Integrated Pest Management and Pesticides

Bruce P. Alber, CF Wilbur-Ellis Company [email protected]

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

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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:

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Soil active – solubility, soil adsorption breakdown half life

•

Herbicide location in soil vs. plant roots Growth stage selectivity:

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Weeds actively growing?

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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 [email protected]

503-799-1428