Joseph Kovach

Assessing the relative environmental impacts of agricultural pesticides : the quest for a holistic method

Systems which assess the comparative environmental impact of pesticides may enable farmers and policy makers to choose effective practices for pest control with the least detrimental impact. This paper reviews a number of approaches that have been proposed by research, planning and regulatory agencies for assessing pesticide impacts. Major issues and challenges in developing assessment models include how to incorporate and synthesize a broad range of environmental parameters in creating an integrated assessment; how to evaluate, integrate and present economic and environmental information within one assessment framework; and how to strike a balance between the advantages of the ease of use of simpler systems with the information-richness of more complex systems that may be prohibitively difficult to use. We conclude that universal answers to these questions are not possible because of different specific objectives, methods and decision-making contexts of particular assessment systems.

Select Nontarget Arthropod Abundance in Transgenic and Nontransgenic Field Crops in Ohio

Abstract Nontarget arthropod populations were monitored in both transgenic and nontransgenic corn and soybean fields in western and central Ohio. A total of 24 fields, 12 corn and 12 soybean, were inspected weekly from late June through mid August. Half of the cornfields were Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) hybrids and half of the soybean fields were Roundup Ready (RR). Sweep net samples in soybean fields and unbaited Pherocon AM yellow sticky traps in both soybean and cornfields were used to collect nontarget arthropods. Soil samples were also taken from all 24 fields to compare soil mite populations. A select group of 15 readily identifiable arthropods composed mainly of beneficial insects commonly found in field crops, were recorded in weekly sweep net and sticky trap samples for later analysis. Sweep net data from soybean fields revealed no significant differences in nontarget arthropods. Yellow sticky trap data from soybean and corn fields found significantly more green lacewing adults (Chrysopa spp.) in six pooled non-RR soybean fields, significantly more rove beetles in one non-Bt cornfield, and significantly more Orius spp. in one Bt cornfield. There were also significantly more soil inhabiting mites at one non-RR soybean field. Based on the abundance of these arthropod populations in paired transgenic and nontransgenic fields, few negative effects on the 15 nontarget arthropods selected can be directly associated with transgenic soybean and corn crops in Ohio.

Impact of Strawberry Cultivar and Incidence of Pests on Yield and Profitability of Strawberries under Conventional and Organic Management Systems

ABSTRACT Yield, incidence of pests, and profitability of strawberries under conventional and organic management systems were measured through four fruiting seasons, using three cultivare widely grown in the northeastern United States (dayneutrals [Tribute or Tristar], Earliglow and Honeoye). Fruits were more abundant in conventional than in organic plots, but the average weight of fruit was not affected by management system. Of all strawberry cultivare tested in this study, Honeoye was the most productive, both in terms of number and weight of harvested fruits. Incidence of tarnished plant bug damage by was much higher than for grey mould or slugs. Density of nymphs and proportion of fruits damaged by plant bugs were higher in organic than in conventional plots, and for Honeoye than dayneutrals or Earliglow. In contrast, management system and strawberry cultivar did not affect to a great extent the incidence of damage by grey mould or slugs. Productivity of strawberry plants was negatively correlated with incidence of damage by plant bugs, and positively with incidence of grey mould. Weed biomass was greater in organic than in conventional plots. Economic analysis indicated that a lack of reliable, effective measures for managing pests of strawberries without synthetic pesticides, especially weeds and plant bugs, may severely constrain yield and profitability of organic strawberries in the northeastern United States. Due to its high productivity and low susceptibility to plant bugs, Honeoye was by far the most profitable cultivar in this study, and appeared highly suitable for organic management.

Integrated apple pest management in New York State using predatory mites and selective pesticides

A 3-year demonstration study was conducted in four western New York apple orchards to evaluate current approaches of sustainable pest management in representative commercial orchards. Pests that could be tolerated were regulated by natural antagonists, including predatory mites that were introduced to supplement endemic populations, while those with lower tolerance levels were managed with a schedule of selective pesticides, e.g., insect growth regulators and horticultural mineral oil. Pesticide application decisions (timing and materials) were made on the basis of current state extension guidelines, which involved a combination of protectant and threshold-based sprays determined through timely scouting and sampling procedures. Only non-toxic or minimally toxic pesticides to the principal mite and aphid predators were applied in the orchards. By the third season, effective conservation biological control of European red mite was achieved in all orchards, and fruit quality at harvest was equal or superior to that in comparison blocks managed using the growers’ conventional practices.

