• New Products and Innovations Methods

Location of NDAWN Sites

New IPM products and methods are developed and extended to producers to maximize yields.  In North Dakota, potato growers use a forecasting model to make accurate predictions of early and late blight development for specific potato production areas.  The North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) has been expanded to include 50 sites from different areas of the state for collecting weather data.  This information is also used to calculate growing degree day units for estimating crop development and pest emergence.

 

• Reduced Crop loss Through Improved Timing and Efficiency of IPM Strategies

For farmers this means producing high-quality, affordable products.  For society, it means maintaining safe and ecologically sound environments.  One of the IPM success stories in North Dakota is the orange wheat blossom midge.  Calculating growing degree days and determining economic thresholds during field monitoring has resulted in successful prediction, detection and economic control of pests.

• Judicious Use of Pesticides - Decreasing Environmental Impacts

As researchers develop environmental friendly ways to manage pests, IPM practitioners have helped North Dakota growers reduce unnecessary pesticide use.  In 1996, for example, 2 million acres of wheat were at high risk to what midge damage based on past population history and the high number of overwintering midge cocoons.  However, only 40 percent were treated because of extensive field monitoring and proper use of economic thresholds during the growing season.  Dry bean producers have also adopted the practice of banded spraying fungicides to achieve white mold control, a practice that allows fungicide use to be cut in half from that required for broadcast application.

• Increased Partnership

IPM Programs are being incorporated by growers, crop consultants, and industry into crop production systems of North Dakota, and have increased collaboration between private and public stakeholders.

Please contact your local county extension office of the North Dakota State University Extension Service for further information on IPM.   County extension offices can help you directly refer you to area/state specialists.   Trained crop consultants or professionals may also provide pest information, pest identification, and IPM recommendations.