Specialty eggplant, ready for packing. Courtesy.

New IPM guidelines, year-round programs finalized

UC ANR authors added eggplants to the 43 crops that already are a part of the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines series. These online publications give California growers and pest control advisors the best information available to manage agricultural pests.

The eggplant guidelines describe in detail how to manage nematodes, 17 insects and diseases, and weeds in both conventional and organic production.

While eggplant is the first new crop added since bermudagrass seed in 2002, new guidelines for pomegranates and blueberries are scheduled for release in 2011. In addition, authors update guidelines for all crops annually or as new information becomes available.

Early in the year, UC IPM added new year-round IPM programs to the cherry and lettuce guidelines.

Currently, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is funding crop teams of UC ANR experts to develop year-round IPM programs for peppers, asparagus, corn, and cucurbits for publication in 2011.

Contact Tunyalee Martin, the new coordinator of the UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines, with comments about these online publications. As coordinator, Martin solicits guideline updates, incorporates new material, and helps authors develop information for new crops or pests. She replaces Barbara Ohlendorf, who retired in June.

UC IPM always welcomes authors and reviewers who would like to contribute to the guidelines and keep them relevant and up to date.

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