Farmscaping CFSA13
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Farmscaping and EPM Farmscaping and EPM Integrated Parasite, Pathogen & Predator Integrated Parasite, Pathogen & Predator Management; Or: Management; Or: Plant It and They Will Come! Plant It and They Will Come! Richard C. McDonald, Ph.D. Richard C. McDonald, Ph.D. Symbiont Biological Pest Management Symbiont Biological Pest Management Patryk Battle Patryk Battle Living Web Farms Living Web Farms Integrated Parasite, Pathogen & Predator Integrated Parasite, Pathogen & Predator Management; Or: Management; Or: Plant It and They Will Come! Plant It and They Will Come! Richard C. McDonald, Ph.D. Richard C. McDonald, Ph.D. Symbiont Biological Pest Management Symbiont Biological Pest Management Patryk Battle Patryk Battle Living Web Farms Living Web Farms
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“We have designed our pest problems into our current system of agriculture, so we can also design them out...if we understand ecology better. Thirty plus years of INTEGRATING farmscaping with other farm activities, strategies and resources will be featured, not just a rote list of plants and bugs. Many of the best farmscaping plants are flowers, medicinal herbs, and spices that can supplement and add value to your main crops and can be sold alongside them, like pickling spices (dill, garlic, grape leaves, etc.) for cucumbers. Bring your plant samples, questions, bug samples, or other farmscaping questions...no holds barred! Learn how to work backwards from your pest problems to the beneficials that attack your pests, to the plants and resources that YOUR beneficials need for control, and how these fit more neatly into your production program(s). Work smarter, not harder! Join longtime producer Patryk Battle and entomologist Richard “DrMcBug” McDonald in a lively, FUN, information filled session that will give you new insight into approaches for the NEW and OLD pests we face now. Yes, Carolina, farmscaping can be FUN!”
Transcript of Farmscaping CFSA13
Farmscaping and EPMFarmscaping and EPM
Integrated Parasite, Pathogen & Predator Integrated Parasite, Pathogen & Predator Management; Or:Management; Or:
Plant It and They Will Come!Plant It and They Will Come!
Richard C. McDonald, Ph.D.Richard C. McDonald, Ph.D.
Symbiont Biological Pest ManagementSymbiont Biological Pest Management
Patryk BattlePatryk Battle
Living Web FarmsLiving Web Farms
Integrated Parasite, Pathogen & Predator Integrated Parasite, Pathogen & Predator Management; Or:Management; Or:
Plant It and They Will Come!Plant It and They Will Come!
Richard C. McDonald, Ph.D.Richard C. McDonald, Ph.D.
Symbiont Biological Pest ManagementSymbiont Biological Pest Management
Patryk BattlePatryk Battle
Living Web FarmsLiving Web Farms
Farmscaping
Definition: Dr. Robert Bugg - Definition: Dr. Robert Bugg - Deliberate use of specific plants and landscaping techniques to attract and conserve “Beneficials”.
All Trophic levels (soil, plants, insects) must be All Trophic levels (soil, plants, insects) must be healthy & balanced; especially soil!healthy & balanced; especially soil!
Once these levels are set, then “Governing Forces” Once these levels are set, then “Governing Forces” can take control - Balance of Nature - tip it in our can take control - Balance of Nature - tip it in our favor slightlyfavor slightly
View pests as messengers - what are they saying - View pests as messengers - what are they saying - Rome - kill the bearer of bad news.Rome - kill the bearer of bad news.
Farmscaping - 5 Main Points
I. Increase plant species diversity (correct ones).I. Increase plant species diversity (correct ones). II. Increase plant structural diversity (food, mating II. Increase plant structural diversity (food, mating
sites, overwintering sites, pupation sites, etc.).sites, overwintering sites, pupation sites, etc.). III. Increase the time these resources are available.III. Increase the time these resources are available. IV. Decrease distance beneficials have to travel to IV. Decrease distance beneficials have to travel to
find requisites.find requisites. V. Take advantage of insect and plant behavioral V. Take advantage of insect and plant behavioral
traits.traits.
Farmscaping
EPM - Integrated Parasite, Pathogen and Predator EPM - Integrated Parasite, Pathogen and Predator Management (IPPPM)Management (IPPPM)
1969 - Everett Dietrich’s Paper on IPPM - read 1969 - Everett Dietrich’s Paper on IPPM - read and understand his 5 principles.and understand his 5 principles.
Shift focus away from ‘pest’ to Shift focus away from ‘pest’ to having a healthy having a healthy population of beneficials as the primary focuspopulation of beneficials as the primary focus. . Prevention is primary.Prevention is primary.
BB50 - beneficial insect seed blends – read BB50 - beneficial insect seed blends – read through the instructions – key ideas.through the instructions – key ideas.
Farmscaping My EPM goal: When sampling, I want to My EPM goal: When sampling, I want to
see 1/4 to 1/3 of the plants with beneficial see 1/4 to 1/3 of the plants with beneficial insectinsect(adult wasps, beetles, larvae, cocoons, pupae, mummies, partially eaten egg masses, etc.) activity or plants should be activity or plants should be fairly pest free - economic threshold.fairly pest free - economic threshold.
Sample size power analysis to determine Sample size power analysis to determine how many plants to sample.how many plants to sample.
