Source: NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV submitted to
MODERNIZING NORTH CAROLINA IPM EXTENSION PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS STAKEHOLDER NEEDS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
EXTENDED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1027207
Grant No.
2021-70006-35670
Project No.
NC09923
Proposal No.
2021-05350
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
EIP
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2021
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2024
Grant Year
2023
Project Director
Seth-Carley, D.
Recipient Organization
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
(N/A)
RALEIGH,NC 27695
Performing Department
CIPM
Non Technical Summary
This EIP grant seeks to address these specific priority areas and issues, as well as a number of others on both the NC stakeholder priority list and the Regional SERA3 priority list (2021's list is not yet official, but will be March 17, 2021 so these priorities are based on the 2020 list) including: Developing IPM programs to protect pollinators and conserve natural enemies, and programs that focus on education and demonstration of the value of scientific decision making in IPM to growers and producers. The objectives of our EIP are closely aligned with the existing programmatic goals of NC stakeholders, the priority areas stated in the CPPM RFA, the National IPM Roadmap, the Southern IPM Center's goals, and that of the Regional IPM technical Committee, SERA3. To accomplish our goals and address stakeholder needs for the 2021 CPPM-EIP program, we have 2 main objectives which we will tackle as specific program teams. Our primary objects are to: 1) Develop and employ Extension Agent Trainings/In-Services to help agents to be effective communicators of IPM tactics, to build confidence in their knowledge of IPM strategies, and to foster high levels of trust and credibility in their local communities in Agronomic crops, Specialty crops, Communities, and Aquatic environments; 2) Deliver IPM Information to variety of stakeholders in North Carolina and the Southern Region through multiple means and activities. NC Extension agents, community members, and other NC stakeholders will become more knowledgeable about IPM and develop skill sets to be able to implement sound IPM practices.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
100%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2162199303050%
2166050303050%
Goals / Objectives
1) Develop and employ Extension Agent Trainings/In-Services to help agents to be effective communicators of IPM tactics, to build confidence in their knowledge of IPM strategies, and to foster high levels of trust and credibility in their local communities in Agronomic crops, Specialty crops, Communities, and Aquatic environments;2) Deliver IPM Information to variety of stakeholders in North Carolina and the Southern Region through multiple means and activities. NC Extension agents, community members, and other NC stakeholders will become more knowledgeable about IPM and develop skill sets to be able to implement sound IPM practices.
Project Methods
Each project has it's own appraoch. As a team, each Co-PI will provide individual trainings, workshops, and resources as previsouls described. Mr. Adams, our program coordinatr, will communicate regularly with co-Investigators and advisory board committee members through regular conference calls, emails, and via NC's IPM portal. Input from stakeholders will be sought directly at trainings, through the IPM portal Pest News weekly newsletter, and voluntary feedback mechanisms which are built into all our online delivery tools. We will also work with the Southern IPM Center to upload videos and other content their website as well.

Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23

Outputs
Target Audience:Stakeholder advisory council, pesticide safety education program educators, NC State extension administrators, NC A&T faculty, NGOs, Federal Partners (i.e. EPA, USDA, etc.), growers, commodity growers, state extension specialists, State IPM faculty and staff, NC Department of Agriculture (NCDA) agronomists, certified crop consultants, private pesticide/chemical sales reps, landscaping professionals, nurseryman and greenhouse growers, landscape/lawncare managers, other SERA3 partners, extension master gardeners volunteers (EMGV's), beekeepers, and consumers/NC residents and homeowners. Changes/Problems:Co-PI Sydney Crawley is leaving NC State University effective 7/1/2023. We plan to continue the work and finish the program. