Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
(N/A)
NEWARK,DE 19717
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The Delaware Extension Implementation Project coordinates extension activity and outputs in agronomic and specialty crops and communities, seeks to enhance pollinator health in the state, and provide IPM education for pesticide applicators. Although it is the second smallest state, agriculture is immensely important to the states economy and contributes $8 billion to the economy. Delaware agriculture is extremely diverse, consisting of 410,000 planted acres of field crops, special use field crops, forage, and specialty crops, greenhouse and high tunnels, urban farms, and a 7,000 honey bee colony industry. The landscaping and green industry is also a major contributor to the Delaware economy. University of Delaware and Delaware State University extension faculty and staff will provide information delivery, assist stakeholders with decision making, provide pest surveillance and timely alerts, and encourage conservation, sustainability, and safe pest management practices to further the sustainability of the Delaware landscape and agricultural sectors. Through this project we will demonstrate alternative management techniques and practices for agricultural pests, identify changes in pest complexes and monitor pest response to crop management practices, develop new and engaging educational resources, assist stakeholders with pest identification, anticipation, and planning, provide pest identification and pesticide handling training for applicators, and enhance pollinator health and habitat through education and research. IPM knowledge transfer is achieved through one-on-ne meetings, farm visits, county and statewide meetings, digital and print media. In addition, field days, weekly newsletters, and digital delivery mechanisms will be pursued.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
There are 6 overarching goals of the Delaware Extension Implementation Project:1. Demonstrate alternative management techniques and practices for agricultural pests2. Identify changes in pest complexes and monitor pest response to crop management practices3. Develop new and engaging educational resources4. Assist stakeholders with pest identification, anticipation, and planning5. Provide training on pest identification, management, tool selection and pesticide handling for commercial, private, and residential applicators6. Enhance pollinator health and habitat through education and research
Project Methods
Demonstrate alternative management techniques and practices for agricultural pestsWe will survey late-terminated cover crops for early season pest presence and damage incidences and provide field scouting technique education for producers. Farms using cover crops for processing vegetable production will also be surveyed and farmers interviewed to better understand production issues. Surveys will be done in conjunction with demonstration plots installed at Delaware research and extension facilities.Identify changes in pest complexes and monitor pest response to crop management practicesHigh tunnles, alfalfa forage, maliting barley and legume crops will be surveyed for a variety of insect and pathogen pests. Specific pests of interest include aphids, alfalfa weevil, stink bugs and armyworm.. Aphids will be monitored in small grains for in 2 of the last 5 years aphids caused sigfnicant injury to barley fields both alone and in conjunction with barley yellow dwarf virus that they vector. Alfalfa weevil requires 1-2 insecticide applications to adequately manage, and many producers still suffer econoid loss and damage from this insect. Stink bugs are major pests of legumes and of corn. In corn, they are managed prophylactically with a fungicide tank mix, but the application timing and the real stink bug density may not justify this treatment. Pesticid resistance in various weed and insect pests will be monitored.Develop new and engaging educational resourcesWe will create videos and strengthen our ability to quickly develop and disseminate fact sheets and train users how to use insect and disease modeling tools.Assist stakeholders with pest identification, anticipation, and planningWe will create physical specimen collections for distribution to agricultural service providers. These collecgtions will include preserved resin and laminated samples of diseases and insect pest and beneficial collection boxes. Our photographic vegetable pest compendium will continue to be expanded upon, and we will explore 3D printing for training aids both for agricultural and beekeeper stakeholders.We will establish and expand demonstration plots consisting of important ornamental plant species and pollinator education gardens. These plots will be monitored for pollinators, beneficial insects, and various insect and disease pests. The plots will be used as outdoor classrooms where DE Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners may practice identifying native plants, pollinators, and beneficial insects. Participants will learn about the various insect herbivores that pose little threat to the survival of these plants. The Delaware Beekeepers Association can also benefit from these plots as well as the UD Teaching Apiary pollinator gardens.