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On the Road Again: Taking Hands-on Greenhouse IPM
Workshops to the Growers
Elizabeth
1New
1
Lamb ,
Brian
1
Eshenaur ,
Neil
2
Mattson ,
John
3
Sanderson ,
and Karen Dean Hall
2Department
York State Integrated Pest Management Program,
of Horticulture, Cornell University,
3Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 4New York State Flower Industries
Objectives:
Provide IPM information to ornamental growers:
Reach growers that we have not reached through on-campus programming
Use a format that encourages active learning and practice change
Background:
A 2007 survey of 384 NYS greenhouse ornamental producers showed that the majority of
them use some IPM practices but that there is still the need and desire for IPM training in
disease and insect identification, use of cultural and biological control, and production
practices related to water and nutrient use that affect pest management.
An annual half-day, hands-on training program for ornamental growers, called IPM In-depth,
was started on the Cornell University campus in association with the Floriculture Field Day
in 2008. Three new topics are presented each year. This project takes the IPM In-depth
concept and format and translates it into a traveling training opportunity.
Entomology Topics
Format:
• Thrips: Up close and personal
Three 1-hour modules per program (see notebook for examples of handouts):
Entomology, Plant Pathology, Crop Production
• Aphid ABC’s
– Thrips ID and management
– Aphid ID and management
• Facing Fungus gnats
– Fungus gnat ID and management
• Mysteries of Mites
– Mite id and management
Followed by a tour of a local greenhouse
Crop Produc on Topics
Crop Produc on Topics
Cooperation with County Extension Educators
They provide location, local advertising, registration, refreshments/
lunch, help identify greenhouse for tour, and can charge whatever
they feel is appropriate for the location/clentele.
Program locations
• All About Alkalinity
• All
About Alkalinity
– Measuring
pH and alkalinity of water
– Measuring pH and alkalinity of water
• Media Ma ers
• Media
Ma Soil‐less
ers
– Exploring
Media
– Exploring Soil‐less Media
• It’s Not Supposed to Be Yellow, Is It?
• It’s
Not Supposed
todisorders
Be Yellow, Is It?
– Diagnosing
nutrient
– Diagnosing nutrient disorders
• Ge ng Your Hands Dirty
• Ge
Hands
Dirtyfor pH and
– TesngngYour
container
media
– salts
Tes ng container media for pH and
salts
Plant Pathology Topics
Cooperation between Cornell Department of Entomology, Cornell
Department of Horticulture, NYS Flower Industries, NYS IPM
We provide the expertise, equipment and supplies
• Focus on Fungi
– Iden fica on and management of
fungal pathogens
• Basics of Botry s
– Understanding and Managing Botry s
• Various Viruses
– Greenhouse virus diseases and their
control
• Nematodes in the Greenhouse and
Nursery
Impacts:
14 locations, 16 programs, over 250 participants (2009-2012)
Primary audience was retail and wholesale greenhouse growers but
increasing numbers of greenhouse vegetable growers and new/potential
farmers.
82% had not been to previous IPM In-depth programs on campus
(compared to 27% of those attending the on-campus program)
52% had not been to other IPM programming
84% reported intent to change practices at their operation based on what
they had learned
Acknowledgements
Funding for this project was provided by the New York
Farm Viability Institute