A survey of the use of IPM by New York apple producers

Abstract Integrated Pest Management (IPM) was first introduced to New York apple growers in 1975 through an Extension pilot program. Since that time, growers have become aware of the methods, results and potential benefits of following an IPM approach in their orchards. Differences in pesticide use, demography and behavior between IPM users and non-users are presented in this study. Results showed that > 80% of the apple producers in New York State (NY) incorporate some aspect of IPM into their pest control strategies. IPM users were younger and better educated and had less farm experience than non-users. Cornell Cooperative Extension was considered a primary source of written pest management and pesticide information to NY growers. However, agricultural sales persons were also considered useful by the growers for making pest management decisions. Growers that employed comprehensive IPM practices used 30% less insecticides, 47% less miticides and 10% less fungicides than growers that did not use IPM practices. This resulted in 235 kg active ingredient ha−1 not having to be absorbed by the environment and saved IPM apple growers an average of US

Impact of Reflective Mulch on Yield of Strawberry Plants and Incidence of Damage by Tarnished Plant Bug (Heteroptera: Miridae)

95.80 ha−1 year−1 over an 11-year period (1976–1986) without significantly affecting fruit quality.

Implementing integrated pest management in professional lawn care: a case study

Abstract The current study investigated the impact of reflective mulch on yield of strawberry plants and incidence of damage by tarnished plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), for three strawberry cultivars: ‘Honeoye’, ‘Earliglow’, and two sibling Dayneutrals (‘Tribute’ and ‘Tristar’, herein considered as one cultivar). Of all cultivars tested, Honeoye was the most productive and least susceptible to tarnished plant bug. For Earliglow and Honeoye, reflective mulch enhanced productivity of strawberry plants and suppressed density of nymphs per flower cluster and proportion of damaged fruits, but did not significantly impact numbers of nymphs or damaged fruits per hectare. Results with Dayneutrals were not consistently significant. Both in the presence or absence of reflective mulch, proportion of damaged fruits increased with increasing density of nymphs per flower cluster and with decreasing number of fruits harvested per row section, suggesting that planting productive strawberry cultivars or maintaining cultural practices that promote high yield may provide an effective line of defense against tarnished plant bug. These results also suggest that reflective mulch may suppress incidence of damage by tarnished plant bug both directly, by reducing number of nymphs per flower cluster, and indirectly, by enhancing productivity of strawberry plants. Economic analyses evaluating costs and benefits of using reflective mulch, as well as studies investigating mechanisms that underlie the impact of reflective mulch on yield and incidence of damage by tarnished plant bug, are still needed before reflective mulch can be implemented as a management strategy in commercial strawberry fields.

Development of a knowledge-based system supporting IPM decision making in apples

Human choices regarding land cover management practices may influence ecosystem services provided by urban green spaces. We conducted a 2-year study to compare biological (weed, insect, and disease), aesthetic (lawn quality), and economic (lawn care program cost) attributes of an integrated pest management (IPM) program, in which pesticides are applied on the basis of treatment thresholds, with a standard program, in which pesticides are applied on a calendar basis without pest monitoring. Both programs were managed by a professional lawn care operator. Although weed incidence was low, the IPM program had significantly more lawns with weed presence than the standard program during 2005 and 2006. However, only 21% of the IPM lawns required herbicide applications in 2005, and none exceeded the treatment threshold (5% weed cover) in 2006 as compared to 100% of the standard program lawns being treated for weeds in both years. The IPM program also had significantly more lawns with insect damage than the standard program during June 2005 and August 2005, but not September 2005 and throughout 2006. Only 28% of the IPM lawns required insecticide applications in 2005 and none exceeded the threshold (5% insect damage) in 2006 whereas all of the lawns in the standard program received insecticide treatments in both years. Rhizoctonia blight was present on some of the lawns, but was not a common problem. Although lawn quality was high for both programs (>8, on a scale of 1–9), it was significantly higher for standard than for IPM program lawns during 2005, and June 2006 and September 2006, but not August 2006. The annual lawn management costs were lower for the IPM (

Cascading tripartite binomial classification plans to monitor European red mite (Acari,Tetranychidae) through a season; development and evaluation of a new methodology for pest monitoring

281.50) than the standard program (

Adaptive frequency classification: a new methodology for pest monitoring and its application to European red mite (Panonychus ulmi, Acari: Tetranychidae)

458.06). Thirty one percent of the IPM program customers who continued with the study in 2006 did so because they were satisfied with the IPM program. Among those who did not continue with the program, 33% cited weed or insect problems, while 33% expected better results. The implications of these findings for implementation of IPM in professional lawn care are further discussed.