Project Number: 6618-22000-029-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Feb 26, 2004
End Date: Apr 30, 2008

Objective:
Identify impact of pest management tactics on functional diversity of soil microflora and weed populations, their competitive interactions, and effects on crop health. Conceive, develop, and test tactics for the control of plant diseases, parasitic nematodes and weed pests of vegetable and floriculture crops. Research efforts will concentrate on the testing of novel chemical, biological, biorational, cultural, and organic pest control tactics and on improving their application technology. Identify combinations of pest control tactics that interact synergistically to improve pest control, are practical to implement, and will minimize environmental disruption. Research activities will focus on identifying combinations of pest control tactics that produce synergistic effects and minimize disruption to conventional crop production practices. Define the impacts of pest management and crop production practices on soil health including the suppression of soilborne pests.

Approach:
A rational and sustainable approach to finding viable alternaltives to methyl bromide is to utilize integrated pest management (IPM) programs where combinations of tactics are used to maintain economic damage from key pests below a tolerable threshold. Another approach is to redesign production systems minimizing the potential for outbreaks of soilborne pests. Availability of biologically-based pest management tactics must be increased for successful IPM programs for soilborne pests to be implemented. Growers must have the option of choosing tactics that fit the needs and constraints of their individual programs. Deployment of multiple or companion tactics is essential to alleviate selection pressure and manage potential increases in resistant pest populations. Synergistic effects from combinations of pest management tactics need to be determined. Specific research methodology will include combinations of cultural practices, biotechnology, biological, and conventional control methods.