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Program 1.1 A Plants, Pests, and Pathogens webinar series has been launched for extension agents and master gardener volunteers. Eleven webinar have been held and recorded and will continue to be offered through 2024. Program 1.2 Six landscape and ornamental IPM pilot trainings have been held virtually. These precursor trainings were intended to gain information from landscape professionals on their willingness to integrate management of ornamental landscapes. Program 1.3 N/A Program 1.4 Three Agent and Educator Virtual Teaching Resources have been created for the NC 4-H pollinator curriculum program. These include; The Busy World of Bees, Hive Helpers, and Winged Wonders. Seven pollinator workshops were held reaching over 426 youth. Topics ranged from designing landscapes to enhance beneficials, Bringing 4-H to the classroom, Insect IPM Investigations, WildWeeds as well as others. Program 1.5 We have completed the train the trainer process and two new professionals have been certified for flying aerial vehicles as well as image analysis. Program 2.1 In collaboration with area and county agents, we co-organized and held a field training for 20 agents in western North Carolina to visit multiple vegetable farms so we could teach them and practice disease diagnostics in the field on real plant materials, discuss management strategies including cultural practices and effective pesticides. Program 2.2 The 5th iteration of the Aquatic Plant Management Workshop was held (A workshop started with previous EIP funding) for over 80 attendees (18 extension agents) Program 2.3 N/A Program 2.4 Eleven pollinator habitat, beneficial insect and IPM trainings were held reaching 945 participants. These events were placed across the state and participants ranged from specialists, county agricultural agents, growers, extension master gardener volunteers to youth. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminated through multiple platforms created in previous EIP grants. These include weekly pest news and information newsletters, immediate release through email (pest alerts) as well as on our social media platforms (Twitter and Facebook). The news, emails, and content is also posted to our (IPM portal), and our affiliated Extension Specialists spend a great deal of time traveling all over the state giving presentations and consult with individual growers. In addition, the pandemic has forced us to transition into more web-based/asynchronous learning trainings to move EIP/IPM information across North Carolina. Followers of the pest news and alerts range from land grant specialists and members of IPM-related industries to members of the general public. Those who follow via e-mail tend to be from land grant universities or government agencies, and those who follow via WordPress accounts tend to be from unknown backgrounds, although a few are from the landscape industry, garden centers, farms or the pest control industry. Through meetings with our Advisory Council, we continue to make strides to revise our communication plan and refined our audience. These audiences, which include mostly agricultural or horticultural professionals with an interest in IPM. We also target residents and homeowners in NC through our community focused programs with master gardeners, 4-H as well as community and school gardens. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Program 1.1 Continue to increase visibility and the number of visitors who use the capacity of the "Find a Plant" Function. Currently, many visitors come to look at a specific plant profile but do not explore the functionality of the database for recommendations. The Plants, Pests, and Pathogens webinar series will continue through the summer of 2024 and further impacts will be recorded. Program 1.2 Data from the initial trainings will be used to refine future workshops and educational materials and collect participants' current knowledge and recommendation on IPM topics generally and in relation to different fragments of landscape industry. We will continue developing a comprehensive IPM short course specifically designed for landscape professionals. The goal is to have the date finalized and speakers confirmed by mid-2023. Program 1.3 Additional trainings and two more videos will be produced in year 3. Also, a IPM guide will be created on tarnished plant bug in cotton. All of these products will be used as part of a "IPM package" for county agents with responsibility in grain and cotton production. Program 1.4 Finish Online Course Development for CALS Online Academy: 1.) Busy World of Bees (ages 5-7) and 2.) Winged Wonders (ages 5-8), We have also added two more online courses: 1.) Hive Helpers (ages 8-10) and 2.) Beekeepers (ages 11-13). These will be launched as a pilot for agents and use formative feedback for course improvement. Creation of 360° Video Technology integrated into Online Training: Youth are demanding more visually immersive videos. A pilot 360° has been planned to create a pollinator experience in the garden with clickable informational components. Additional video assets have been planned to include an agricultural field with beneficials and pests and possibly inside a honey bee hive. Program 1.5 A total of two trainings (10 agents each training) will be conducted during June 2023. After the training, the use of UAVs for diagnosis of crop production issues by county extension agents will be monitored and documented for an entire year. Additionally, a round table discussion group will be held at the end of each training cycle