# Presentation: 082972

## Pest Management and IWM Planning

- 				**USDA-NRCS**
**  ****IWM Workshops**
**(****Adapted from NRCS Core 4, NM NRCS Pest Management Planning Course, and Alex Latchininsky, Pests of Field Crops in Wyoming, Univ. Wyoming, Jun. 2006 ppt)**

##  WHAT CAUSES PEST OUTBREAKS?

** ****WHAT CAUSES PEST OUTBREAKS?**

**	****   ****It can be weather, but...**
**	**

## ... Frequently it’s our own fault ...

** ****Large-scale monocultures**
** ****Poor cultural practices**
** ****Overuse of pesticides ****	****(killing natural enemies) **
** ****Pest introduction in the new ****	****environment**
** ****Disruption of a natural ****	****equilibrium**

## DEFINITIONS

_**Pest Management**_**:****  Utilizing environmentally sensitive prevention, avoidance, monitoring and suppression strategies to manage weeds, insects, diseases, animals and other organisms (including invasive and non-invasive species) that directly or indirectly cause damage or annoyance.**
_**Pests**_**:**** **** A weed, insect, disease, animal, and other organism (including invasive and non-invasive species) that directly or indirectly causes damage or annoyance by destroying food and fiber products, causing structural damage, or creating a poor environment for other organisms.**

**Notes:**
Pesticide: Read as stated on the slide. This definition of pesticide is from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) but not all of the definition is shown.  The full definition for pesticide will be in the new Pest Management Policy.

Plant regulator: Read as stated on the slide.
The reason for these definitions is that they may have an impact on providing services or technical assistance to the producer due to various state laws on what is considered a pesticide.

**Poor water management greatest cause of pest problems**

** ****Insufficient water causes leaves to wilt, droop, drop**
** ****Drought-stress promotes sunburn, sunscald, shoot and branch dieback, bark cracking, cankers, and some fungi **
** ****Beetles, mites, and chewing or sucking insects may attack drought-stressed plants.  **

**Poor water management greatest cause of pest problems**

**Excess water primary cause of root and crown diseases and increases weed populations**
** ****Poor placement of water – splashing water spreads fungal spores; wet foliage promotes some foliar and fruit diseases, e.g. leaf spots, rusts, and brown rot**
** ****Use low-volume drip irrigation or mini-sprinklers instead of overhead sprinklers where feasible**

##  Pest Management – 1st Step

** ****Identify type and level of pest infestation (pest scouting)**
** ****Apply treatment/control when economic threshold levels are reached**

## 2nd Step – Explore Type of Control

_**1. Biological**_
**	**
** ****Introduction of exotic species of parasites and ****	****predators**
** ****Conservation of parasites and predators**
** ****Augmentation of parasites and predators **
** ****Microbiological control (pathogens)**
**Drawbacks: may be costly;           often slow and weather-dependent**

## Biocontrol agents

**Ladybird**** ****beetle larva and adult****	****	****   Pathogens**

**Biocontrol agents**

## TYPES OF CONTROL

_**2. Mechanical**_
**	**
** ****Hand picking**
** ****Trapping**
** ****Using devices like screens and ****	****barriers**
**Drawbacks: time- and labor-consuming, slow, often impractical at large-scale**

## TYPES OF CONTROL

_**3. Cultural**_
**	**
** ****Crop rotation – good for insects with long life cycles ****	****(e.g., corn rootworms)**
** ****Trap crops – attracts pests; then the trap crop is ****	****destroyed or treated with insecticide**
** ****Tillage – good for soil-inhabiting insects**
** ****Clean culture – removal of crop residues**
** ****Timing of planting and harvesting**
** ****Resistant plant varieties, including genetically modified ****	****cultivars**

## Cultural control: advantages

** ****Normal farming practices, making ****	****environments unfavorable for pests**
** ****Preventive strategy**
** ****Economical**
** ****Good for low-unit-value crops**
**Cultural control: drawbacks**
** ****Will not work in an outbreak situation ****	****when pest infestation is heavy**

