Biopesticides are pesticides with natural active ingredients like microorganisms, plant extracts, and other substances found in nature. Compared to conventional chemical pesticides, they may pose lower risks to humans and the environment. It’s no secret that IPM is all about reducing those risks while effectively managing pests, so with increasing biopesticide availability, the question is: do they work?
In collaboration with Cornell’s Crystal Stewart, Elizabeth Buck, and Margaret McGrath, and with funding from the New York Farm Viability Institute, our Biocontrol Specialist, Amara Dunn, set out to solve this question specifically for a tough adversary—powdery mildew on cucurbits like pumpkins and cucumbers.
Their cucurbit powdery mildew trials suggested that farmers should not simply add biopesticides to their regular fungicide applications but should consider replacing some conventional fungicides with biopesticides.
Word got out. Approximately 775 growers attended 18 presentations, and more than 3,300 people were reached through 14 publications on blogs, in newsletters, and elsewhere. Examinations of two years’ worth of field trials showed growers what biopesticides are, how they work, and how to maximize their effectiveness.
After results were shared at winter meetings, 33% of growers planned to start using biofungicides to manage cucurbit powdery mildew, while 76% reported increased understanding of their potential. Perhaps most promising? 11% of growers plan to replace conventional fungicides with biofungicides on a total of 413 acres of cucurbits. Their intent to reduce conventional fungicides could save between $10-$24k each year. For the rest of us, this means good news for human health and the environment.
Project Leader: Amara Dunn See Amara’s Biopesticide Bytes Blog for more.
See the full Annual Report on eCommons here.