to discuss concerns and recommendations from stakeholders and agents. Program 2.1 We will continue to work on completing two additional videos. The topic will depend on the diseases present in the 2023 growing season. Range of topics include Fusarium wilt of tomato, pith necrosis of tomato, Tomato spotted wilt virus of tomato, or Buckeye rot of tomato. Program 2.2 We plan to finish the simple storyboard for aquatic weed ecology and methods to monitor, map, and remotely sense aquatic plants. We will also begin to collect videos on each of these topics. We also plan to collect video for the aquatic weed identification portion. By fall 2023, we plan to submit a draft of first extension article on Hydrilla for review. Once reviewed, we will send out a press release and post to the NC State Extension Publication collection as a "Biology and Integrated Management of Hydrilla". Program 2.3 Our plan is to deliver retailer-focused IPM training programs for insecticidal product sales to at least five store managers. Additionally, we will be printing and delivering manuals to as many local/regional stores as possible, with the offer of future in person trainings. Program 2.4 We plan to continue collecting video and "B roll" for production of several pollinators related vignettes. These vignettes will highlight pollinator awareness and conservation across NC. These vignettes will also be used in further IPM and pollinator trainings in year 3.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Program 1.1 (80% Complete) Accomplishments: A Plants, Pests, and Pathogens webinar series was launched in April 2022, and 11 webinars have been held. The webinar has reached 80 extension agents and 1,542 extension master gardener volunteers to date and the online recordings have received 2,519 views. The plant toolbox has 10,310,384 unique page views and over 5.5 million visitors since May 2022. 85 volunteers have logged 1,758 hours, for an approximate value of $52,659. 341 new plant profiles added in the last year. Added 518 IPM records including links to insect and disease publications. The Extension Master Gardener College was held on October 27-29, 2022. 12 Extension agents and 110 Master Gardener volunteers attended. Outcomes/Impacts: When asked in a follow-up survey how participating in Plants, Pests, and Pathogens has benefited them, 93% of agents and Master Gardener volunteers responding to the survey reported that participation increased their knowledge of pest and plant disease issues, 78% indicated they improved their diagnostic skills, and 88% felt the knowledge and skills they gained increased their effectiveness as Extension educators. 77% reported adopting a new sustainable pest management practice in their own gardening efforts, 82% had used the knowledge gained to advise others on sustainable plant care, and In a follow-up survey, Master Gardener volunteers were asked about the benefits of attending the Extension Master Gardener College. Of those responding, 86% reported improving their knowledge of climate change impacts on plants, 81% learned new gardening strategies for adapting to climate change, and 93% increased awareness of NC State Extension resources they can use in community outreach. Program 1.2 (50% Complete) Accomplishments: Six landscape and ornamental IPM pilot trainings have been held in person and virtually reaching 432 extension agents and green industry professionals. These precursor trainings are intended to gain information from landscape professionals on their willingness to integrate management of ornamental landscapes. Outcomes/Impacts: At this time, we do not have clear outcomes or impacts, however we have laid the framework through these early IPM pilots to measure progress and changes in knowledge to curate the mindset of "IPM for an Ecosystem". Program 1.3 (75% Complete) Accomplishments: The team met last March (2022) during a regional IPM training and determined several potential topics for future training videos; bollworm egg scouting threshold in cotton, scouting tarnished plant bug in cotton, maintaining soybean seed quality, scouting insects in cover crop mulch, weed suppression considerations in cover crops, disease management in cover crops, and soil moisture conservation in cover crops. To date, all 7 of these topics were successful converted into short vignettes and were posted on the NCSU Extension YouTube channel. In addition, three others were created on field planting exercises, management of tarnished plant bugs in cotton production, and pest management implications form early soybean plantings. Outcomes/Impacts: Outcomes and impacts of this program are currently being collected now that videos have been distributed. Program 1.4 (66% Complete) Accomplishments: Three Agent and Educator Virtual Teaching Resources have been created for the NC 4-H pollinator curriculum program. These include; The Busy World of Bees, Hive Helpers, and Winged Wonders. A Hatch Butterfly Program was created in 2022. 