## TYPES OF CONTROL

_**4. Chemical**_
**	**
**Reduction of pest populations or prevention of injury by the use of materials to poison them, attract them to other devices, or repel them from specific areas**
***Still our first line of defense despite adverse publicity***** **

## Chemical control: advantages

**Chemical control: advantages**
** ****Efficient**
** ****Economical**
** ****Fast-acting**
** ****Easy to use**
** ****Generally safe**

## Chemical control: drawbacks

**Chemical control: drawbacks**
** ****Temporary relief**
** ****May cause resistance**
** ****Residues in harvest**
** ****Environment: side-effects to non-targets**
** ****Some insecticides have direct hazards**
** ****Residual carryover**

## TYPES OF CONTROL

_**5. Integrated (IPM)**_
**	**
**Management of pest populations by the utilization of all suitable techniques in a compatible manner so that damage is kept below economic levels**
***Ecological approach to avoid economic losses and to minimize adverse effects***** ; ****most recommended**

## Irrigation Land Leveling

**Definition** - **Reshaping the surface of land to be irrigated to planned grades.**
**Purposes **- **To permit uniform and efficient application of irrigation water without causing erosion, loss of water quality, or damage to land by waterlogging and at the same time to provide for adequate surface drainage.**
** **
**In addition to Irrigation Water management, leveling is essential for pest management.**

## 3rd Step – Evaluate Environmental Risks of Alternatives (NRCS Role)

**  ****Evaluate environmental risks associated with probable pest management recommendations **
** ****Develop appropriate mitigation (conservation treatment) alternatives to minimize environmental risks.**

**3rd Step – Evaluate Environmental Risks of Alternatives (NRCS Role)**

**Notes:**
Economic and social issues are important in formulating pest management strategies since they are closely linked to human behavior.  Several factors may affect the actual level or degree of implementation of IPM.  Without legal constraints, the differing cultural, social or economic situation of the decision-maker usually determines the level and types of IPM implemented.

Differing cultural or ethnic backgrounds can have a large effect on the adoption of IPM practices.  Such difference must be recognized and accounted for in providing technical assistance.  Some social and ethnic groups have land use ethics that may conflict with some of IPM practices.

Economics can be viewed on various aspects such as size of the farm and the type of farming system (high technology, high intensity cropping systems, low intensity cropping systems, etc).  In order to implement some IPM practices, a high level of technology is needed (precision farming), but some farm’s financial situations are not conducive to operating the equipment necessary to accomplish the various tasks.

## NRCS Roles in Pest Management:

**  ****Assist clients to adopt IPM that helps protect natural resources **
**  ****Assist clients to develop and implement an acceptable pest management component of overall conservation plan.**

**Notes:**
Economic and social issues are important in formulating pest management strategies since they are closely linked to human behavior.  Several factors may affect the actual level or degree of implementation of IPM.  Without legal constraints, the differing cultural, social or economic situation of the decision-maker usually determines the level and types of IPM implemented.

Differing cultural or ethnic backgrounds can have a large effect on the adoption of IPM practices.  Such difference must be recognized and accounted for in providing technical assistance.  Some social and ethnic groups have land use ethics that may conflict with some of IPM practices.

Economics can be viewed on various aspects such as size of the farm and the type of farming system (high technology, high intensity cropping systems, low intensity cropping systems, etc).  In order to implement some IPM practices, a high level of technology is needed (precision farming), but some farm’s financial situations are not conducive to operating the equipment necessary to accomplish the various tasks.

## Pest Management Standard

**  ****NRCS NM will use Windows Pesticide Screening Tool to evaluate the environmental risks using specific pesticides (Water Quality Tech. Note 9 on how to use the tool).  **
**WIN-PST ratings of Intermediate, High or Extra High for potential soil-pesticide interactions, losses and hazards to humans and fish on a given field require a closer look at developing an appropriate alternative combining less hazardous pesticide and conservation practices. **
**Water Quality Tech Note 8 for Summary of Mitigation Options for Nutrient and Pest Management Jobsheet 595a for Conservation Treatment Techniques).**

**Notes:**
Plan and soil map of managed fields Location of sensitive resources Crop sequence and/or rotation Identification of target pests. Recommended method of pest management (biological, cultural or mechanical), including rates, Product and form, timing, and method of applied pest management Results of pest management environmental assessment (SPISP, NAPRA, etc.) including statement of the environmental impact on the soil, water, air, plants, animals and humans. Operation and maintenance instructions.

