitehead attended Pollinator Habitat Plantings program hosted by VT VBGA, 2/24/22. Scheufele and Higgins attended Update to pyrethroid label changes with EPA, hosted by UNH Extension, 3/9/22. Clements attended New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association Annual Meeting, Milton, NH. April 2022. Clements and Garofalo participated in MYIPM app working group, October 2021. Clements, Garofalo, and Pinero attended New York/New England/Canada pest management working group, October 2021. Clements attended NC-140 Regional Rootstock Research Project annual meeting. November 2021. Clements attended Cumberland-Shenandoah Fruit Workers Meeting. December 2021 Clements attended Great Lakes Expo, Grand Rapids, MI, December 202 Clements, Garofalo, and Pinero attended New England Vegetable & Fruit Conference 'Lite.' Online. December, 2021. Clements attended Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Conference, Hershey, PA. January-February 2022. Clements attended and presented at International Fruit Tree Association Annual Conference, Hershey, PA. February, 2022. Clements attended EUFRIN PGR working group meeting. February 2022. Clements attended Northeast Plant Growth Regulator Meeting, Wilkes-Barre, PA. March 2022. Clements attended New Hampshire Fruit Growers Association Annual Meeting, Milton, NH. April 2022. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?This reporting period covers a partial year (Sep 1, 2021-May 31, 2022). As listed in Box 1, we delivered an extensive array of workshops, presentations, and training sessions throughout the reporting period. We published 5 newsletters (27 issues total) that reached more than 3,400 specialty crop growers. We participate in Regional IPM "call-ins" and working groups, which help to strengthen our Extension network and re-focus our educational efforts as needed. We bring unknown crop damage issues to the table for discussion and the knowledge we gain is transferred directly to our growers. Almost all EIP Team members are part of the organizing committee for the New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference, a bi-yearly event that attracts more than 1,500 growers from across New England. This 3.5 day event offers multiple opportunities for Extension personnel and growers to share experiences and information on specialty crop production. We are invited speakers (by our Extension colleagues) throughout the Northeast to present and train specialty crop growers. We are well networked with our colleagues and this facilitates exchange of information that helps our grower community. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Goal 1: Increase awareness and implementation of known sustainable IPM strategies among Specialty Crop growers and IPM practitioners Increasing IPM Implementation on Mentor Farms. •Intake interviews and Mentor farmer training will continue, biweekly farm visits will be completed. •Disease diagnostics and Soil and tissue testing will be conducted and analyzed. •Pest monitoring will be conducted as per proposal. Expanding Reach by Training Students in IPM. •Collaborate with Stockbridge School, MDAR to connect growers with students/IPM trainees • Social media will be used to disseminate highlights. Train Educators, Consultants, and Growers to Enhance Understanding of Basic and Advanced Specialty Crop IPM. •General: disseminate research-based info through web-based and in-person meetings, fact sheets, social media, trainings, podcasts and newsletters. •Cranberry: Host 2 Bogside Workshops, hold Cranberry Pesticide Safety Meeting (April 26, 2022) and Management Update Meeting (January 2023). •Grapes: Host 3 grape IPM workshops on zoom in May, June and July. •Honey Producers and Pollinator Conservation: host 2 workshops, produce 1 podcast, write 1 fact sheet on pollinator conservation and 1 for honey producer disease IPM. • Soil Health: conduct workshops, write newsletter articles, fact sheets. • Fruit team will conduct twilight meetings and field days in multiple locations across the state. Veg: Host 3 twilight meetings. Expand Reach to Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Growers. •Deliver workshops with live interpretation at all above-listed mentor farms. Workshops will be recorded for future use on the farms. Translate resources to hand out at these trainings. Topics for trainings and resources will include pest management, soil testing and interpretation, and safe pesticide handling and use. These resources will be shared widely with farmers and ag service providers via our web-based platforms. Promote IPM Collaborations in the Northeast. •Continue work with NEEFEC and host winter workshops. • Maintain and update MyIPM. • We are collaborating to plan and deliver the 2022 New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference (1500+ attendees projected). • Participate in New England Vegetable Pest Alerts, Berry Call-in. Increasing Awareness of Climate Resiliency. •Address Climate resiliency issues with growers one-on-one, Mentor Farmers, individual consultations, social media, cross-commodity state and regional workshops. •Educate cranberry growers about climate change, pursue funding to develop climate-smart agricultural practices, continue collaboration with Woodwell Climate Research Center. Goal 2: Increase development and implementation of IPM practices via data sharing and participatory applied research trials and demonstrations On-Farm Applied Research