230 butterfly kits were shipped to classrooms across NC and reached over 4,600 Youth. Seven pollinator workshops were held reaching over 426 youth. Topics ranged from designing landscapes to enhance beneficials, Bringing 4-H to the classroom, Insect IPM Investigations, WildWeeds, as well as others. Outcomes/Impacts: Once completed, a 9-week class window will be available for extension agents to access the content. We will evaluate knowledge and attitude change in Extension agents and volunteers about pollinators and pollinator stewardship, including best management practices through pre-survey prior to the online training and again 6-8 weeks after course completion. Program 1.5 (50% Complete) Accomplishments: We have completed the train the trainer process and two new professionals have been certified for flying aerial vehicles, as well as analyzing and processing image analysis. Learning goals for the trainings will focus 1) Fly patterns for crop monitoring 2) Flying timing during- and off-growing season 3) Image collection methodologies (e.g., flying height, resolution, frequency, overlap) 4) Image processing and sharing 5) Diagnostics based on images 6) IPM recommendations and follow ups. Outcomes/Impacts: In the early part of 2024, we plan to conduct an impact assessment with extension agents and growers involved in the trainings. Program 2.1 (90% Complete) Accomplishments: Four additional disease diagnostic videos were posted to the NC State Extension YouTube channel in March 2023. A total of 8 short videos on tomato diseases has been created through this program and now available. The four videos posted in 2022 have been viewed 5,771 times. In summer 2022, in collaboration with area and county agents, we co-organized and held a field training for 20 agents in western North Carolina to visit multiple vegetable farms for hands-on training. Outcomes/Impacts: Of the 42 county or area agents in NC who responded to the survey, 100% of them documented that these videos would help them identify diseases of tomato in the field and allow them to help their growers. Program 2.2 (75% Complete) Accomplishments: Throughout the 2021 and 2022 field season we collected video clips of field work, herbicide application, wildlife impacts and invasive and native aquatic plants to be utilized in this educational series. Four of these videos were updated to YouTube in 2022 and to date have 4,580 views. An NC Department of Ag Regulated Aquatic Plant ID guide was created in 2022 and distributed to the NCDA & CS Plant Industry Division. Outcomes/Impacts: While at this point we do not have any outcomes or impacts, we plan to measure these impactions with a survey to determine usefulness and changes in knowledge in aquatic settings in Year 3. Program 2.3 (50% Complete) Accomplishments: Over the last year, we have spent considerable time conducting in-person needs assessment with managers and retail employee at local retail facilities that distribute pesticide products. Outcomes/Impacts: Almost all of the managers we surveyed (one excluded) stated that they would welcome pesticide product education. During our Year 3 trainings we will gauge changes in knowledge through pre/post training surveys. Program 2.4 (50% Complete) Accomplishments: Eleven Pollinator habitat, beneficial insect and IPM trainings were held reaching 945 participants. These events were placed across the state and participants ranged from county agricultural agents, growers, master gardeners, to youth. We have begun to collaborate with other pollinator experts in NC and started to develop plans for the new pollinator certificate program, which will be focused on plant interactions, classic mutualisms, and pollinator resource competition, rather than the more general "best plants for pollinators" or "pollinator gardening". Outcomes/Impacts Outcomes and impacts of this program will largely come once data is collected, vignettes produced, and outreach and trainings opportunities that will occur in year 3. Our main focus is to increase appreciation of pollinator issues and pollinator conservation strategies. 1. Total number of peer-reviewed publications: 8 2. Total number of non-peer-reviewed publications: 3 3. Total number of presentations: 43 4. Total number of people reached by your project during this reporting period: 13712

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Oreja FH, Hare AT, Jordan DL, Leon RG (2023) Previous crop and herbicide timing application effects on weed populations and yield. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management Accepted
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Moore LD, Jennings KM, Monks DW, Boyette MD, Leon RG, Jordan DL, Ippolito SJ, Blankenship CD, Change P (2023) Evaluation of electrical and mechanical Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) management in cucumber, peanut, and sweetpotato. Weed Technology https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2023.1
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Dobbs AM, Ginn D, Skovsen SK, Bagavathiannan MV, Mirsky SB, Reberg-Horton SC, Leon RG (2022) New directions in weed research and management using 3-D imaging. Weed Science 70:641-647 http://doi.org/10.1017/wsc.2022.56