## Decreasing hazards from non-point source pesticide contamination 

- Pesticides can be soluble or attach quickly to soil particles
- If soluble, can move with surface runoff
- If attached to soil particles, can move offsite via erosion

## Decreasing hazards from non-point source pesticide contamination 

- Main ways to approach hazard reduction:
- Manage pesticides differently
- reduced rate, delayed application, substitution
- Manage crops differently
- crop rotation, planting dates, resistant varieties
- Control off-site pesticide movement
-  Buffers, Water management, Crop residue management

## Controlling non-point source pesticide contamination

- Typically conservation treatment techniques:
- Reduce pesticide application lbs/acre
- Utilize less hazardous pesticides
- Prevent pesticide from moving away from point of efficacy (in field)
- Prevent pesticide from leaving field  (bottom of root zone - edge of field)

## Reducing pesticide application:

- NRCS does not “recommend” any pesticide, rate, formulation, or timing
- All changes in pesticide management must be done with the help of Extension and crop consultants

## Reducing pesticide application:

- Integrated Pest Management
- scouting
- apply only when economic threshold is reached
- use pest resistant varieties
- use good sanitation practices
- use crop rotation or delayed planting

## Reducing pesticide application:

- Keep plants healthy and vigorous (proper irrigation water management is key)
- Use lowest effective rate
- Apply to part of the field
- banding
- spot treatment

## Reducing pesticide application: 

- Avoid treatments that rely mainly on residual activity for control
- early pre-plant
- fall application to control spring weeds
- Use post-emergent treatments
- Utilize directed sprays
- Use lower application rate pesticides

## Reducing pesticide application:

- Use mixtures of low rate pesticides instead of a single pesticide at a high rate
- Partial substitution
- Proper maintenance and calibration of equipment

## Utilize pesticides that are less environmentally hazardous 

- NRCS can help determine *at the field level*
- Potential pesticide loss
- Potential pesticide hazard
- NRCS *does not* make pesticide recommendations to producers
- NRCS works with Extension or other crop advisors to help them include environmental risk in their recommendations

## Prevent pesticide from moving away from point of efficacy 

- Pesticides which move away from their target can no longer control the pest
- Soil Incorporation (decreases runoff)
- Use less mobile pesticides

## Prevent pesticide from moving away from point of efficacy  

- Decrease drift
- Adjusting spray equipment (droplet size)
- Don’t apply in windy conditions
- Direct application toward target pest
- Avoid aerial applications or mist blowers
- Use wick applicators or other targeting technologies

## Prevent pesticide from moving away from point of efficacy  

- Use infield conservation techniques that
- Slow movement of water, chemicals and soil
- Trap sediment within the field
- Encourage infiltration within the field
- Examples
*Residue Management*
*Farming “across the slope” *
*Farming “on the contour”*
*Contour strip crops*
*Contour buffer strips*

## Prevent pesticide from moving away from point of efficacy  

- Avoid applying pesticide before a heavy rainfall
- Practice efficient irrigation techniques
- Minimize leaching
- Minimize runoff
- Time pesticide application to coincide with irrigation
- Chemigate judiciously

## Prevent pesticide from leaving field (bottom of root zone)

- Practices that decrease leaching
- Use less pesticide
- economic threshold
- lowest effective rate
- lower rate pesticide
- Apply to less of the field (banding, spot  treatment)
- Switch to less ‘leachable’ pesticide
- avoid using high leaching pesticide on high leaching soil

## Prevent pesticide from leaving field (bottom of root zone) 

- Practices that decrease leaching:
- Alter the *‘driver’*
- avoid pesticide application before storms
- manage irrigation to prevent leaching (and run-off)
- Increase filtration
- increase soil organic matter
- disturb surface connected macropores
- Switch to less hazardous pesticide

