Basics of Crop Production
Pest Management
Pest Control Goals
• Prevention
- goal when pest presence or
abundance can be predicted
• Suppression
- goal is to reduce pest population
to an acceptable level
• Eradication
- rare goal, difficult to achieve,
more common indoors
and controlling foreign pests
Types of Pests
Insects
Bacteria
Viruses
Weeds
Climate
Mites
Fungi
Nematodes
Wildlife
Man-made
Pest Identification
• As a producer, you need to be familiar
with the pests that you are likely to
encounter.
• You need to know:
- the physical features of the pests
- their development and biology
- characteristics of their damage
- what your control goal is
Parts of the Insect
You all know what the
cricket looks and sounds like.
4
5
1
6
2
3
Insects have six legs; let’s
count them on this cricket.
This carpenter ant clearly shows the
three body parts of the insect.
Abdomen
Thorax
Head
How long have insects been
here on Earth?
• Insects were here long before the
dinosaurs, over 250 million years ago.
• Fossils of insects show many different
types of insects. Some can still be found
today.
Fossil records show that this insect
has been around a long time. What
is it?
Dragonfly
(some had wingspans of 3 ft.)
Complete Life Cycle
Larva and adult are different
Imported Cabbage Worm
• This is an example of a complete life
cycle.
• You have seen, and eaten this worm in
broccoli, cabbage, and kale.
Larvae
Adult
This monarch butterfly
shows the stages of its life.
Pupa
See the
butterfly?
Larva
Caterpillar
Adult
These insect larvae will make
a silk nest in trees in the spring.
Eastern Tent Caterpillar
This insect is another web
builder in our trees.
Fall Webworm
It builds its nests in late summer at the
end of tree branches.
N
E
S
T
This is a serious pest of our
forests in the region.
Gypsy Moth
People often confuse the tent caterpillar
with the gypsy moth. The gypsy moth
doesn’t spin a silk nest.
Larva
Adult
Egg Mass
Incomplete Life Cycle
Nymph and adult look the same.
This insect has an incomplete
life cycle. What is it?
Grasshopper
Have you seen this relative of
this grasshopper. What is it?
Katydid
It’s here!
These are some of the oldest insects
in the world. What are they?
Cockroaches
Talk about annoying, this insect
is a real pest. What is it?
Mosquito
They will suck blood from their
victims and can carry diseases like
West Nile Virus..
Some of our more favorite insects
are beneficial. What is the orange
beetle below?
The ladybird beetle adult and larvae
will eat aphids, helping to control this
plant pest.
Aphids
Ladybird Beetle
Ladybird Beetle
Larva
Adult
Arachnids include spiders,
ticks, scorpions, and mites.
Ticks suck blood from their victims
and can spread diseases such as Lyme
Disease.
Abdomen
Brown
Dog Tick
1
5
2
3
4
6
7
Head
8
Arachnids are different
from insects in that they
have eight legs and two
body parts.
These are our two problem
ticks.
Deer Tick
Wood Tick
Mites are Arachnids too!
I’m sure that you recognize
this beautiful spider.
Black Widow Spider
This is a very venomous spider that
can inflict a very painful bite.
Red Hourglass
This is the other dangerous spider
besides the black widow in the
USA.
Brown Recluse Spider
They are found in the southern states and
are brought here when items are moved or
shipped north.
They are shy and reclusive, preferring
closets and out-of-the-way places.
Insects can look scary,
but most are harmless.
Why Control Weeds?
• Some have been declared
noxious weeds by the State. It’s
the law!
• Weeds look bad, they reflect
poorly on your management.
Why control weeds?
• Weeds reduce the desirable plant
population.
• Weeds reduce overall forage quality
and yield.
• Weeds reduce overall animal yield.
Poison Hemlock
Pokeweed
Jimsonweed
Johnsongrass
•
Canada Thistle
Broadleaf Plantain
Lambsquarter
Poison Ivy
Crabgrass
Disease is another pest
management concern.
Alfalfa
Phytophthora Root Rot
Disease
Alfalfa
Bacterial Wilt
Disease
Alfalfa
Anthracnose
Disease
Southern Corn
Leaf Blight
Disease
Southern Leaf Blight
Northern Corn
Leaf Blight
Disease
Diplodia Ear Rot
Disease
Corn Smut
Disease
Wheat
Powdery Mildew
Disease
Wheat
Yellow Rust
Disease
Wheat
Take-all
What are these snakes?
They are scary looking, are they dangerous?
Black Rat Snakes
They are non-venomous and are good
snakes to have around the farm.
Baby Black Rat Snake
This is how snakes eat their
food.
All snakes swallow their food whole.
There are no vegetarian snakes.
Excuse me, I can’t talk
with my mouth full.
This is how you can tell the
difference between venomous and
nonvenomous snakes.
Arrow
Rounder
Cat
Round
Do you know this snake?
Is it poisonous?
Copperhead
Yes, it is venomous.
Rat
Tail
Recognize this snake?
Doesn’t it look a lot like the baby black snake?
This is a baby copperhead.
Note the yellow tip on the tail.
It is still venomous.
Note the hour
glass markings
Baby Black Rat Snake
These snakes are rare, but can be
found in this area, what are they?
Timber Rattlesnakes
Yes, they are very venomous and are
considered to be the most dangerous
snakes around here.
Methods of Control
• Natural Control
Climate
Natural enemies
Geographic barriers
Food and water supply
Shelter
Methods of Control
• Applied Controls
Resistant varieties
Biological control
Cultural control
Mechanical control
Sanitation
Chemical control
• An integrated system uses components of
all of these applied controls
The Threshold
• Level of pest populations at which you
should take pest control action to prevent
unacceptable injury.
