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9SPRING2012naturalresultofstrongIPMpracticesratherthanincentivesfromthecompaniesthatbuythepotatoes.AndonthewholegrowersarefullyawareofthebenetsofIPM.Oneofthemainbenetsisanoverallreductioningrowersx19relianceonpestcontrolproducts.x1cTostayinbusinessgrowershavetomakemoneyandtheyx19lldothatbyreducingtheirrelianceonexpensiveinputsx1dsaysWattie.WattiedoesalotofworkdevelopingIPMstrategiesforlateblight.Oneofthemosteffectivemeansofcontrollingadifcultpestlikelateblighthesaysistiming.x1cEspeciallyinthecaseoflateblightthepesticidesdonotnecessarilykilltheorganismbuttheydisruptthelifecycleoftheorganismsotimingisimportantx1dhesays.x1cYouneedtohavethechemicalsinplacetoprotecttheplantaheadofthepathogenx19sattack.x1dThesustainableapproachaccordingtoWattiemeansgrowersneedtousetherightproductsattherighttime.x1cPesticidesareexpensivex14growersdonx19twanttousethemiftheydonx19thaveto.Ifyouunderstandthatparticularproductshaveparticularusesyoudonx19thavetousealotofitifyouuseitattherighttime.x1dIPMnecessarilyinvolvesbothculturalpracticesaswellastheuseofpestcontrolproducts.TheDepartmentofAgricultureWattiesayshasrecentlyestablishedweatherstationson35farmsintheupperSt.JohnRiverValley.Theinformationfromeachweatherstationispostedhourlytothedatabaseveriedandpostedonthewebsitedaily.Thedepartmentalsopostsinformationcollectedfromyellowpantrapsandsuctiontrapsweeklyonthewebsite.UserhitshavebeenuponbothsitessaysWattie.x1cTherearestillsomegrowerswhohaveyettobuyintotheideaofunderstandingthebiologyofpestsfortimingpestcontrolatcertaintimesx1dhesays.x1cWehavealotofconvertstothatbutstillhavesomepreachingtodo.x1dCulturalPracticesTheidealIPMtoolboxcontainsmanycompartmentsgrowersmustalwaysadaptstrategiestotheconditionsontheirownoperations.Buttherearesomestrategiesthatareadvisableforeverygrower.TherstandbestpracticeaccordingtoDaveBellaNewBrunswick-basedagronomististoplanthealthyseedx14x1cthebestseedyoucanafford.x1dAnotherkeypracticeisregularscouting.x1cThefarmownerhastotrainhisstaffsothatnomatterwhatfarmactivityishappeningwhethertillageorsprayingorcleaninguproadsthestaffisawareofwhattheyx19relookingforx1dsaysBell.x1cCarefulobservationisnumberone.x1cThenextthingisbeingawareofthelevelofinsectsyoucantolerateandthelevelatwhichyoushoulddosomethingaboutit.Thatdependsonyourcropx14seedcropprocessingtheyx19llallbex1cTheideaistopromoteIPMxforgrowerstouseallthetoolsavailabletofghtpestsanddiseasesassustainablyaspossibleandhopexfullyuseproductsmorejudiciously.x1dYvesLeclercdifferentx14beawareofwhatyoureconomicactionthresholdsarex1dhesays.BellrecommendsrigorouscarefulscoutingasthebestmeansofcontrollinginsectpestssuchastheEuropeancornboreramajorproblemforMaritimegrowers.x1cBythetimeyouseethedamageitx19stoolatex1dhesays.x1cItx19sonethathastobescoutedintheveryearlystagestheegg-layingstageforinstancex14threetofourweekspriortoeverseeinganydamage.Itrequireslookingforverysmalleggmasses.Theylaythemingroupsuptoacentimetreorsoacross.x1dAlthoughBellrecommendsthesestrategiesingeneralheisquicktoassertthatmanygrowersobserveexcellentIPMpractices.Manygrowershaveimplementedwatermanagementstrategiesinvolvingterracinganddrainageaswellassoilnutrientmanagementinvolvinggridsamplingandvariablelimeapplicationandthepracticeofmulti-yearcroprotation.x1cIdonx19tthinkgrowershavethereputationofbeingreallygoodenvironmentalstewardsbutIthinkthatx19swrongx1dhesays.x1cTheyx19reworkingreallyhardatIPMmethodsandtheyx19reincreasingthosemethodseveryyear.x1cWithIPMyoueliminatetheunnecessaryuseofpesticidesandgrowershaveverymuchboughtintothat.Iftheycanstretchapplicationofafungicidefromseventoninedaysandtheyhavethatinformationtobackthatuptheywilldoit.Theywilladopttheculturalpracticesthatarenecessary.x1dHoweverwhilemostIPMpracticesshowacostbenetoverthelongtermtheycanbeexpensiveintheshorttermx14whichhighlightsacontinuingopportunityformajorplayerstoshowtheirsupport.JulienneIsaacsBox4917NorthRailwayStreetAustinManitobaCanadaR0H0C0PH204637-2580Fax204637-2243www.quickzipsteelbuildings.comQuick-Zippotatovegetablestoragebuildingsgiveyouabettersealedbetterinsulatedbuildingandareexceptionallycompetitive.Quick-ZipbuildingsareideallysuitedforhighhumiditypotatoandvegetablestorageandarebasedontrueCWTcapacity.