1994. Zero Till Workshop Proceedings Editor's Note

The following report on integrated Insect Pest Management on Zero Till Fields is the result of a study conducted primarily in southern Manitoba in 1993. The information is applicable to a much wider region. We leave it to the reader to finally decide if it is meaningful to his own farm.

We have included it in this proceedings knowing it is of value to many of the readers from the Canadian Prairie Provinces and the UDA Norther Plains.

A word of caution is in order regarding specific pesticide recommendations. Those in the report are approved for Manitoba, and may or may not be approved for use in other areas. It of course is the responsibility of the pesticide to comply with regulations applicable to their locality.

We think the report is remarkably well presented and contains a wealth of general information about the eleven species studied.

The Manitoba - North Dakota Zero Till Farmers Association is pleased to have been a sponsor through the Sustainable Development Innovations Fund, and commends Dr. R. A.Ellis et. al. on their excellent work.

The objective of this report is to provide practical information on the biology and management of Insect

pests attacking crops grown on zero till fields In Manitoba. It should also be of value to farmers faced with these pests on conventional-till fields.

Integrated pest management simply involves a basic understanding of the pest's biology and control. Knowing the pest's biology allows a farmer to select the best set of alternative pest management methods to suit his specific requirements and resources.

Based an insect reports over the past 5 years and discuss s with officials of Manitoba Agriculture's Soils and Crop Branch, there are 11 kinds of insects that are frequent posts of zero till crops in southern Manitoba. These pests are listed below, in alphabetical order: i.e.,

• Aphids

• Army worms

• Bertha army worms

• Diamondback moths

• European corn borers
• Flea beetles

• Grasshoppers

• Orange wheat blossom midges
• Sunflower beetles
• Tarnished plant bugs
• Wire worms

Integrated pest management profiles for each of these pests are given below. The information provided on the biology of the pest is based on scientific and technical reports.

Obviously, it is not always necessary to control an insect pest just because it is present in a crop. The term, economic thresholds, is often used to indicate the pest level at which a crop will sustain damage costing more in yield or quality than the cost of control. Although economic thresholds have been developed for some pests in some crops, there are many variables that should be considered.

These variables include the specific crop, variety, end-use, growth stage, growth compensation, pest distribution, weather conditions, and, most importantly, the cost and effectiveness of an insecticide application. Although thresholds are given in the following IPM profiles, when known, one must remember that they are dynamic. In the end, the farmer must consider these variables and decide whether or not to make an insecticide treatment.

However, the farmer should be cautious in deciding to treat for a given pest. The farmer should not be tempted to treat a field that has a marginal infestation of a pest to protect the crop against potential damage. A more environmentally-sound and economically-wise approach is to continue monitoring the field, treating only when necessary.

Although many different insecticides may be registered for the control of a given pest (and are usually listed in these IPM profiles), the chemical recommendations that should be followed are given in Manitoba Agriculture's 'Guide to Crop Protection'. These recommendations are based on a thorough review of their effectiveness against insect pests in the Canadian prairie provinces.

Any person who is applying insecticides for insect post control, whether farmer or custom applicator, must follow container label directions and precautions. The insecticide label is the final and legal authority for the use of that product.

Acknowledgements

This report was made possible through a grant of the Sustainable Development Innovations Fund. Various officials of Manitoba Agriculture's Soils and Crop Branch provided valuable advice and direction. Special thanks go to Peter Entz and Andy Kolach. Several agricultural representatives and regional agronomists also provided Information on the presence and distribution of some of the pests included in this report.

Finally, thanks go to Manitoba - North Dakota Zero Tillage Association and those zero till farmers who allowed insect pest surveys on their farms and who encouraged the preparation of this report.