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2023 Citation: Wilson, C.J., Frank, S. D. (2023) Urban tree pests can support biological control services in landscape shrubs. Biocontrol. 10.1007/s10526-023-10192-8.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2022 Citation: Wilson, C.J., Frank, S. D. (2022) Scale insects support natural enemies in both landscape trees and shrubs below them. Environmental Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvac081
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Marshall, S., Woofer, S. Driscoll, E. (2023) Insects Chapter: Beneficials and Pests Eco Tower: 4-H Ecological Explorations. North Carolina 4-H Curriculum. Raleigh, NC: NC Cooperative Extension (In Draft - expected publication 2023)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2023 Citation: Seth Carley, Danesha, J. Cook, S. Emerine. 2023. "Agricultural Issues with Climate Change: Case Studies with Soybean Pests Johnsongrass, kudzu bug, and charcoal rot. Journal of Integrated Pest Management. (submitted).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Other Year Published: 2023 Citation: Chen, Huajin; Seth Carley, Danesha; Mu�oz-Carpena, Rafael; Ferruzzi, Giulio; Yuan, Yongping; Henry, Eric; Blankinship, Amy; Breckels, Ross; Fox, Garey; Luo, Yuzhou; Veith, Tamie; Osmond, Deanna; Preisendanz, Heather; Tang, Jane; Armbrust, Kevin; Costello, Kevin; McConnell, Laura; Rice, Patricia; Westgate, John; Whiteside, Melanie. 2023. Incorporating the Benefits of Vegetative Filter Strips into Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Pesticides. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. EAM-2022-374-WS (in press).
  • Type: Other Status: Under Review Year Published: 2023 Citation: Richardson, Robert. 2023. Biology and Integrated Management of Hydrilla. North Carolina State University Extension Publication. In review.


Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22

Outputs
Target Audience:Stakeholder advisory council, pesticide safety education program educators (PSEP), NC State extension administrators, NC A&T faculty, NGOs, Federal Partners (i.e. EPA, USDA, etc.), growers, commodity growers, state extension specialists, State IPM faculty and staff, NC Department of Agriculture (NCDA) agronomists, certified crop consultants, private pesticide/chemical sales reps, landscaping professionals, nurseryman and greenhouse growers, landscape/lawncare managers, other SERA3 partners, extension master gardeners volunteers (EMGV's), beekeepers, and consumers/NC residents and homeowners. Changes/Problems:Funding reductions are always a challenge. Aside from this, COVID made in-preson meetings impossible, and as such, some programming is delayed. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Program 1.1 A Plants, Pests, and Pathogens webinar series has been launched for extension agents and master gardener volunteers. Four webinars have been held and recorded and will continue to be offered through October. Program 1.2 Three landscape and ornamental IPM pilot trainings have been held virtually. These precursor trainings were intended to gain information from landscape professionals on their willingness to integrate management of ornamental landscapes. Program 1.3 Six regional agent trainings (42 participants) were held across the state of NC focusing on soybean, grain, and cotton insect pests. Participants were mostly county agricultural agents with a few NCSU specialists and growers in attendance. Program 1.4 In Spring of 2022, 65 Extension Agents participated in-person pollinator education workshop. This content will be used for future 4-H pollinator curriculum. The courses will be a part of our NC State CALS Academy, a series of on-demand training supported by NC State Extension and will reach agents, volunteers, and the general public. Program 1.5 N/A Program 2.1 N/A Program 2.2 The aquatic plant management workshop was held in February of 2022 (A workshop started with previous EIP funding) for 80 attendees (18 extension agents). Content and video collected from this project was highlighted in the workshop. Program 2.3 N/A Program 2.4 N/A How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminated through multiple platforms created in previous EIP grants. These include weekly pest news and information newsletters, immediate release through email (pest alerts) as well as on our social media platforms (Twitter and Facebook). The news, emails, and content is also posted to our (IPM portal), and our affiliated Extension Specialists spend a great deal of time traveling all over the state giving presentations and consulting with individual growers. In addition, the pandemic has forced us to transition into more web-based/asynchronous learning trainings to move EIP information across North Carolina. Followers of the pest news and alerts range from land grant specialists and members of IPM-related industries to members of the general public. Those who follow via email tend to be from land grant universities or government agencies, and those who follow via WordPress accounts tend to be from unknown backgrounds, although a few are from the landscape industry, garden centers, farms or the pest control industry. Through meetings with our Advisory Council, we continue to make strides to revise our communication plan and refined our audience. These audiences, which include mostly agricultural or horticultural professionals with an interest in IPM. We also target residents and homeowners in NC through our community focused programs with master gardeners, 4-H as well as community and school gardens. The EIP team has also created a quarterly EIP seminar in 2022, which will focus on highlighting and strengthening specific EIP programs. