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Phase I Projects |
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Phase I Projects |
Joseph Kovach, IPM Program, Cornell University, NYSAES, Geneva, NY 14456,
Harvey Reissig, Dept of Entomology, Cornell University, NYSAES, Geneva, NY
Dan Donahue, NYS Horticultural Society, NYSAES, Geneva, NY 14456
The primary goal of this planing project was to increase the adoption of biointensive IPM methods through a public and private partnership so that growers can reduce applications of conventional pesticides while maintaining abundant, yields of high-quality fruit.
New York has approximately 53,000 acres of apples that are concentrated in three different regions: western New York along Lake Ontario, the Hudson Valley, and the Champlain Valley . Each of these regions has a different climate, soil, pest complex, apple cultivar mix, and marketing strategy. These combined regions form a unique apple production unit compared to other fruit growing areas in the United States and in the northeastern US.
The NY apple industry has worked actively during the last several years with the International Apple Institute to develop a plan in response to the national commitment by various federal agencies to develop and implement integrated pest management methods on 75 percent of the total USA crop acreage by the year 2000. Also, Cornell University in cooperation with NY State Department of Agriculture and Markets developed a long range plan to identify research projects and set extension priorities to enhance IPM implementation in apple orchards.
Important Variable Factors Among NY Apple Production Regions
¥ Climate and weather patterns
¥ Marketing system (Fresh vs. Processing)
¥ Cultivars, rootstocks, & tree training
¥ Incidence and severity of pest species
To more fully develop a unified plan, an implementation team was created that included Cornell research and extension personnel, growers, private consultants, state regulators, and environmental and consumer representatives with the goal of defining IPM and prioritizing research and extension needs. The implementation team met in the fall of 1995 and developed a questionnaire to assess baseline adoption rate and research and extension priorities. Surveys were given out at the winter fruit meetings in February of 1996. One hundred thirty six growers in the three regions responded to the survey.
Most Common IPM Practices Used
(>85% of growers)¥ Scouting
- European red mites are sampled during summer
- Plum curculio damage is monitored on fruit
- Spotted tentiform leafminers are sampled
¥ Cultural
- Trees are pruned for air circulation & spray penetration
- Leaf tissue analysis is performed to better apply fertilizers
- Dwarfing rootstocks are planted during renovation
¥ Chemical
- Effects of pesticides on beneficials are considered
- Spray records are recorded and maintained
Least-Used IPM Practices
(<15% of growers)¥ Threshold
- Cornell recommended thresholds are used
¥ Cultural
- Leaf litter is chopped or treated with urea to reduce overwintering scab
¥ Forecasting
- Degree day models are used to sample & spray for San Jose scale
¥ Chemical
- Mating disruption is used
The top five grower-identified
research and extension priorities for apples in NY:1) Transfer genes for disease and insect resistance into commercial apple varieties and rootstocks
2) Test IPM compatible pesticides that are currently registered in other countries
3) Assess overall feasibility of mite, aphid & leafhopper biological control in commercial orchards.
4) Optimize pesticide usage and minimize off target contamination through improved application techniques.
5) Identify bacterial strains for fire blight biological control.
Further analysis of survey data is being conducted by the Department of Communication at Cornell to determine baseline IPM adoption.
Index of Northeast Region Phase I Projects
