Integrated Pest Management (IPM)UC Master Gardeners of Monterey & Santa Cruz
June 2019
What You’ll Learn• IPM defined
• Systematic approach to any pest (Insect, disease, weed or vertebrate)
• How to diagnose a problem with practical exercises
• Management strategies
• Common pests in our area
• Where to get help
• Field studies in the demo garden
What is IPM?
Integrated pest management (IPM)
is an ecosystem-based strategythat focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their
damage through a combination of techniques using chemicals only as a last resort and only for the targeted organism.
IPM Process
1. Inspect regularly2. Know your host plant
3. Prevent problems before they become problems
4. Identify the pests
5. Analyze the situation
6. Strategize the solution(s) and apply
7. Monitor success over time
Inspect The Garden
Weekly.
Hand watering is a good way to keep an eye on your plants’ health.
Look underneath leaves, color of leaves, look at stems and trunk, look closely and look often.
Know Your Host Plant
Provide proper cultural conditions:
• Right time of year
• Good soil conditions
• Appropriate – Water
– Sun exposure
– Nutrition
– Airflow
Prevent Problems
Ecosystem balance
• Diverse soil biota
• Insectary plants for beneficial insects
• Rotate crops
• Plant resistant varieties
Identify the Pest
Look for clues
• Feeding damage
• Frass or trails
• Part of plant affected
• Evidence of the perpetrator itself
• Signs of parasitism
Analyze the Situation
• Pest lifecycle
• Stage that causes problems
• Environment
• Cultural conditions
• Secondary pest issues
• Patterns within crop
• Geographic range and history
Diagnosis Checklist
Wait, Is It Really a Problem?
Tolerance levels
• Economic
• Aesthetic
• Does the pest kill the host or disfigure it?
• Is the plant at the end of life?
Strategize Solutions
1. Cultural
2. Physical
3. Biological
4. Chemical
In order of environmental impact
Cultural
Environmental Control
• Garden hygiene
• Solarize soil
• Sterilize tools
• Plant Selection
• Rogueing
Physical
Exclusion Barriers
• Netting
• Row covers
• Collars
• Sticky barriers
• Fencing
• Underwire
• Bagging fruit
Physical
Mechanical Control
• Hand picking
• Washing
• Trapping
• Weeding
Biological
Beneficial Organisms
• Predators
• Parasitoids
• Parasites
• Beneficial bacteria
Grow Insectary plants
• Insecticidal soap: soft bodied insects
• Bacillus thuringiensis : moth larvae
• Spray oils: soft bodied and dormant insects
• Pyrethrin: short acting broad spectrum insecticide
• Neem oil: soft bodied insects
• Vinegar: weeds
Low Toxicity Chemical
Chemical
• Insecticide
• Herbicides
• Bactericides
• Baits
Monitor Weekly
• Visual Inspection
• Sampling with traps pheromone, sticky, light or pit traps
• Collection – sweep, aspirators, shake plant into a sheet
• Record your findings
PRACTICE CASE STUDY #1
Symptoms
Curled, deformed leaves on new growth of the branch tips of an apple tree
Inspection
Cultural Considerations?
Analyze the Situation
Study up at
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/
Use the website several ways:
• Search for “curling leaves on apple”
• Look up by plant
• Look up by pest
• Use Plant problem diagnostic tool
Browse By PLANT
Browse By PEST
DIAGNOSTIC TOOL
Stumped? Ask a Master GardenerAsk the Master Gardener Hotline
http://mbmg.ucanr.edu/hotline/
What We Learned
Ants farming aphids. The aphid is sucking the plant juices, the ants are eating the honeydew produced by the aphids
Secondary infection of sooty mold growing on honeydew
Lady bug larva eating aphids
Lady bug adult also eating aphids
Aphids parasitized by parasitoid wasp
Is It Really a Problem?
• Will it kill the tree?
• Reduce fruit yield?
• Introduce disease?
• Stunt growth or weaken?
• Cosmetic?
• Take care of itself?