Trials on Emerging Pests Affecting Specialty Crops. •Tree Fruit: conduct trials on pear psylla and SLF; surveys of Samarai wasps. •Conduct 2 webinars and publish 1 video fact sheet and newsletter article (Tree fruit team). •Grapes: Create electronic printable flip cards; assess incidence and severity of grape diseases in MA. Deliver 1 presentation, publish fact sheets, newsletter articles. •Cranberry: Continue monitoring putnam scale crawler emergence, monitor and learn more about golden casebearer, and earlier timing of green spanworm. For cranberry weevil, focus on monitoring first year use of newly registered pyrethroid (Fanfare) and educate growers on safe usage to both applicator and environment. • Provide 1-on-one consulting. Conduct 3 ID and management workshops; develop IPM for scale, JKW, and casebearer (Cranberry team). • Vegetables: conduct 3 trials per year on organic pesticide efficacy, disease resistance cultivars. Host 2 workshops, pest alerts and newsletter articles. Conduct cost-benefit analyses. Publish data. Facilitate Extension Outputs for Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA). •Growers will be informed of NEWA 3.0 changes/updates, and during the growing season presented with relevant IPM tools using twilight meetings and Healthy Fruit. •NEWA weather stations will be monitored for data integrity and operability; weather stations will be repaired or replaced as necessary; new farms will be recruited. Goal 3: Develop IPM capacity to address on-farm challenges and promote awareness and implementation of new and under-utilized IPM strategies and technologies Professional development. •Team receives training on survey development, analysis and interpretation. •Team attends trainings on organic weed management, biocontrol, pest modeling, video production and using new and current virtual platforms, etc. Monitoring and Training with Unmanned Aerial Systems. •Conduct 6 UAS surveys and generate data and outputs for various farms to support ongoing investigations into UAS workflows and techniques generate data and outputs. •Produce updated high-accuracy terrain model and true-color orthomosaic. •Train 1 member of the Veg or Fruit team to operate UAS technology confidently and safely. •Write white papers to pursue grant funding to support robust research and extension programs and to provide preliminary guidance to farmers. •Hold 2 workshops with hands-on UAS and GIS training to veg growers. •Conduct surveys to document feedback on workshops provided. Dual-Use Solar. •Gather field-based data, work with growers, evaluate scouting and monitoring under photovoltaics. •Give 2 presentations and publish 2 articles. Economics. •Work with cranberry team on late water floods. •Work with Veg team to get cost-benefit of different approaches for on-farm research trials. Develop and Distribute Promotional IPM Resources for Growers and Consumers. •Print existing Fruit IPM infographic targeting general public and disseminate. •Work on re-design of IPM website; routinely populate, develop infographics. •Work with direct-sales growers to disseminate brochures to increase IPM awareness.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Goal 1: Increase awareness and implementation of known sustainable IPM strategies among Specialty Crop growers and IPM practitioners Increasing IPM Implementation on Mentor Farms. • Conducted 3 pre-season planning interviews with mentor farms. • Collected 1 diagnostic and 3 soil samples at specialty crop farms. • Pear psylla traps installed at 3 partner orchards. 12 farms selected for BMSB monitoring. Expanding Reach by Training Students in IPM. • IPM training for 2 undergraduate courses. Pruning/pest management workshop for UMass Student Farm. • 2 students trained in pear psylla trapping, monitoring and scouting protocols • Social media used (https://www.instagram.com/hawkeyeipm/). Train Educators, Consultants, and Growers to Enhance Understanding of Basic and Advanced Specialty Crop IPM. • 5 podcasts produced, 130 plays. • 7 Grape Notes newsletters. • 6 fact sheets: stink bugs, suppressive soils, entomopathogenic nematodes, yellow loosestrife, Japanese knotweed, Phragmites. • Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium presentation: Integrated weed management; video posted to YouTube. • 6 presentations on cranberry IPM and pest biology. • 5 articles for Cranberry newsletter. • Published 2022 update to Cranberry Management and New England Tree Fruit Management Guides. • 1 podcast on grape downy mildew. • 11 Vegetable Notes newsletters, 2800 subscribers. • 2 Respirator Training workshops to 48 attendees. • Worker Protection Standard handler training to 51 growers. • Assisted 66 growers in obtaining/maintaining MA pesticide applicators licenses. • Published Orchard Weed Management Survey Results and Herbicide Alternative Management Strategies Review. • Presentation on Winter Spinach Production and Economics at Mid-Atlantic Veg/Fruit Conference (50 attendees). • Presentation to visiting legislators on vegetable research, S. Deerfield, 10/19/21 (20 attendees). • Presentation on agricultural water at 2022 NOFA/Mass Winter Conference, 1/15/22 (10 attendees). • Presentation on vegetable IPM, 2022 NOFA Winter Conference, 1/15/22 (45 attendees) • Presentation at CiderCon 2022: Climate Change and Apple Disease (55 attendees). • Organized and hosted New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference (NEVFC) provided 20 hours of education