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  • IPM
  • Greenhouses
person talking to a classroom full of plants and people

Fielding customer questions on beneficials? Fighting off mealybugs? Always wanted to know more about abiotic disorders?  This is the place for you.

This event is designed to give greenhouse growers hands-on practice on mealybug management and with production factors that affect pest management. Topics will include aspects of IPM through entomology, plant production and biocontrol.

Credits: 

  • DEC Credits: 3 credits in categories 10, 24, 25, 3a, 3c.
  • CNLP credits: 4

When: July 22 from 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Cost: $75—If registration fee is cost-prohibitive, please contact Betsy Lamb

Location: Bradfield Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. 
 

Date & Time

July 22, 2024
10:30 am - 4:30 pm

  • 10:30-11 a.m.: Registration
  • 11-11:15 a.m.: Intro
  • 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Diagnosis & Control
  • 12:15-12:50 p.m.: Lunch Break
  • 1-4:10 p.m.: Rotate through module topics
    Each module will be offered three times. Everyone will have an opportunity to attend all the modules. 
    • 1-2 p.m.: First module 
    • 2:05-3:05 p.m.: Second module
    • 3:10-4:10pm: Third module
  • 4:15-4:30 p.m.: Eval and wrap up 

Module Descriptions

John Sanderson, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, emeritus

Mealybug and scale pests are increasingly common in greenhouse production but can be difficult to manage. This session will cover the identification and biology of mealybugs and scale insects. Observing the actual insects will reveal how easy it is to miss them when scouting and why they can be difficult to control with pesticides. We’ll also see some of the beneficial insects that can be used against these pests.  

 

 

Neil Mattson, Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University

Plant health can be impacted by both biotic and abiotic disorders. Biotic disorders are caused by living organisms such as insects, diseases, rodents, and weeds. Abiotic disorders are caused by non-living factors such as growing environment, nutrient issues, spray drift, and air pollution. It’s important to differentiate abiotic from abiotic issues so that you don’t unnecessarily apply pesticides to your crops. In this session we’ll use hands-on exercises to: learn patterns that differentiate biotic vs. abiotic factors, diagnose common abiotic disorders, and learn how to solve some of these issues.

 

Amara Dunn-Silver, Biocontrol Specialist, New York State Integrated Pest Management

Many growers are releasing natural enemies to manage arthropod pests in their production greenhouses, and increasingly consumers are interested in using predators to manage pests in their gardens instead of pesticides. During this session, we’ll discuss how growers are talking with their customers about biocontrol—biocontrol used in production greenhouses, and the potential for customers to use biocontrol at home. What questions are customers asking about using biocontrol at home? How are you and your staff addressing those questions? NYSIPM staff will review resources they have created to help home gardeners conserve and attract insect natural enemies, and we’ll talk about what additional resources growers and retailers might find useful as they have these conversations with their customers.

 

Speakers

Neil Mattson

Professor of Horticulture, Cornell University

Module topic—Abiotic disorders

Speakers

Amara Dunn-Silver

Biocontrol specialist - NYSIPM

Module topic—Talking beneficial bugs with your customers
 

 

Speakers

John Sanderson

Emeritus Professor of Entomology, Cornell University

Module topic—Mealybugs

neil mattson in greenhouse with specialized lighting and hyrdoponic system
Smiling person with a necklace made of orange and yellow flowers
A group of people stands and talks

More information about this event.

Contact Information

Elizabeth Lamb

  • eml38 [at] cornell.edu

Speaker

Dr. Neil Mattson

Dr. Amara Dunn-Silver

Dr. John Sanderson

Departments

New York State Integrated Pest Management

School of Integrative Plant Science

Cornell AgriTech

Department of Entomology

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