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Program 1.1 Finalize the EMGV College speakers and workshops as well as launch a marketing campaign and new website to promote the event. A survey will be created for the event to measure changes in participant IPM knowledge and confidence. We plan to continue the Plants, Pests, and Pathogens webinar series through October and begin planning for the 2023 iteration. The webinar will be modified in the future based on evaluation data and a future IPM needs assessments. Program 1.2 Data from the initial trainings, measured through the pre/post methods will be used to refine future workshops and educational materials and collect participants' current knowledge and recommendation on IPM topics generally and in relation to different fragments of landscape industry. We will continue developing a comprehensive IPM short course specifically designed for landscape professionals. The goal is to have the date finalized and speakers confirmed by April 2023. Program 1.3 Additional trainings will be held in the summer of 2022 and winter 2022/2023. Certain IPM elements and production topics during these training courses will be recorded. These short videos will then be used as part of a "IPM package" for county agents with responsibility in grain and cotton production. Program 1.4 Finish the course development of two additional pollinator curriculum 1.) Busy World of Bees (ages 5-7) and 2.) Winged Wonders (ages 5-8), each with 8 modules. This will include the creation of demonstration videos, animations and interactive activities. These course will then be released on-demand (asynchronous) and distributed to over 150 Extension personnel and volunteers. In addition, work will begin on the initial stages of the "Pollinator in our Garden" ID guide. This will include determining pollinator species to be used, IPM strategies when managing garden pests, and strategies to add pollinator habitat to their urban environment. Program 1.5 Between April and December 2022, extension agents will be recruited for trainings as well as the first two trainings will be conducted. Additionally, a round table discussion group will be held at the end of each training cycle to discuss concerns and recommendations from stakeholders and agents. In the early part of 2023, we hope to conduct an impact assessment with extension agents and growers involved in the trainings. Program 2.1 We will continue to work on completing the remaining videos. The topic will include three of the following diseases, depending on if we see the disease occurring in the field in 2022: bacterial wilt, early blight, Fusarium wilt, Tomato spotted wilt virus, and Verticillium wilt. Program 2.2 Begin process to create a simple storyboard for aquatic weed ecology and methods to monitor, map, and remotely sense aquatic plants. We will also begin to collect videos on each of these topics. We also plan to collect video for the aquatic weed identification portion. By April 2023, we plan to submit a draft of first extension article on Hydrilla for review. Once reviewed, we will send out a press release and post to the NC State Extension Publication collection as a "Biology and Integrated Management of Hydrilla". Program 2.3 Between now and next April, we will 1) develop the retailer needs assessment survey and, 2) utilize the information obtained to develop retailer training programs in late 2022 and early 2023. Program 2.4 We plan to collect data from the pollinator habitat demonstration which include; plant flowering times, numbers of pollinator visits for each plant species, and the types of pollinators to visit these plants. This information will be used in field days and short vignettes highlighting pollinator awareness and conservation.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Program 1: Develop and employ Extension Agent Trainings/In-Services to help agents to be effective communicators of IPM tactics, to build confidence in their knowledge of IPM strategies, and to foster high levels of trust and credibility in their local communities in Agronomic crops, Specialty crops, Communities, and Aquatic environments; Program 1.1 (20% Complete) Accomplishments: A Plants, Pests, and Pathogens webinar series has been launched. The 2022 webinar series will be offered each month, February through October. The completed February and March webinars reached 24 extension agents and 429 extension master gardener volunteers. The plant toolbox has 5,204,175 unique page views since August 2021 and work has been completed by 30 volunteers representing 24 NC counties. These volunteers have logged 1,279 hours, for an approximate value of $36,500. 