Management StrategiesMechanical: Strong spray of water
Cultural: prune off affected areas
Cultural: Tanglefoot around tree trunk to control the ants
Biological: predators already present
Low tox chemical: Soap spray effective
Chemical: not required
Monitor
COMMON PESTS IN OUR AREA
Local Insect Pests You May FindType Host Damage stage
Aphids Range of vegetable plants and weeds
Adult & nymph
Cabbageworm Leafy vegetable plants, especially brassicas
Larvae
Leafhoppers Range of vegetables, flowers, fruits and woody plants
Adult
Leafminers Range of vegetables & flowers
Larvae
Leafrollers Ornamental and fruit trees
Larvae
Top 10 Local Insect PestsType Host Damage stage
Loopers Range of vegetable plants Larvae
Mealybugs Range of vegetables, ornamentals and trees
Adults & Nymphs
Scale Range of vegetables, ornamentals and trees
Adults & Nymphs
Thrips Herbaceous plants, flowers, and woody plants
Adults
Whiteflies Range of vegetables, ornamentals and weeks
Adults
Other Invertebrate PestsType Host Dammage stage
Earwig Range of vegetable plants and weeds
Adult
Slugs & Snails Range of plants Adult
Sow bug & Pill bug Not a pest! Eats decaying vegetation
Nematodes Soil dwelling, affects plant roots and stems
Adult
Arthropods – Beneficial PredatorsType Prey Predator stage
Ladybird beetle Aphids Larvae and adult
Praying Mantis Generalist predator Adult and nymph
Minute Pirate bugs Wide variety of small insects
Adult and nymph
Lacewings Wide variety of small insects
Larvae and adult
Syrphid fly Aphids and other soft bodied insects
Larvae
Arthropods – Beneficial Predators
Arthropods – Beneficial Parasitoids
Name Type Prey Predator stage
Trichogramma Wasp
Parasitic wasp A wide range of herbivore egg hosts on a range of plants
Adult
Tachinid Fly Parasitic fly Variety of herbivore hosts on a range of plants
Adult
Hyposter -Hymenoptera
Caterpillar parasite
Caterpillar lavae in various crops
Adult
PRACTICE CASE STUDY #2
Who’s Eating My Cabbage?
Inspection
Start inspection in the daytime, do you see frass? What do you notice about the feeding damage?Do you see slugs, snails or caterpillers? Do you see slime trails? Do you see eggs on the underside of leaves? Do you see white butterflies flitting about? Look under the leaves and on the stem
What do you see when you go out at 10:00 at night with a flashlight?
Cultural Considerations?
Time of year?Habitat for pests?Weather & Temperature?Host plant stress?
Analyze the Situation
Study up at
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/
Use the website several ways:
• Look up by plant
• Look up by pest
• Use Plant problem diagnostic tool
• Search for “feeding damage on cabbage”
Is It Really a Problem?
• What’s your tolerance for invertebrates in your food?
• Will they stunt or kill the plant?
Who’s Eating My Cabbage?
Earwig Slug or Snail Cabbage Butterfly
Earwig Management StrategiesMechanical: hand pick, trap
Environmental: Remove habitat, clean up debris
Chemical: Spinosad (OMRI)Earwig
Slug Management Strategies
Mechanical: hand pick, trap, copper strip exclusion
Cultural: Remove habitat, clean up debris, reduce moisture
Biological: chickens, ducks
Chemical: commercial snail bait (Sluggo is wildlife safe)
Slug or Snail
Cabbage Larvae Management Strategies
Mechanical: hand pick, row cover barrier
Cultural: Plant insectary flowers for beneficials
Low Tox Chemical: Bt, pyrethrin
Chemical: not recommended
Cabbage Butterfly
Monitor
PATHOGENS
Disease Triangle
Types of Pathogens
Fungal
• Powdery Mildew
• Black spot
• Fusarium Wilt
• Damping off
• Rust
• Scab
• Wilt leaf curl
Bacterial & Water Molds
• Bacterial Soft Rot
• Bacterial Leaf Spot
• Phytophthora
• Downy Mildew
Viral
• Mosaic
• Curly Top
• Tobacco Mosaic
As If That Weren’t Enough…
Insects can vector plant diseases
• Psyllids => Huanglongbing disease
• Bark Beetle => Dutch Elm disease
• Aphids => Mosaic virus
• Leafhoppers => Curly top
• Thrips => Spotted wilt virus
General Guide In Case of Disease
• Once you see the disease, it’s usually too late
• Prevention is the best approach
• Remove diseased plants or plant parts
– DO NOT COMPOST
• Grow resistant varieties
• Attend to the growingenvironment to minimizerisk
EXERCISE -To Treat or Not To Treat
Black spot on rose leaves
Verticillium wilt on tomatoes
Black Spot
Caused by the fungus Diplocarpon rosae• Don’t allow leaves to
remain wet for more than 7 hours.
• Remove affected leaves and trash
• Clean up leaf residue • Space plants for good
airflow• Plant in 6-8 hours of sun• Choose disease resistant
varieties• Last resort: fungicide
Verticillium Wilt
Caused by the fungus Verticillium dahliae
• Remove the plant and dispose in trash
• Solarize soil next year
• Choose resistant varieties
• Rotate crop year-to-year
A WORD ABOUT WEEDS
Good Weed / Bad Weed
Why we like weeds
• Catch crop
• Soil cover
• Nectar & food source
• Habitat for beneficials
• Source of organic material
• May be edible
When we don’t like weeds
Weeds compete for resources
• Spread through rhizome
• Re-seeds like crazy
• Fast growing
• Tolerant of poor soils, drought or salt
• Perennial vs. annual
Types of Weeds
Life span
• Annual
• Perennial
• Biennial
Family Line
Broadleaf
Grass
Sedge, Rush
Reproductive Strategy
• Energy UP (seed)
• Energy DOWN (stolon, bulb, etc.)
