IPM Section IPM Section Grower Certification Grower Certification guidelines for SERF Program guidelines for SERF Program in Christmas Trees in Christmas Trees

Thanks to-Luisa Santamaria, Ph.DExtension Plant Pathologist

IPM goal for a certified IPM goal for a certified farmfarm

Use of appropriate IPM techniques to control insects, weeds, diseases and other pests.

3a. Training in Integrated Pest 3a. Training in Integrated Pest ManagementManagement

1. What is training?Classes related with IPM, other options

2. You need to be trained in IPM.

Evidence of trainingEvidence of trainingcertificate, registration, educational material..

Document your expertise.

3b. Records of pesticides and 3b. Records of pesticides and fertilizers appliedfertilizers applied

3c. Utilizing IPM in 3c. Utilizing IPM in decisions decisions and actions in the and actions in the farmfarm

The focus of an IPM approach is preventing losses due to pest damage.

Prevention, Avoidance, Monitoring, and Suppression techniques.

Principles of IPMPrinciples of IPM

1. Identification of the problem2. Understand pest biology, Field

biology, ecology, population growth3. Monitor your trees: Detection &

Sampling Methods4. Action thresholds5. Options for Managing pests

(multiple)6. Keep Records

• Selecting tree species best suited to the property, and less susceptible to diseases.

“Pest” may include any organism - diseases, insects, mites, nematodes, mammals, birds, or weeds - that is damaging the health of the tree.

Swiss needle cast

Symptoms include swelling or shrinking of the wood tissue, discolored or deformed needles, early needle drop, and wilted foliage.

SPREAD OF FUNGAL DISEASES•Wind, rain, or other physical contact will spread these spores to other trees, initiating a new disease cycle.

Diseases are not usually controlled – they are prevented.

Prevention, apply a fungicide before spores would contact the healthy tissue.

• Why Monitoring? •to determine if there is a need to take action.

•What to monitor? •look for signs and symptoms.

Symptoms: refer to the damage or evidence of activity. Yellowed needles

or wilted shoots, poor growth, deformations

Signs: refer to the actual organism causing the damage. Black fruiting

bodies on the underside of a needle, eggs, insect, nematode.

HAND LENS: Small magnifier allows a scout to see insects, mites, and fungal fruiting bodies.

NOTEBOOK AND PENUse these to record symptoms, signs, population stage and level, damage severity, field or weather conditions, and location.

Keep these tools together in a backpack for convenient transport to the field on each visit.

FLAGGING TAPEBrightly colored to mark symptomatic trees. Permanent marker.

CLIPBOARD/FLAT SURFACEHelps to collect mites, aphids, or other insects dislodged by tapping the branch.

PRUNERS/POCKET KNIFETo clip symptomatic branches for closer observations: signs of insects, mites, or spores.

Tapping branchesover a white notebook or flatsurface to dislodge and observepests. Photo Brian Schildt, PDA

1. Monitoring fields weekly to look for evidence of pests, diseases, and other problems.

2. Scout on cloudy days/evening.

3. Select non symptomatic trees to inspect more closely.

4. Prune a few twigs from the interior and lower portion of the tree for closer inspection.

Traps are baited with pheromones, especially use for motts.

Traps can be checked any time by a scout.

Data can help with the timing of control applications.

Traps are monitoring tools

Place rim even with soil surfaceMake a roof to keep rain outInspect 2x/ weekInspect individual weevils for presence

of eggs

Yellow sticky cards used to trap flying adult male scales. Photo Cathy Thomas, PDA

Yellow Sticky Traps 5 per Package. $4 - 6.00

http://www.gemplers.com/product/RSTRIP/Olson-Yellow-Sticky-Traps-3x5-Pkg-of-25://www.lai.at/es/ciencias

Reusable Yellowjacket Trap No Poisons or Pesticides$7.50 - 12.55

AT refers to the population level for a specific pest at which some control measure is justified in order to avoid economic injury loss (EIL) or aesthetic damage to a crop.Pests vary in the severity of damage.

Action thresholds will also vary: During the growing period of the tree pre-harvest and post harvest. Regulatory threshold, zero tolerance

How to manage insectsHow to manage insectsKnowing the life cycle. This could

be complex with more than one generation during de season

Phonological timing

Biocontrol, is the use of living organisms (parasitoids, pathogens, predators) to control diseases, insect pests, and weeds.

In Christmas trees, no biocontrol agents exist for disease, but there are numerous naturally occurring parasitoids, pathogens, and predators of insects and mites.

Document your choice based on scouting, options, threshold and so on…..

The ultimate goal of any IPM program is to keep pests under control.

Monitoring pests after a control application is equally as important as monitoring them before the application.

3d. Employees who 3d. Employees who handle/apply pesticides and handle/apply pesticides and fertilizer are trained in fertilizer are trained in accordance with IPM accordance with IPM programprogram

Training logs maintained (safety, handling, label precautions followed, equipment maintained.)

Training providing appropriate to farm “staff” situation

3e. Products (pesticides & 3e. Products (pesticides & fertilizers) stored and fertilizers) stored and handled properly. (by handled properly. (by inspection)inspection)

PPE available, re-entry postings, proper storage of products, again labels and MSDS.

Auditors may interview staff

“Passing” this section does not mean you are “off the hook” from OSHA or other entities.

Next Week, next stepsNext Week, next stepsApril 21 is the

“mock” inspection day in Oregon.

Part 4 and 5 remain

Get you CPR/first-aid certificates

Review your operations for health and safety

Drafts of brochures and tree tags coming