Progress 09/01/24 to 08/31/25
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached by our efforts is quite varied. Under the Agronomic section, the team has reached producers/farmers, Extension Agents, and agronomists. The communities and pesticide safety section has reached Extension Master Gardeners, homeowners, turf and landscape professionals, commercial applicators, and other people interested in the "Garden Hour" topics. Changes/Problems:The team has had some delays related to funding uncertainty as we took a conservative approach due to all of the unknowns during this funding cycle, but we are now back on track and working to completion of the objectives. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has provided the opportunity to provide training to program participants about resistance issues, best management practices,and integrated pest management. It has also allowed the PI's to travel to several national meetings to share with others about their projectsand attend professional development opportunities to improve the PI's skills. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results are disseminated through webinars, newsletters, social media posts, and distribution through the K-State Research and Extension network. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Plan of Work (year 2): Agronomic Section: Expected Objective and Timeline: In year 2 of this project, the team plans to meet to create a plan of work to determine what articles or topics should be featured on resistance management. The team also needs to evaluate how implement insects and diseases into our educational program because much of the education has been aimed at weeds. Continue to develop and design additional facts sheets and educational materials. II. IPM Implementation in Communities Extension Master Gardener (response line and advanced training): Expected Objectives and Timeline: Although Year 1 objectives were not fully met, foundational work--such as developing interview questions and a stakeholder survey--sets the stage for progress in Year 2. We will adjust our timeline to collect interview and survey data at the end of the 2025 garden season. In the meantime, we will begin drafting elements of the advanced IPM training and resource toolkit based on existing insights. Once data is collected, we will analyze results to inform the final training (to be delivered in Year 3) and begin toolkit development. This approach keeps us on track while ensuring stakeholder-informed outcomes. Outcomes: Extension Master Gardeners will have more advanced training options and resources to equip them to answer the response line. K-State Garden Hour: Expected Objectives and Timeline: The team will continue to conduct the webinars as planned for the rest of 2025. The program focus team will meet with us to evaluate what is working or what can be improved on and evaluate the future topics and speakers. Outcomes: Increased knowledge and behavioral changes when selecting plants and implementation of IPM related practices. Insect Art Contest: Expected Objectives and Timeline: Gain feedback from the participants about how to better promote the program and reach individuals in additional counties. Determine what theme to use for the contest and create the needed marketing materials, so the art can be submitted by April 15, 2026. Outcomes: Inspire creativity and learning about insects to our youth. This also helps to destigmatize insects as being bad or unhelpful. The youth learn about educational information about the insect they choose to feature in their art. Enhanced Active Learning at Turfgrass Conference and Field Days: Expected Objectives and Timeline: Continue to host hands-on booth/session at the Turfgrass and Landscape Conference and implement new ways of engaging participants. Obtain new speakers and incorporate more topics into the schedule. Next conference planned for December 2025. Outcomes: Increase the use of IPM practices and make participants more knowledge about pest identification etc. Horticulture e-Newsletter, KSU Turf Blog, Facebook: Expected Objectives and Timeline: Continue to evaluate whether we need a new format and work to increase the amount of subscribers. Continue to organize blog topics, post about IPM related topics, investigate better ways to reach our audience by data collected from surveys etc. Use data collected from the turf blog survey to refine our efforts and continue our current progress. Outcomes: Increased knowledge on best management practices, IPM, types of pesticides and common problems observed. III. IPM Education for Pesticide Applicators Interactive Playing Cards: Expected Objectives and Timeline: Continue to acquire the needed images and text for each card. Reach out to potential stakeholder groups to gather their input on how they may be used and what would be important to include. Then the team will work on graphic design and creation. Outcomes: Youth and stakeholders using the card deck will become more aware common pests found in specific crops and create the opportunity for hands-on learning.