• A threshold may be based on aesthetic,
health, or economic considerations.
• A threshold often is set at the level at which
the economic losses from the pest damage is
greater than the cost of control.
Potato Leafhopper Threshold
on Alfalfa
Average stem height
(inches)
___________________
<3
4-6
7-10
11-14
#hoppers/100
sweeps
_____________
20
50
100
200
Pest Monitoring Questions
• What kinds of pests are present?
• Are the numbers great enough to
warrant control?
• When is the right time to begin
control?
• Have the control efforts successfully
reduced the number of pests?
Organic & Low-input
Systems Rely on:
• Sanitation
- habitat, over-wintering sites
• Eliminating, or managing nearby
weeds that host pests
• Rotations for fertility & to deprive
pests of a suitable host
• Maintain proper plant nutrition
Organic & Low-input
Systems Rely on:
• Building and maintaining soil organic
matter, which improves drainage and
water-holding capacity
*Soil organic matter helps to support
populations of microorganisms
which feed on disease organisms
and nematodes.
• Encouraging indigenous beneficials
Organic & Low-input
Systems Rely on:
• Importing in predators and parasites
• Physical controls, such as flaming and
row covers
• Cultural controls, such as delayed
planting, early harvesting, pruning, or
mulching
• Use of selected pesticides
Insect Management
Organically Approved
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Soaps
Oils
Rotenone
B.T. (Bacillus thuringiensis)
Pyrethrums
Traps
Pheromones
Repellents
Two blocks of wood
Disease Prevention
• Many factors are involved
- environmental management
- crop rotation
- sanitation
- good plant nutrition
- soil health
* organic matter, drainage, tilth
- resistant varieties, seed treatment
- cultural techniques
Minerals for
Disease Control
• Copper
- blights, downy mildew, black
rots, anthracnose
• Sulfur
- scab, powdery mildew, brown rot,
on strawberries, grapes, tomatoes,
potatoes, field crops, tree fruits
• Lime-sulfur
- scales, mildews, anthracnose,
brown rot on fruit trees
Minerals for
Disease Control
• Bordeaux mix
(copper sulfate)
- anthracnose, mildews, blights,
black rots on small fruits, flowers,
shade trees
• Liquid copper-sulfur
- blights, mildews, leaf rust, black
rot, anthracnose on vegetables and
fireblight on pears
Natural Sprays for
Disease Control
• Fermented nettle tea (preventative)
• Equisetum tea (root dip, foliar spray)
• Chamomile tea (seed soak)
• Liquid seaweed (seed & root soak)
• Watery compost extract (preventative)
- compost in soils and starting
media can prevent some diseases
Managing Weeds
• Organic & low-input systems rely on:
- cultivation
- giving the crop a head start
- mulches
- smother crops (cover crop)
- companion crop
- mowing
Managing Weeds
• Organic & low-input systems rely on:
- flaming
- solarization
- allelopathy
- biological controls
- chemical controls
Preventing Weeds
• Simplest & most effective approach
* sanitation is essential
* check transplant root balls
* wipe soil tilling implements clean
* keep field perimeters mowed
* do not let weeds go to seed
- this includes cover crops
Types of Mulch
• Plant residues
- leaves, grass clippings, straw, hay,
sawdust, compost
• Living mulches
- low-growing legumes, rye,
ryegrass, oats
• Man-made materials
- thin plastic sheets (in colors),
woven materials, Mylar, newspaper
Pesticides
“Any chemical used to control pests”
• Types
insecticides
fungicides
herbicides
rodenticides
miticides
Pesticides
• Formulation examples include:
granules
wettable powders
dusts
dry flowables
aerosols
fumigants
Pesticides
• Classifications
Caution (least toxic)
Warning (moderately toxic)
Danger, Danger-Poison
(highly toxic)
Pesticides
Pesticides are also classified into two
other categories:
• Restricted Use
- hazardous to humans or environment
- requires Private Applicator License
• General Use
- anyone can purchase and use these
products
Pesticide Modes of Action
• Insecticides
stomach poison
systemic
contact
broad spectrum
selective
• Fungicides
contact
systemic
Pesticide Modes of Action
• Herbicides
contact
systemic
selective
non-selective
• Herbicide application methods
pre-plant
pre-emergence
post-emergence
Steps to Selecting a Pesticide
1) Identify the pest
2) Try cultural, non-chemical
alternatives
3) Review economic considerations
- threshold level of the pest
- what is the effectiveness of the
recommended pesticides
- expense (material, labor)
Steps to Selecting a Pesticide
4) Select the pesticide
- crop and pest must be on the label
- least toxic to man & environment
- compatibility (mixing materials?)
- Selectivity
- Residual
* length of control, reentry,
and days to harvest
Factors Affecting Pesticide
Application Rate
• Soil type
- heavy soils require higher rate
• Percent of organic matter
- higher O.M. %, higher rate
• Maturity of crop
- more plant material, higher rate
• Maturity of pest
- bigger pest, higher rate
• Pest Population
- more bugs, more pesticide is needed
Effective
Pesticide Application
“Timing is everything, regularly walk your
fields”
• Note pest’s stage of development
• Use appropriate labeled amount of pesticide
• Unless otherwise noted on the label, use an
adjuvant
• Evaluate weather current & forecast
• Alternate pesticide chemistry
Thank You
Driv
e
Hom
e
Safely