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Summary
You, too, will gain entomology experience as you identify pests on your farm. Pay close attention to signs of pest activity in crops. Watch to see if they spread. Take action before the level of damage exceeds what you can tolerate for the markets you're targeting.
Look for pest-resistant varieties. Focus on prevention and the use of cultural pest-management methods. If all else fails, consider the use of approved inputs.
Disease management begins with understanding plant disease basics. Remember, the prevalence of plant diseases is determined by the plant disease triangle: plant susceptibility, the presence of pathogens and environmental conditions favorable to disease development. Learn to pay attention to all these factors. Select disease-tolerant or -resistant plant varieties when possible. Observe good sanitation practices.
Last but certainly not least, don't forget to fill out the pest and disease management sections of your Organic System Plan.
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Potato bugs. (Photo: TRI)
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