## Prevent pesticide from leaving field (edge of field) 

- Use less pesticide
- economic threshold
- lowest effective rate
- lower rate pesticide
- apply to less of the field (banding, spot  treatment)
- Soil incorporate
- Practices that increase infiltration
- On field
- residue management
- increasing soil organic matter

## Prevent pesticide from leaving field (bottom of root zone - edge of field) 

- Practices that increase infiltration (continued)
- On field
- maintaining soil health
- tillage direction (contour)
- strip crops
- preventing/disturbing soil crusts
- Maintain sub-surface drainage

## Prevent pesticide from leaving field (edge of field) 

- Catching pesticides at field edge
- buffer (filter) strips
- retention  ponds
- constructed wetlands
- grassed waterways

## SEVERAL NM  FIELD CROP PESTS

**SEVERAL NM  FIELD CROP PESTS**

## Western Corn Rootworm

**Western Corn Rootworm**

** ****The larvae attack the roots, causing the plants to fall ****	****over and become goose-necked. **
** ****The adults feed on the silks and, at times, become so ****	****numerous that pollination cannot occur. **
** ****Overwinter as eggs in the soil.  One generation per year.**

***Diabrotica virgifera *****- beetle**

**larva**

**adult**

## Western Corn Rootworm

**Control**
** ****The most effective means of control is by crop rotation. Corn grown year after year on heavy soil is the most seriously damaged.**
** ****Pesticides: do not use when rotating crops.  If necessary, apply granules in a 6-7 inch bank over the row at planting time or as a cultivation treatment.**
** ****Do not apply sprays for adults unless pollination is threatened. **

**Heavy root damage**

## Russian Wheat Aphid

***Diuraphis noxia****** ***

** ****Native to southern Russia and the Mediterranean region.**
** ****Introduced in the U.S. in 1986.**
** ****Reproduces sexually or asexually.**
** ****Several generations per year.**
** ****Overwinter as immatures or adults in grasses.**

## Russian Wheat Aphid

**Russian Wheat Aphid**

**Soybean Aphid**

**Russian Wheat Aphid identification**
**characteristics**

** ****Elongated **
** ****Short antennae**
** ****No cornicles (“tail-pipes”)**
** ****Forked (double) tail**

## Russian Wheat Aphid

**Damage:**
** ****RWA initiates feeding at the base of the leaves near the top of the plant.  It injects a toxic saliva into the plant.  The edges of the leaf curl inward protecting the pest.**
** ****Plants become purplish and leaves develop longitudinal yellowish and whitish streaks.**
** ****Tillers of heavily infested plants run parallel to the ground (a prostrate appearance).  **
** ****Heads are distorted.**

## Russian Wheat Aphid

**Control: **
** ****Cultural – control volunteer wheat; avoid early ****	****planting; use resistant varieties; maintain ****	****healthy stand.**
** ****Biological – parasitic wasps, ladybird beetles.**
** ****Chemical – foliar sprays with systemics. **

## Alfalfa weevil

**Alfalfa weevil**

***Hypera postica***** - beetle**

**The color is brown with a darker brown stripe down the middle of the elytra.**
** ****The pronotum has a dark brown stripe through which runs a pale line. **
** ****Adult length is about 1/4 inch (6 mm).**

## Alfalfa weevil

** ****Larva  is green or yellow with dark head.**
** ****Damage: mostly by larvae.  Skeletonize leaves.  Feed on the ****	****foliage, especially terminal leaf buds, then drop to the ****	****ground and pupate in the litter. **
** ****Adults overwinter.  One generation per year.**

**Alfalfa weevil**

**Eggs****	****	****	****	****	****Larvae**

## Alfalfa weevil

** ****Cultural management:**** **** ****Early first harvest; fall grazing; spring ****	****burning; resistant cultivars.**
** ****Chemical control:**** ****Mostly organophosphates, which are highly ****	****toxic for pollinators (bees) and other beneficials.  Apply ****	****early in the morning or late in the evening.**

**Leaf skeletonization**
**by larvae**