Weed Management
• Weed mat exclusion
• Mulch
• Cultivation
• Solarization
• Mow or string trim
• Flaming
• Last Resort: Herbicide
Weeds to Watch Out ForWeed Notes Management
Bermuda grass Perennial grass, spreads through rhizome, never rototill
Solarize, mulch
Bindweed Annual broadleaf, spreading roots may reach 20’, 3-5 years to fully kill
Cultivate to starve roots, mulch, herbicide
Curlydock Perennial broadleaf with a taproot
Prevent re-seed, pull taproot
Dandelion Annual Broadleaf with a taproot Prevent re-seed, pull taproot
Kikuygrass Perennial grass with aggressive rhizome
Solarize, mulch
Mallow Annual Broadleaf with a taproot Weed wack then dig taproot
Nutsedge Perennial sedge with tubers Dig out tubers and remove shoots
Plantain Annual broadleaf with invasive seed
Prevent re-seed
Oxalis Perennial broadleaf, Shade loving with a corm root
Cultivate above ground to starve root
Glyphosate
Reserve for pernicious weeds like bindweed, Bermuda grass, wild berries and the like.
Apply judiciously and in controlled manner.
Review : IPM Process
1. Inspect regularly2. Know your host plant
3. Prevent problems before they become problems
4. Identify the pests
5. Analyze the situation
6. Strategize the solution(s) and apply
7. Monitor success over time
Win Big by Looking At Small ThingsRaffel Prizes
FIELD STUDY!
APPENDIX
References • UC IPM Website
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/
• Plants that Attract Beneficial Insectshttps://permaculturenews.org/2014/10/04/plants-attract-beneficial-insects/
• Master Gardener Handbookhttps://smile.amazon.com/California-Master-Gardener-Handbook-2nd/dp/1601078579/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497906313&sr=8-1&keywords=master+gardener+handbook
• Pests of the Garden and Small Farm https://smile.amazon.com/Pests-Garden-Small-Farm-Pesticide/dp/1879906406/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497906357&sr=8-1&keywords=pests+of+the+garden+and+small+farm
• Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubshttps://smile.amazon.com/Pests-Landscape-Trees-Shrubs-Integrated/dp/1879906619/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1497906388&sr=8-2&keywords=pests+of+the+landscape+and+trees
Handouts for this Class
• Checklist for plant diagnosishttp://cemendocino.ucanr.edu/files/192044.pdf
• Grow an insectaryhttp://eartheasy.com/grow_garden_insectary.htm
• Monitoring – Field Observations Record Sheet (p.29)• https://casfs.ucsc.edu/about/publications/Teaching-Organic-Farming/PDF-
downloads/1.8-arthropod-pests.pdf
References:
Continued
Burrowing Mammals
Type Damage Management
Gopher Eats roots or takes whole plant
Trap, exclude, bait
Mole Eats grubs, disturbs soil surface
Trap, bait, ignore
Vole(aka field mouse)
Eats flowers, leaves and fruit
Trap, exclude, bait
Gopher – Know Your Pest
Lifestyle• Solitary, territorial
• Active spring and fall, morning and evening
• Re-use gopher runs
Pocket Gopher Fun Facts• Eats 60% of body weight/day
• Range: up to 700 yards
• Navigate backwards in tunnels using their tails
• Breed in spring, 3-4 pups per year
• Live 2-3 years
• Naturally hemophiliac
• Gets moisture from food
• Nests up to 6’ deep
More info at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7433.html
Mole - Know Your PestLifestyle• Solitary, territorial
• Active year round
• Feeding paths just under soil surface
• Not an herbivore
• Not a rodent
More info at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74115.html
Mole Gopher Fun Facts• Eat invertebrates; insects and
grubs
• Territory up to 2.5 acres(!)
• Active after rain or watering
• Lives for 6 years, produce 2-7 pups
• Blind and have 6 fingers
• Have velvety fur allow them to move forward or back in tunnels
Vole –Know Your PestLifestyle• Gregarious, social
• Active day/night all year
• Appear above and below ground
• Eat grasses, plants and tree roots
Vole Fun Facts• Rapid population changes – up to
1000’s per acre
• Connected burrows with runways
• Burrow openings 1.5-2 inches
• Poor climbers More info at http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7439.html
Common Name: Field Mouse