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Kansas State University Integrated Pest Management program's goal is to provide Kansas constituents and stakeholders with the knowledge to use safe and sustainable IPM strategies. The primary goal is to create engaging tools (videos, apps, newsletters, and webinars) to help stakeholders more effectively use pest management strategies. The team aims to raise the overall awareness of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by making information more accessible and incorporating into existing programs to build a stronger knowledge base for program participants. This will promote collaboration among stakeholders to tackle resistance management issues and explore solutions across agronomic and specialty crops, communities, and pesticide applicator education programs. IPM Implementation in Agronomic Crops and/or Specialty Crops Objective 1: Deliver targeted IPM and resistance management training for KSRE Agents and key KSRE clients (75% complete): Project Accomplishments: Provided herbicide resistance updates at Cover Your Acres (approximately 200 individuals), Corn and Soybean Schools (2 locations, approximately 75 individuals) Great Plains Cotton Conference (approximately 100 individuals) Shared herbicide resistance management tactics at Sorghum Connection (3 locations, approximately 100 individuals) Discussed herbicide modes of action and potential for resistance at Applicator Institute (approximately 200 individuals), CCA Field Day (approximately 200 individuals) Objective 2: Produce Extension fact sheets and other educational resources focused on IPM and resistance management (20% complete): Project Accomplishments: Outline of Herbicide Resistance Management fact sheet drafted with Kouame, Geier as coauthors chemical products for display Objective 3: Feature IPM and resistance management topics through widely accessed media outlets (Agronomy eUpdate, Agriculture Today, and the War Against Weeds podcast) (100% complete): Project Accomplishments: War Against Weeds episodes about: herbicide resistance updates (1 episode, approximately 300 downloads), nonchemical weed management tactics (4 episodes, approximately 1,290 downloads), herbicide modes of action (3 episodes, approximately 1,200 downloads II. IPM Implementation in Communities Extension Master Gardener (response line and advanced training) Objective 1: Conduct listening sessions with response line volunteers to assess Garden Response Line services (50% complete) Project Accomplishments: The interview questions have been developed to collect information about the benefits of the response lines and where to improve on training of Master Gardeners. Objective 2: Develop and launch a survey to collect information from public stakeholders who use the response line service (50% complete) Project Accomplishments: The online survey has been developed. Objective 3: Develop advanced training plan and outline resources for toolkit (0% complete) Project Accomplishments: None K-State Garden Hour: Objective 1: Deliver monthly webinars to educate the public on IPM and sustainable growing practices. Offer a webinar each month. (75 % completion) Project Accomplishments: Completed 9 webinars total focusing on various topics including: Evergreens in Kansas, Rabbit, Mole and Deer Mitigation, Maximizing Water Efficiency through Drip Irrigation, Establishing a Native Prairie Stand, Heat-loving Perennials for Kansas. Insect Art Contest Objective 1: Create an opportunity for youth and adults to learn more about insects and share their artistic skills (90 % completion) Project Accomplishments: The theme of "By the Light of the Moon: Insects at Night" was selected. The contest was promoted to art teachers, 4-Her's, and the public. The contest announcements, rules and entry forms were developed. The contest was promoted through various avenues and judges were identified to select the winners. Award certificates and prizes were sent to the winners. Horticulture e-Newsletter Objective 1: Expand educational features and increase awareness of KSRE resources and increase our subscriber base. (90 % complete) Project Accomplishments: A new format of the horticulture e-Newsletter was released, featuring weekly videos, a garden calendar based on the garden guide, a question of the week and information about vegetables, fruits, turf and common pests. This year the newsletter is featuring information from Extension Specialist. Enhance Learning at Turfgrass Conference and Field Days: Objective 1. Provide turf industry professionals with education on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles and science-based practices for turf and ornamental care. (100% completion) Project Accomplishments: The Kansas Turfgrass and Ornamentals Conference was held December 4-5, 2025, which promoted sustainable, research driven strategies that improve pest management, turf health, and environmental stewardship. KSU Turf Blog, Facebook, Twitter: Objective: 1. Enhance digital outreach through blogs, listservs, and social media to better educate our stakeholders on IPM (100 % completion) Project Accomplishments: Send bi-monthly listserv e-mails to our 967 subscribers. The blog links are posted to Facebook to encourage sharing and promoting engagement of the information. IV. IPM Education for Pesticide Applicators: Interactive Playing Cards: Objective: 1. Develop an interactive deck on "playing cards" to provide education and identification of key pests in soybeans, corn, milo and wheat. (40 % complete) Project Accomplishments: Document has been developed identifying what insects we plan to feature and the plan for development.
Publications
- Type:
Websites
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Kansas Garden Hour web page and webinars. 2024. https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/consumer-horticulture/garden-hour/ Kansas State University.
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