Integrated Pest Management
and Pesticides
Bruce P. Alber, CF
Wilbur-Ellis Company
balber@wilburellis.com
Pesticide definition
• A product that prevents, destroys,
repels, or mitigates a pest (FIFRA)
• Christmas tree pesticides
• Herbicides
Fungicides
• Insecticides
Rodenticides
• Deer Repellants
How will you spray?
Calibration is critical
• How many gallons of mix per acre?
• Constant walking speed, spray pressure,
nozzle type
• Different people walk different speeds
• Careful calculation of pesticide per gallon
of water depends upon calibration
Calibration is critical
• Proper pesticide rate per acre =
• Enough product to control the pest
• Too much product can damage trees and
waste money
• Too much product is illegal
• Not enough product wastes money,
doesn’t kill the pest, can cause weed
escapes
Pesticide use: IPM
• Correctly identify the pest
• Is the pest population above a level of
damage concern?
• Can an early treatment stop the population
& reduce the need for repeated
applications?
• Is the pest life cycle at the succeptable
time to treat?
Don’t spray by the calendar!
Are you a licensed applicator?
- necessary for purchase &
application of Restricted Use
Pesticides
Choosing a Christmas tree pesticide
• Always read and follow all label directions
• There must be specific recommendations
for the site: Christmas trees
• Conifer plantations?
• Not forestry (Oust XP)
• Not non-crop
Modes of Action questions
• Why does one pesticide control some
species but not others?
• You can tank mix some pesticides
• Two or more herbicides in a tank
• Mix an insecticide + a fungicide
Herbicide activity types
• Foliar spray: what stage of plant
growth is best for control? Early leaf,
bud stage, full extension, late summer?
• Soil active spray: prevent weed seed
germination
Soil Active Herbicides: Conifers
& Plant selectivity
• Physical selectivity:
• Soil active – solubility, soil adsorption
breakdown half life
• Herbicide location in soil vs. plant roots
• Growth stage selectivity:
• Weeds actively growing?
• Seedling weeds?
• Conifers dormant?
What does this all mean to the
grower on the ground?
• Mix herbicides with different modes of
action can broaden the weed control
spectrum:
• Westar: Oust + Velpar pre-mix
• Mix your own: glyphosate + Atrazine
• Understand the seasons of control by
herbicide
Herbicides and conifer safety
• Conifer safety depends upon the herbicide
• Dormant conifers are less likely to be
damaged
• Directed sprays reduce tree exposure and
damage
Prevent herbicide resistant weeds!
• Rotate your herbicide use
• Use different mode of action
herbicides
• Tank mix with different modes of
action herbicides
Insecticide & miticide use
• Scout often to watch for insects & mites
• When do they hatch?
• What is the population trend?
• What is the best growth stage for good
control?
• Weather forecast: hot weather can cause a
mite population explosion
Miticide modes of action
• What life stage does the pesticide kill
the insect or mite? Egg, larva, adult?
• Does the miticide kill the adults or adults
and the eggs?
• Does the pesticide kill beneficial insects
too?
Fungicide use
• Scout your fields for needle discoloration,
fungal fruiting bodies from last year
• When will the trees be harvested?
• Most fungicide treatments are 2-3 years
before harvest. Especially the harvest year!
Questions, comments?
Bruce Alber, CF
Wilbur-Ellis Company
BAlber@wilburellis.com
503-799-1428