483 new videos were uploaded to plant profiles within the toolbox. The Extension Master Gardener College has finalized dates for October 27-29, 2022 on NC State's Centennial Campus. Outcomes/Impacts: While outcomes and impacts have not yet been reached, we have made progress towards increasing knowledge and adoption of IPM strategies through online webinar training. These short term outcomes, will allow for additional opportunities later for county agents and master gardeners to share and teach IPM strategies. Program 1.2 (15% Complete) Accomplishments: Three landscape and ornamental IPM pilot trainings have been held virtually reaching 215 extension agents and green industry professionals. These precursor trainings are intended to gain information from landscape professionals on their willingness to integrate management of ornamental landscapes. Outcomes/Impacts: At this time, we do not have clear outcomes or impacts, however we have laid the framework through these pilot trainings to measure progress and changes in knowledge through future IPM trainings and courses. Program 1.3 (5% Complete) Accomplishments: Six agent training (42 participants) were held focusing on soybean, grain, and cotton insect pests. The team determined several potential IPM-related topics for future training videos; bollworm egg scouting threshold in cotton, scouting tarnished plant bug in cotton, scouting insects in cover crop mulch, weed suppression considerations in cover crops as well as others. Outcomes/Impacts: Outcomes and impacts of this program will largely come once trainings and videos have been distributed. Through an increase in broad-scale changes in management strategies, we can increase economic and environmental sustainability and reduce negative impacts on human health brought on by potential pesticide exposure. Program 1.4 (20% Complete) Accomplishments: In Spring of 2022, 65 Extension Agents participated in-person pollinator education workshop. Four Moodle course frameworks have been created for each of the four 4-H pollinator curriculum. The courses will be a part of our NC State CALS Academy, a series of on-demand training supported by NC State Extension and will reach agents, volunteers, and the general public. Outcomes/Impacts: The on-demand training is currently being developed and opportunities to train agents will occur in year 2 and 3. The evaluation will explore change in knowledge and attitude in Extension agents and volunteers as it related to pollinators, pollinator stewardship, and best management practices. Program 1.5 (5% Complete) Accomplishments: We have identified the equipment (drones, tables, and software) that will be used for the project and the trainings. Learning goals for the trainings will focus on six main activities that will help extension agents to identify and generate IPM strategies based on precision management: 1) Fly patterns for crop monitoring 2) Flying timing during- and off-growing season 3) Image collection methodologies (e.g., flying height, resolution, frequency, overlap) 4) Image processing and sharing 5) Diagnostics based on images 6) IPM recommendations and follow ups. Outcomes/Impacts: As a result of the training and round table, Extension agents should have a greater understanding on how using UAV and technology based programs can help growers reduce pesticide applications. Program 2 Deliver IPM Information to variety of stakeholders in North Carolina and the Southern Region through multiple means and activities. NC Extension agents, community members, and other NC stakeholders will become more knowledgeable about IPM and develop skill sets to be able to implement sound IPM practices. Program 2.1 (50% Complete) Accomplishments: Four disease videos have been developed on late blight, gray leaf spot, bacterial spot, and Septoria leaf spot of tomato. Videos include symptoms, how to differentiate each disease, additional tools to use to help with diagnoses (e.g., stereoscopes that are accessible to county agents), and management of the disease. From March-April 2022, the videos have 344 views. Outcomes/Impacts: Thirty-eight county agents responded to the feedback survey after watching the videos. Thirty-seven of thirty-eight (97%) agents reported that BEFORE watching the videos they were not at all or only somewhat confident in diagnosing SOME of these diseases, but AFTER watching the videos they were "somewhat" confident (21/37 [57%]) or "very confident" (16/37 [43%]) in diagnosing all of the diseases. Program 2.2 (15% Complete) Accomplishments: Throughout the field season we collected video clips of field work, herbicide application, wildlife impacts and invasive and native aquatic plants to be utilized in this educational series. Four of these videos were updated to YouTube and to date have 1,413 views These were also shared at our virtual aquatic plant management