Pest Management

Pest Management Centre Progress in Greenhouse Production Reduced-risk solutions for disease and insect pests The main factors leading to yield and/or quality losses in greenhouse production are pathogens, insect pests, and improper management of environmental factors. Since temperature, light, humidity, pH, carbon dioxide and nutrient supply require specific management strategies for each stage of the production cycle, proper understanding and implementation of environmental controls is essential to the optimal growth of the crop. Greenhouse production relies heavily on integrated pest management (IPM). Through a careful balance of crop monitoring, sanitation and cultural, physical and biological controls many growers are able to reduce or eliminate the need for chemical controls of certain diseases and insects. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Pesticide Risk Reduction and Minor Use Research programs have committed more than $1.1 million to 21 implementation projects on greenhouse crops. Some successes from this work funded by the Pest Management Centre (PMC) include: • New biocontrol agents and IPM strategies to control loopers in greenhouse vegetables • New biological and reduced risk tools for use against powdery mildew • Innovative new techniques to control damage from thrips, whiteflies and lygus Using pollinators to deliver biocontrol agents The PMC has funded innovative research which uses bees to deliver biocontrol agents. Scientists have developed a system where bumblebees leave the hive through a biopesticide dispenser and disperse the microbial control

agents to plants. This method provides continuous delivery of biocontrol agents to the target plants and allows for a combination of insect and disease control treatment (e.g. Botanigard® and Endofine®). Pollination levels meet commercial standards and the biocontrols show no negative effect on bees. The PMC is currently working with researchers and registrants to add these new uses to the label. Cabbage looper control using baculoviruses The greenhouse industry relies on biologically focused production systems. However, natural enemies and pollinators are not compatible with many conventional products and additional tools are needed to manage development of resistance against Bt, a reduced-risk insecticide used in greenhouse production. In a project funded by the PMC, work to develop a pest control product based on Baculoviruses discovered by an AAFC researcher has been continued. Baculoviruses are very effective pest control tools, with a very specific pest target, and are easy to handle. Commercialization of the product is currently in progress. Controlling diseases using biological competitors Many microbial disease control products act by coloizing the host plant before the disease pathogen can become established, thereby displacing the pest species. The PMC conducted efficacy trials with a number of such microbial disease control products (Blightban® A506, Mycostop®, Actinovate®, and Endofine) to generate data to support label expansion requests. Superior results were obtained to control powdery mildew, Pythium, Botrytis, Alternaria, and gummy stem blight. Work is currently underway to bring growers these tools.

In addition to this, two product registrations and twelve other registration submissions for greenhouse crop/pest priorities have been achieved through Agriculture and Agri-food Canada’s Minor Use Pesticides Program. Efficacy, crop tolerance, and/or residue data trials were conducted and submission packages prepared

for the nine products involved. Many of these products are reduced-risk, and will fit well into the biologically based IPM programs common in Canadian greenhouse production. These activities are detailed in the table below.

PMC Submissions & Registrations – Greenhouse Production* Crop

Product Name

Active Ingredient

Pest(s)

Project Number

Oberon 240 SC Pristine Citation 75WP Acrobat Oberon 240 SC Prestop Pristine Oberon 240 SC Pristine Assail Prestop Altacor

Spiromesifen pyraclostrobin & boscalid Cyromazine dimethomorph Spiromesifen Gliocladium catenulatum pyraclostrobin & boscalid Spiromesifen pyraclostrobin & boscalid acetamiprid Gliocladium catenulatum chlorantraniliprole

Tetranychus urticae Botrytis; Powdery mildew Fungus gnats Downy Mildew Tetranychus urticae Fusarium Botrytis, powdery mildew Tetranychus urticae Botrytis Whiteflies Fusarium Cabbage loopers

AAFC05-027 AAFC04-041 AAFC03-013 AAFC06-021 AAFC05-022 AAFC04-088 AAFC04-032 AAFC05-025 AAFC03-071 AAFC02-004 AAFC04-087 AAFC02-003

Matador/Warrior Success

lambda-cyhalothrin Spinosad

Cabbage looper Thrips

AAFC03-015 AAFC05-046

Botanigard 22WP & ES Root Shield RootShield HC Botanigard 22WP & ES Root Shield RootShield HC

B. bassiana GHA T. harzianum strain T-22 T. harzianum strain T-22 B. bassiana GHA T. harzianum strain T-22 T. harzianum strain T-22

Aphids, Thrips, Whiteflies Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia Botrytis, Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia Aphids, Thrips, Whiteflies Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia Botrytis, Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia

PRR Program PRR Program PRR Program PRR Program PRR Program PRR Program

Prestop Rhapsody & Serenade

G. Catenulatum B. subtilis QST 713

Foliar & Soilborne diseases Fungal diseases

PRR Program PRR Program

Submitted Cucumber Lettuce Ornamentals Pepper Tomato

Registered Lettuce Ornamentals Submitted Biopesticides Ornamentals Vegetables

Registered Biopesticides Ornamentals Vegetables

* The Pest Management Centre’s Minor Use Program prepares a submission based on data collected from field trials and laboratory analyses. The information package is submitted to the Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulator Agency (PMRA) to support the registration of the minor use pesticide. The PMRA reviews it and decides whether or not to accept the pesticide for this use in Canada. Once registered, the product can be used according to the label. The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program provides companies assistance with the registration process for biopesticides that address priority pesticide risk reduction issues identified in consultations with growers.

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For more information on other greenhouse related work underway at the PMC visit the PMC Web site at www.agr.gc.ca/prrmup

Aussi offert en français sous le titre : La lutte dirigée progresse au chapitre de la production serricole © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2008 Cat. No. A118-17/5-2008E-PDF ISBN 978-1-100-10092-0 AAFC No. 10694E