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Impact Report

For plan Integrated Pest Management Systems
Date December 19, 2008, 8:30 pm
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report IMPACT REPORT FOR 2008 INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS DR. CAROL SUTHERLAND, EXTENSION ENTOMOLOGIST, NMSU & STATE ENTOMOLOGIST, NM DEPT. AGRICULTURE “Integrated pest management” ---as it pertains to entomology---is an appealing but challenging concept for Master Gardeners, Pesticide Applicators, farmers, ranchers and the general public throughout New Mexico. Most untrained audiences initially consider arthropods as general pests, coming out of nowhere, causing damage and requiring immediate and complete control. Educational programs I create for these various audiences are aimed at demystifying insects, arachnids and their relatives, explaining their various roles in nature, distributions, damaging stages (if any), host ranges, interactions with other arthropods and how different plant management practices, not just insecticides, can impact their populations. In 2007-2008, I presented basic entomology and IPM classes and displays of specimens to 330 Master Gardeners in 11 classes in 8 counties with shorter versions for 53 people in general gardening audiences in 4 counties. The latter were firsts for residents of these underserved, rural counties including 3 audiences in one county on the Navajo Nation. In each class clientele self-reported that they learned to distinguish at least 10 common arthropods they could encounter in garden or landscape situations plus some details on life cycles, damaging stages or applicable plant management strategies, not just insecticides, that they could use to mitigate pest damage. At the end of each class, clientele frequently commented they were previously unaware of how interesting and complicated applied entomology could be; they appreciated the more in-depth approach to arthropod control through IPM methodology. Follow-up classes on safe use of (all) pesticides by County agents taught clientele the advantages and disadvantages of pesticide use for managing their gardens and landscapes; reading the label before purchase or use is most important, providing the consumer with critical site/pest combinations, directions for mixing, application and storage plus safety precautions. Master Gardeners and gardening class clientele learn the same requirements for conventional synthetic pesticides also apply to “organic” or “reduced risk” products which are increasingly popular. This specialist responded to over 850 requests directly or indirectly through County Agents for insect (et al.) identification and control measures in 2007-08. Pesticide suggestions were made for at least 75% of these inquiries after editing lists of appropriate, currently registered materials retrieved from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. One Bernalillo County agent was confident that most clientele (over 1000 in 2007-08) were receptive to pest management information he provided; further, he was fairly certain that at least 80% used it to control their particular situations. Results similar to these are likely in other relatively urban parts of the state. Targeted, timely and accurate information like this from this specialist and cooperating agents saves clients from frustration, wasting resources and time, misidentifying their pest problem, over-reacting, over-applying products, applying the wrong products, incorrectly applying products, injuring non-target organisms, themselves and/or the environment. Much of the same applies to Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) classes with respect to IPM, basic and applied entomology and pest control practices. However, pesticide applicators attend class and study educational manuals, some of which I wrote, because they need to be licensed or maintain their licenses to purchase and use pesticides in New Mexico as part of their jobs or professions. In 2007-08, I trained or certified 375 PAT students or licensed applicators in 6 classes open to all New Mexicans. County Ag Agents in these 6 counties advertized and arranged these events for the general public and applied to NMDA for CEUs for licensees; in all cases, the CEUs awarded in these classes exceeded the minimums required for standard licensees to maintain their certifications and remain active in their jobs or professions. In recent years, the Ornamental and Turf Training has focused on 10 arthropods commonly encountered on turf and 10 more species often found on ornamentals. I wrote these fact sheets which are now part of the standard Category 3A Study Guide; they are also posted on the Plant Diagnostic Laboratory web site for public access. These PowerPoint programs, especially the one for licensees, are updated and upgraded annually; arthropod specimens are displayed, also. Introducing youth and the general public to arthropods continues with 17 displays and 81 presentations to audiences from K-12 (and associated adults) in 2007-08. For about half of these audiences, these programs were their first opportunities to view insects “up close,” to hear more about unique arthropods in the displays and to host an entomologist or science specialist from an out-of-town university, NMSU. In addition, I prepared two large (14+ drawers) displays at the Southern New Mexico and Southwestern New Mexico Fairs for an estimated 8500 viewers over 6 days. Of these outreach efforts, 5 were to under-served or rural counties, including one county with only Navajo clientele. 4H programs have adopted both the “100 Common Insects of New Mexico” and the Curriculum (“Insects Rule the Earth”) written by Dr. David Richman and Carol Sutherland while Future Farmers of America have adopted “100 Common Insects…” and a machine-graded answer sheet tailored to the arthropod identification quiz given by us at their State convention and competition. In 2007-08, 121 youth (middle school or high school) participated in statewide 4H and FFA entomology competitions. I use both of these manuals plus a DVD that we produced in 1985 to teach two classes annually of NMSU’s AXED 485 class (12 students in 2007-08) for future teachers of agriculture and county agents. Outreach efforts like these and the competitions are used to interest students in arthropods, the sciences and, potentially, to become students at New Mexico State University.