workshop in February of 2022 (A workshop started with previous EIP funding) for 80 attendees (18 extension agents) We have also begun work on the first of two peer-reviewed extension publications. A literature review on the "Biology and Integrated Management of Hydrilla" has been completed. Outcomes/Impacts: While at this point we do not have any outcomes or impacts, we are hopeful that our videos and outreach materials provide an easily accessible learning experience for people wanting to learn more about invasive aquatic plant identification, impacts to the environment and integrated management strategies. Program 2.3 (5% Complete) Accomplishments: We have hired a technician to assist with the project, as well as conducted introductory meetings with NC Evaluation and Accountability Coordinator to understand the best methods for conducting educational needs assessments. Outcomes/Impacts: The needs assessment will reveal needs of retailers at "big box" stores in the state in terms of pesticide education and product knowledge. Ideally, employees will encourage consumers to engage in IPM and use multiple approaches for pest management to reduce pesticide input in urban environments. Program 2.4 (10% Complete) Accomplishments: The pollinator habitat demonstration and training area was established during 2021. The area was seeded with several different wildflower/pollinator mixes commonly available to NC residents. We have begun to collaborate with other pollinator experts in NC and started to develop plans for the new pollinator certificate program, which will be focused on plant interactions, classic mutualisms, and pollinator resource competition, rather than the more general "best plants for pollinators" or "pollinator gardening". Outcomes/Impacts Outcomes and impacts of this program will largely come once data is collected, vignettes produced, and outreach and trainings opportunities. Our main focus is to increase appreciation of pollinator issues and pollinator conservation strategies. 1. Total number of peer-reviewed publications: 6 2. Total number of non-peer-reviewed publications: 0 3. Total number of presentations: 43 4. Total number of people reached during this reporting period: 7089

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Tiwari R, Reinhardt Piskackova TA, Devkota P, Mulvaney MJ, Ferrell JA, Leon RG (2021) Growing winter Brassica carinata as part of a diversified crop rotation for integrated weed management. Global Change Biology - Bioenergy 13:425-435 doi: 10.111/gcbb.12799 Raleigh, NC.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2021 Citation: Tiwari R, Devkota P, Mulvaney MJ, Ferrell JA, Leon RG (2021) Winter Brassica carinata production as part of a diversified crop rotation for integrated weed management. Proc South Weed Sci Soc 74:51
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Seth Carley, D., L. A. Gragg, M. J. Taggart, T. W. Rufty. 2021 Estimation of water stress tolerance of six woody plant species. Horticulture International Journal. 5(2): 64-72.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2022 Citation: Camacho ME, Gannon TW, Ahmed KA, Mulvaney MJ, Heitman JL, Amoozegar A, Leon RG (2022) Evaluation of imazapic and flumioxazin carryover risk for Brassica carinata establishment. Weed Science Accepted
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2021 Citation: Camacho ME, Mulvaney MJ, Post A, Amoozegar A, Gannon TW, Heitman JL, Leon RG (2021) Evaluation of imazapic and flumioxazin carryover risk for Brassica carinata establishment. ASA, CSSA and SSSA International Annual Meetings. Salt Lake City, Utah. November 8-11th, 2021
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Moore LD, Jennings KM, Monks DW, Jordan DL, Boyette MD, Leon RG, Mahoney J, Everman WJ, Cahoon CW. 2021. Susceptibility of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) accessions in North Carolina to atrazine, dicamba, S-metolachlor, and 2,4-D. Crop, Forage, and Turfgrass Management e20136 https://doi.org/10.1002/cft2.20136
  • Type: Books Status: Accepted Year Published: 2021 Citation: Seth Carley, D., Community Gardening for the South: Building Community from the Ground Up by Danesha Seth Carley. UNC Press, Chapel Hill, NC (proposal accepted April, 2021)
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Backe, K. , Rousselet, J., Bernard, A., Frank, S.D., and Roques, A. (2021). Human health risks of invasive caterpillars increase with urban warming. Landscape Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01214-w.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Frank, S.D., Nagle, A.M. 2021. Impact of Selected Insecticides Against Brown Soft Scales Infesting Macho Ferns, 2021, Arthropod Management Tests, Volume 46, Issue 1, tsab105, https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsab105.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2021 Citation: Frank, S.D., Nagle, A.M. 2021. Impact of Selected Insecticides Against European Pepper Moth Larvae Infesting Poinsettia, 2021, Arthropod Management Tests, Volume 46, Issue 1, 2021, tsab104, https://doi.org/10.1093/amt/tsab104