Elements of Organic Farming

George Kuepper & Kate Atchley

Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Pest Insect,& Disease

Management

OKBFRP Horticulture Program, July 2013

Regarding Weeds Pest Insects & Diseases

Well-designed organic systems have higher ecological stability and lower pest pressure overall. “1000 tiny hammers”

Organic System Effects On Pests

• Systemic Practices: rotation, cover cropping, organic fertilization, adapted and

resistant cultivars, composting and basic sanitation

practices. “Nurturing the soil food web plus…”

• Systemic Effects: innate and induced resistance/tolerancebiocontrol of pests and diseases in the soilbiocontrol of above ground pests life cycles of weeds and pests disruptedweed seedbank reducedbeneficial shift in weed populations

Putting It Together:Setting the Foundation

B i o l o g i c a l l y H e a l t h y S o i l

A S o u n d O r g a n i c S y s t e mR o t a t i o n s , C o v e r C r o p s

C o m p o s t , M a n u r e

O r g a n i c C u l t u r a l P r a c t i c e s

O f f - F a r m I n p u t sF e r t i l i z e r s — P e s t i c i d e s

G o o dO r g a n i c

C r o p

Well-designed organic systems have higher ecological stability and lower pest pressure overall.

However, many pests require additional management (i.e. cultural practices) to ensure that they don’t get out of control. “More tiny hammers…”

Regarding Weeds Pest Insects & Diseases

Traditional Organic Pest Control Practices

Weeds

cultivationorganic mulchesmowinggrazingweeder geesehandweedingflame weedingplastic mulch

Insects & Disease

beneficial habitatsaugmentation of beneficialsphysical barriersnonsynthetic lures, traps, repellentsadjusting timingtrap cropsHand-picking

Putting It Together:Second Level of Mgt.

B i o l o g i c a l l y H e a l t h y S o i l

A S o u n d O r g a n i c S y s t e mR o t a t i o n s , C o v e r C r o p s

C o m p o s t , M a n u r e

O r g a n i c C u l t u r a l P r a c t i c e s

O f f - F a r m I n p u t sF e r t i l i z e r s — P e s t i c i d e s

G o o dO r g a n i c

C r o p

Well-designed organic systems have higher ecological stability and lower pest pressure overall.

However, many pests require additional management (i.e. cultural practices) to ensure that they don’t get out of control.

While organic management precludes most pesticides, many allowable materials are available.

Regarding Weeds Pest Insects & Diseases

Organic-Allowed Pesticides(Insecticides, Miticides, Fungicides, Herbicides, etc.)

Mineral-based Coppers Sulfur DE Baking soda

Biologicals Bt (Dipel®, etc.) B. bassiana (Mycotrol®, etc.) Bacillus subtilis (Serenade®, etc.) Spinosad (Fire Ant bait, etc.)

Botanicals Pyrethrum (Pyganic®, etc.) Neem (Bioneem®, neem oil, etc.) Garlic

Refined oils Dormant oil Superior oil

Soaps Insecticidal soap Herbicidal soap

Putting It Together:Third Level of Mgt.

B i o l o g i c a l l y H e a l t h y S o i l

A S o u n d O r g a n i c S y s t e mR o t a t i o n s , C o v e r C r o p s

C o m p o s t , M a n u r e

O r g a n i c C u l t u r a l P r a c t i c e s

O f f - F a r m I n p u t sP e s t i c i d e s

G o o dO r g a n i c

C r o p

Organic Strategy For Weed & Pest Management

I. Organic System Effects

II. Traditional Organic Practices

III. Allowed Pesticides

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

IPM is a systematic strategy for managing pests which considers

prevention, avoidance, monitoring and suppression. Where chemical pesticides are necessary, a preference is given to

materials and methods which maximize public safety and reduce

environmental risk. MASSACHUSETTS IPM COUNCIL'S

DEFINITION OF IPMhttp://massnrc.org/ipm/what-is-ipm.html

Insect/Arthropod Pests

Traditional Organic Insect/Arthropod Control Practices

beneficial habitatsaugmentation of beneficialsphysical barrierstrapsadjusting timingtrap cropshand-picking/ vacuumsflaming/fire

Pest I.D. is Critical

Cue in Kate

Flea Beatles

Ringo

Paul

Phytophthora

Septoria Blight

A Face Only a Mother Could Love!

A tomato hornworm—very pleased with itself!

Tomato HornwormHandpickingFall cultivationBacillus thuringiensisBiological control

Bio-control for Hornworm

Polistes wasps-predatory-

Braconid wasp-parasitic-

Squash BugTimed plantingSanitationBarriersResistance/toleranceAllowed chemicals??Biological control

Squash Bug Parasite

Tachinid flyTrichopoda pennipes

Stink Bugsas tomato pestsSanitationTrap croppingAllowed chemicalsBiological control

Buckwheat as a Trap Crop

Stink Bugsas tomato pestsSanitationTrap croppingAllowed chemicalsBiological control

Trissolcus basalis: a parasitic wasp

Corn Earworm/Tomato Fruitworm

Resistant varietiesNatural oil ear treatmentBt spraysBiological control

Zea-Later

Used to inject natural oils with or without allowed pesticides

Corn Earworm/Tomato Fruitworm

Resistant varietiesNatural oil ear treatmentBt spraysBiological control

Trichogramma spp: parasitic wasps

Aphids aka: plant lice

Avoid excess nitrogen fertilizationAllowed pesticidesBiological control

Aphid PredatorsLadybird Beetle

Ladybird Beetle larva

Lacewing

Generalist PredatorsAssassin Bug

Preying Mantis

Robber Fly

Garden Spider

Striped Blister BeetlePest on damn-near everything

Two tools for blister beetle management

Plant Diseases

Plant Disease Triangle

Nematode-Trapping Fungi

Reality Check!

• Some diseases are wind-borne or carried by mobile insect vectors. Rotation has little-to-no effect on such diseases.

Asters yellows, on Black-eyed susan.Vectored by leaf-hoppers.

Early blightof tomato

Serenade®Bacillus subtilis

Powdery MildewProblem on many crops

“Use of Baking Soda as a Fungicide”https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=126

UsefulResource

http://web.pppmb.cals.cornell.edu/resourceguide/

Useful Resource

George KuepperThe Kerr CenterP.O. Box 588Poteau, OK 74953918-647-9123gkuepper@kerrcenter.com