Last season the monitoring and management of beneficial insects meant he didn’t have to put any insecticide on his cabbage seed crops, where in the past he might have put on two to three applications.
The release of the leaf minor parasite Asobora nr.persimilis on his farm appears to have worked and he hasn’t had to spray for leaf minor for several years. Leaf minor used to be a problem in his radish crops.
‘You’ve got to be
dedicated to it.’
John said he became more involved with IPM when he began growing the more intensively managed specialist seed crops.
He said it was somehow easier because there was more information available around threshold levels with these crops, which were more vulnerable to insect pests.
Crop monitoring is the most critical part of IPM.
While John keeps a close eye on what is happening in his crops he will be employing someone to do this for him this coming season.
It was a little like water monitoring – by employing someone to do it he knew that the job would be done on time, John said.
He admits using IPM does require more intensive crop management and he can certainly identify and understand life-cycles of beneficial insects such as lace wings, and hoverflies.
“You’ve got to be dedicated to it.”