for 606 attendees; Fruit team organized 2 sessions. • Presentation on Swede midge biology and management, at Southeastern MA Ag & Food Conference. • Presentation given on Grape Trunk diseases and management. • Poster presented at Pioneer Valley Microbiology Symposium 2022 on Resistance Variation to Necrotrophic and Biotrophic Diseases on Grape. • Article on pollinator health status for Veg Notes. Presentation at Southeastern MA Ag & Food Conference on Creating Pollinator Habitat on New England Farms Expand Reach to Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Growers. • Worked with 3 mentor farms from disadvantaged backgrounds: Nuestras Raices, a primarily Spanish-speaking farm, Holyoke; Riquezas del Campo, a farm cooperative for Spanish-speaking immigrant workers, Hatfield; and Flats Mentor Farm Program, a community farm for Hmong and African immigrant/refugee farmers, Lancaster. Promote IPM Collaborations in Northeast. • Garofalo served as lead coordinator for Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium (NEFC) providing pesticide recertification credits across 9 sessions for 613 attendees. • Garofalo served as lead coordinator for NEFC collaborating with 9 Extension professionals from New England and NY to present research from Extension, and industry colleagues and growers from New England, NY, NJ, and PA. • Scheufele General Chair and Garofalo Program Chair for NEVFC attended by 606 growers across Northeast and beyond. • 2 winter grower meetings co-sponsored by New England-wide Extension and New England Vegetable and Berry Growers association • New England Vegetable Pest Alerts met in winter to receive training on new pesticide products, EPA review of pyrethrin, and other educational topics. Increasing Awareness of Climate Resiliency. • Presented on trial results from Climate Adaptation Fellowship at NEVFC, year-end climate fellows' meeting, and program on Adapting to Climate Change by Cornell Extension. • Wrote 2 articles on climate adaptation for Veg Notes • Presented information on climate change and impacts to MA cranberry at January 2022 Update Meeting. Goal 2: Increase development and implementation of IPM practices via data sharing and participatory applied research trials and demonstrations On-Farm Applied Research Trials on Emerging Pests Affecting Specialty Crops. •Tree Fruit: Planning sessions conducted for 2022 growing season on-farm research and demonstrations. •Monitoring traps deployed in participant orchards. • Presentation on quantified disease resistance in 9 grape hybrids to downy mildew and other leaf necrotrophs. • Cranberry: Conducted herbicide trials for YLS, crop safety study for herbicide that controls moss and screened copper compound for moss control, and screened 5 postemergence herbicides for crop safety. • Recorded 120 contacts with 80 growers on issues ranging from using zoom to managing new pests. •Vegetables: Completed data summary, analysis, and publication of results through Extension channels for 6 trials conducted during 2021 on: Alternaria leaf spot in broccoli, Cercospora leaf spot in chard, cucurbit downy mildew in cucumber, wireworm in sweet potato, bacterial wilt in high tunnel cucumbers, and damping off in winter high tunnel spinach. Cucurbit downy mildew research published in Plant Disease Management Reports; other findings published in Veg Notes. Facilitate Extension Outputs Related to Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA). •Monitored and maintained existing NEWA weather stations (57). •Attended monthly NEWA meetings for state coordinators sponsored by NEWA. •Published 'NEWA 3.0 - what you need to know' on UMass Extension Fruit Program website. •Presented NEWA 3.0 top 10 tips' at Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention. Goal 3: Develop IPM capacity to address on-farm challenges and promote awareness and implementation of new and under-utilized IPM strategies and technologies Professional development. •Efforts to identify skilled survey instructor are underway. •Cranberry and Veg Teams attended trainings on new pesticide products, soil health, and online facilitation. Monitoring and Training with Unmanned Aerial Systems. •3 farms monitored 2x/season. 2 long-wave infrared (LWIR) thermal orthomosaics produced to measure late-summer irrigation and demonstrated calibrated multispectral survey to calculate spectral indices for monitoring crop health. •1 LWIR survey to identify coldest surface locations to inform placement of loggers for frost protection. •3 surveys conducted to demonstrate feasibility of collecting plant foliage data, collecting accurate or less labor-intensive fruit counts, and detection of disease. •Provided UAS training for Fruit Team and faculty. •Produced video on UAS workflows and applications in ag. •Participated in cranberry UAS focus group. Dual-Use Solar. •Nothing to report. Economics. •Published cost-benefit analyses of spinach production; presentedat Mid-Atlantic Vegetable and Fruit Conference. Develop and Distribute Promotional IPM Resources for Growers and Consumers. •Reviewing IPM webpage and updating IPM training materials currently. Total number students trained: 47 Total number of nonpeer-reviewed publications: 28 issues of specialty crop newsletters, 6 fact sheets, 6 podcasts, 2 videos 57 presentations reaching >3000 stakeholders; >150 1-on-1 trainings/assistance; >600 social media accounts.
Publications
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