Writing this from his home office during the lockdown, ICL technical area sales manager Sam Rivers makes a strong case for growers to add pest and disease monitoring to their list of essential activities during these extremely challenging times.
One of my favourite quotes is by Winston Churchill, ‘’If you’re going through hell, keep going.’’ Never has this quote felt more relevant than now. With COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the industry we must soldier on as best we can. This great industry of ours is always moving forward and things will get better.
Growers face many new and existing challenges throughout the year. Unfortunately, we also face the predicament that certain challenges we face will not stop regardless of the situation, and by that I mean pest and disease pressure.
Pest and disease (P&D) management is often a challenge but now more than ever. With many nurseries shut, or working with a skeleton staff, monitoring for P&D may seem impossible. However, as difficult as it may be, as always, the earlier you start monitoring the better as pests such as Aphids and Vine Weevil can devastate crops if left unchecked.
The industry is currently facing unprecedented levels of crop loss, through cancelled orders and disposal of unsold stock. As such it is critical to monitor your remaining plants to help jump start the industry when restrictions are lifted.
While observing social distancing guidelines, where possible growers should be incorporating appropriate P&D monitoring practices into the list of essential jobs during this ‘lockdown’ period. Ideally, monitoring should be continuous, but once or twice a week should be sufficient to keep an eye out for potential outbreaks.
Monitoring can also be intertwined with some other routine maintenance; many pests and diseases – such as Aphids and Blackspot – can overwinter on old debris, such as leaves. Removing and disposing of this debris, found on and around pots and throughout the nursery, will help promote good hygiene and help reduce the risk of pest/disease outbreaks.
Growers implementing Integrated Pest Management programmes (IPM) often have a narrow window of opportunity to implement strategies for optimal results, for example Vine Weevil adults are laying eggs approximately between April-July so control methods should be implemented slightly before and during this period. Launched this month (April 2020), ICL has a new biorational – Pitcher GR – that targets Vine Weevil eggs and early instar larval stages. It is recommended for use in conjunction with beneficial nematodes, such as Vine Weevil Seeka, which target larger larvae later in the season. [After using Pitcher GR, it is important to wait a minimum of six weeks before making a second application, or applying beneficial nematodes] For specific Vine Weevil advice please visit: https://icl-protect.com/ . IPM programmes rely on supressing pest levels below an economic threshold. Missing the boat can result in a population explosion that can be extremely difficult to control without resorting to chemical crop protection products. The same goes for diseases, the quicker you react to any outbreaks the less severe the outcome is likely to be.
The weather is another factor to consider when monitoring. Temperatures are rising but the risk of frost is still apparent. Any new growth is particularly susceptible to frost damage, which can overwhelm the plant’s natural defence mechanisms making it less able to deal with any pest/disease problems that may arise. If a frost is forecast, it is advisable to protect susceptible outdoor plants while monitoring for P&D outbreaks afterwards may prove invaluable.
For more information, see the ICL website where there is lots of additional information resources.