By David Kuack
Regardless of whether growers refer to using an integrated pest management (IPM) or integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) program, it won’t be successful if they don’t plan it out.
Ironically, one of the biggest misconceptions greenhouse growers have with controlling pests and diseases is actually related to the success of their control programs,” said Karin Tifft, an integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) consultant. “If growers are doing a good job, it seems simple. But when things go wrong, they can go wrong in a big way.” Tifft works primarily with greenhouse vegetable growers to develop IPDM programs. While she doesn’t yet have any ornamental plant growers as clients, she said she expects setting up an effective IPDM program for ornamentals would be more challenging because the whole plant needs to look good, not just the fruit. She said that ornamental growers actually have more natural enemies and chemical options than food crop producers.
>>> Read the whole article from Issue 4 here