Farmscaping is Proactive! These two systems are These two systems are
totally different in the totally different in the amount and kinds of amount and kinds of beneficials that are beneficials that are present, based on the present, based on the biodiversity of plants biodiversity of plants present. present. Rebuilding Rebuilding clock:clock: how long it how long it takes to create a takes to create a healthy farmscape.healthy farmscape.
Farmscaping: Applied PrinciplesI. Increase plant and insect species diversity
BB50 - 1) BB50 - 1) Multiple Multiple Redundant SystemsRedundant Systems - - both plants and both plants and beneficials - beneficials - GuildsGuilds
Goal - Bracketing - Goal - Bracketing - having a natural having a natural enemy(s) present for enemy(s) present for every life stage of the every life stage of the pest(s).pest(s).
Farmscaping Principles: I. Increase plant and insect species diversity
⇒
Pest Stage Egg Larva 1 Larva2 Larva3 Larva4 Larva5 Pupa Adult
ImportedCabbage-Worm
LadybugsSyrphidsLacewingsTrichogramma
BraconidsLadybugsSyrphidsLacewing
SameAsLarva1
AssassinBugs,CarabidStinkBug
SameAsLarva3
PaperWaspsBugs,CarabidBeetles
Pteromalus
puparum,Bugs,Carabids
DragonflyRobberFlySpiders
JapaneseBeetle
CarabidsNematodes
Nematodes(Hb),Milkyspore
TiphiavernalisNemasMilkySpore
Tiphia,Nemas,MilkySpore
NoSuchStage
NoSuchStage
None Tachinid-Istochetaaldrichi
Farmscaping PrinciplesII. Increase Plant Structural Diversity
Think Ahead - encourage the right beneficial insects to be there when needed them to attack the pests. Timing of ladybugs/Trichogramma wasps to attack the eggs of caterpillars.
Work Backwards from the PEST to the Beneficials to the plants/requisites that attract the beneficials.
Farmscaping Principles II. Increase Plant Structural Diversity
Fennel is great for attracting parasitic wasps, syrphid flies, and ladybugs. So one plant can bring in a guild of beneficials.
FS Principles- II. Increase Plant Structural Diversity: Overwintering
It turns out that many beneficials make cocoons and hibernate in or very near the plants where they find their hosts. Recent research has shown that yarrow and comfrey are also excellent overwintering plants for parasitic wasps.
FS Principles - III. Increase time plant resources are available
1 to 5% of crop area should be planted in farmscaping plants- “lots of clumps of food plants spread out over an area is much better than one big clump”. Or, incorporate farmscaping into borders, ditches, and fencerows.
FS Principles: Have something blooming all the time
Flowers are prime food & mating sites for wasps. Important to have a well fed, mated female beneficial! Green House – use to Jump-start garden areas.
FS Principles: Nectar!
Nectar – liquid sugar food + vitamins for beneficials. Nectar is critical for optimum performance of many beneficials. Many beneficials will lay over 3-10 fold more eggs if properly fed.
FS Principles: Extra-Floral Nectaries
Nectar glands that are not associated with flowers. Peonies, Sweet potatoes, bachelor buttons, kenafe, all have extrafloral nectaries. Parasitic insects use these extrafloral nectaries as important food sources.
FS Principles: Pollen
Is an alternative form of protein. Once again, many plants in the wild carrot family can provide pollen. Another good pollen producer is the corn plant. Syrphid flies need pollen to lay eggs.
FS Principles: IV. Decrease Distance beneficials travel
⇒Low Low DispersionDispersion
(Stay in field)(Stay in field)
Medium Medium Dispersion Dispersion (forage 1/4 (forage 1/4 mile)mile)
High High Dispersion Dispersion (forage > 1/4 (forage > 1/4 mile)mile)
Ground Beetles (Carabids)Ladybeetles (when happy)Smaller Parasitic Wasps
Most Parasitic waspsPredatory Wasps – PaperPredatory Bugs
Syrphids – Hover FliesDragonflies, Tachinid FliesLarger Parasitic Wasps
FS Principles: V. Take Advantage of Insect/Plant Behavior: Entrainment
Entomologists have discovered that insects (especially parasitic wasps and flies) can perform associative learning, so if you get insects (especially young ones) happy in their environment, they will “tune in” to a particular pest and food plants.
FS Principles: Drought/Stress
These systems can also fail! In drought years insects from all over will come to your area and can overwhelm a system. Be ready with backups additional insects, ladybugs/lacewings, Bt, soaps, diatomaceous earth.
FS Principles: Hold Yer Fire!
““I didn’t know what is I didn’t know what is was….. So I killed it.”was….. So I killed it.”
Remember you need some pests around in order to feed your beneficials. If you have to spray, use materials that are biorationals (like Bt) and won’t kill your beneficials. Realize that broad-spectrum pesticides kill everything and you are resetting your beneficial clock back to zero.
FS Principles: Lastly -Encourage Diversity!
Remember that insects are part of the web of life in your garden or farm. The beneficial insect complex is not only composed of parasitic wasps and flies, predatory beetles, lacewing larvae, ladybugs and so on, but ALSO the pollinators, antagonists/competitors that occupy and compete for space and food with potential pests, and finally the saprophytes and decomposing insects that help complete the food cycle back to the soil so the cycle can start again.
