Project Overview
Annual Reports
Commodities
Practices
- Crop Production: greenhouses, high tunnels or hoop houses
- Education and Training: demonstration, extension, on-farm/ranch research
- Pest Management: integrated pest management
Proposal abstract:
Greenhouse and high tunnel vegetable production is increasing in New York State and the Northeast, anddisease, insect and weed management can be a limit to production, affecting yield and quality. In 2007, 201vegetable greenhouses were reported in New York State (2007 Agricultural Census). Based on a recent survey ofCornell Cooperative Extension Educators, there were 434 operations reported, with 47 of 62 counties responding.Cornell Cooperative Extension has approximately 20 Educators working with vegetable producers although not allwork with greenhouse vegetable crops. The pest complex and management solutions can be very different in agreenhouse environment than in the field so there is a need for training of additional Extension educators to beable to assist greenhouse vegetable producers with integrated pest management (IPM) information. Providingtraining for Extension educators in IPM that is tailored for the production system and specific pests in vegetableproduction under protected environments will lead to an increase in the adoption of IPM by growers, with itspotential to reduce pesticide use and improve product quality.Extension educators around New York State have expressed interest in helping greenhouse vegetable producerssolve their pest management issues and increase their level of IPM use but many are lacking specific experience,information and training to provide assistance to this growing industry. An email survey of extension educators inNY’s 62 counties was conducted in late September of 2013. Twenty-one Extension educators expressed aninterest in helping the greenhouse/high tunnel vegetable producers with their pest management, includingparticipating in hands-on training (15), receiving continuing subject matter support through web-basedconferences (15), conducting grower programing (11) and working on-on-one with growers to create an IPM plan(8). Through a hands-on workshop on IPM for greenhouse/high tunnel vegetable production, followed bycontinuing support and training, the educators will have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provideeducational programming to growers, and develop IPM plans through one-on-one interaction with growers. Thegrowers will then have the knowledge necessary to implement IPM techniques to manage disease, insect andweed pests, and reduce pesticide use while producing a quality product.
Performance targets from proposal:
PERFORMANCE TARGET
Twenty Extension educators will co-train with growers in greenhouse vegetable IPM to provide grower support; 10
will conduct educational programing for 150 growers; 8 will create an IPM plan with a grower then demonstrate it
for 160 growers. Thirty growers will document an increase in IPM in their vegetable greenhouses.