Pest Management in Organic Systems Juan R. Anciso Extension Vegetable Specialist Texas AgriLife Extension Service
IPM Integrated Pest Management Plan ahead (use preventive strategies where possible) Use multiple pest management tools Cultural Mechanical (Physical) Biological/Natural Control Organic Pesticides (National List) (OMRI)
Integrated Pest Management Approach for Organic Systems Proper diagnosis of problem Monitor to determine real need Identify windows of opportunity Determine best management practices for situation
Pest Management In Organic Systems 1. Weed Control - Most difficult 2. Disease Control - Less difficult 3. Insect Control - Difficult
Cultural Control Number 1 Control Tactic The environment provided by man will impact the degree to which pests are a problem. Spraying Organic Water management Fertility Rotation - avoid specific pest colonization Resistant Cultivars - prevent excessive damage Pest Barriers - prevent pest access to plants Planting dates - keep pests away from crops Varying these levels will determine population numbers of different pests.
Integrated Weed Management: The use of two or more of the recognized weed control categories. Mechanical (physical) Chemical Preventative Cultural Biological
Cultural Crop rotation Hand pulling Hoeing Mowing Water management Mulching
Mechanical (physical) Cultivation Plastic films Weed fabrics
Mechanical (physical) Testing in Weslaco Flame weeders Weeds need to be small Cost of natural gas
Organic Herbicides Granules Concentrates - Granular Liquid Ready-To-Use
Timing of Herbicides 1. Preplant incorporated (PPI) a) Applied before planting, mixed into the soil. 2. Preemergence (PRE) a) Applied to soil before planting/weed emergence 3. Postemergence (POST) a) Applied after crop emerges. 4. Post-Directed (P-DIRECT) a) Applied after crop emergence, directed around crops. 5. Lay-by a) Sprayed to soil around crop before or after emergence.
Herbicidal Soap Postemergence control: Contact action within hours, avoid contact with any desirable plants. Will not control underground reproductive tissues. Use pattern: Preplant applications Active ingredient: Ammoniated salt of fatty acids Controls: Small grasses and broadleaves
Herbicidal oils Postemergence control: Contact action within hours, avoid contact with any desirable plants. Will not control underground reproductive tissues. Use pattern: Preplant applications Active ingredient: D-limonene, Clove, thyme, or cinnamon oils Controls: Small grasses and broadleaves 15% solution in at least 60 gallons/a
Corn gluten meal Pre-emergence: no weeds Does not kill directly but causes seedlings with less than normal root systems to succumb to dehydration when exposed to drought stress. Symptomology: Deformed emerging weeds. Soil residual: Use 10 20 lbs/ 1000 sq. ft, up to 4 6 weeks residual. Unique characteristics: Biological by-product, must be watered in, no control for established weeds.
Vinegar (acetic acid) Postemergence control: (a.k.a. Concentrated vinegar [25%]). Cooking vinegar is 5% acetic acid. Symptomology: Leaves turn black and water-soaked within hours. Controls: small grasses and broadleaves Unique characteristics: Costs up to $65/A.
Organic Fungicides Organic pesticides are derived from naturally occurring substances in plants or earth-derived. Summer oil powdery mildew/fungi Copper-based bacteria/fungi Sulfur powdery mildew/fungi Neem powdery mildew/fungi/nematodes Biologicals - Actinovate, Contans, F-68, Bacillus sp. (Companion) Peroxides - Oxidate
Summer oils Horticultural oils vegetable or petroleum based Make sure plants are not drought stressed Make sure temperatures not over 90 O F Powdery mildews, sooty mold
Sulfur Sulfur elemental or lime sulfur Make sure plants are not drought stressed Make sure temperatures not over 90 O F Powdery mildews, mites
Neem Neem tree extract light oil Make sure plants are not drought stressed Make sure temperatures not over 90 O F Fungi and nematodes
Copper based products Copper - fixed Some plants copper sensitive Repeated applications Bacteria mainly
Biological products Contans (soil fungus named Coninthyrium minitans) Controls a specific soil fungus like Sclerotinia minor Actinovate (soil actinomycete named Streptomyces lydicus) Controls many soil fungi F-68 bacteria commonly used in this area
No Control Virus symptoms
Nematode Damage
Organic Insecticides Organic pesticides are derived from naturally occurring substances in plants or earth-derived. Summer oil whiteflies, aphids Biologicals - Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), spinosad larvae/worms Nematodes soil insects Insecticidal Soap - whiteflies, aphids Neem beetles, leafminers, mites Pyrethrum Pyganic Kaolin - Surround
Beneficial Insects or Natural Control Most insects are beneficial or have no direct impact Lacewing larvae Lady beetles Big eyed bug Green lacewing Lady beetle larvae
Natural Control of Diamondback moth 20% to 60% parasitization Anciso 1990 Legaspi et. al 2000
Ciomperlik and Anciso 1998 Natural Control of Whitefly Parasitization levels ranging from 40% to 75% Native and exotic parasitoids Eretmocerus sp
Leafminers and the Damage They Cause Serpentine Leafminer
Spider mites Not an insect Spider mite damage
Aphids
Lepidopteran Worms Bacillus thurengiensis (B.t. s) Spinosad Pyrethrum
Pheromone tactics
Resources http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/vegetable/commorganicvegprod/ CFR 7 part 205.601 205.601 Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic crop production. http://www.neon.cornell.edu/ http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/resourceguide/