According to a news release from Dupont Crop Protection, in a company sponsored survey targeted to vegetable and melon growers, 80% of respondents said they will update their crop protection programs this year to help grow more abundant and uniform crops.
The survey collected information from growers attending the 2015 Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, recent conference in Savannah, GA. Those surveyed primarily grow peppers, tomatoes, cucurbits and melons.
Managing Thrips
Twenty three percent of growers participating in the survey identified thrips as their most troublesome insect, followed by 17% of growers who listed beet, fall and southern armyworms; and 16% of growers who listed cotton, melon, and green peach aphids.
Among fruiting vegetable diseases, 19% of growers surveyed ranked powdery mildew as their top concern; 14% mentioned anthracnose; and 13% mentioned alternaria leaf spot/blight as their top challenges.
Reducing Pest Pressure
The release states that growers are considering an array of crop protection programs to keep pests in check. Approximately 31% of those surveyed said they plan to increase the number of times they apply insect or disease control products, and 27% respondents are considering changing their crop protection strategies. Other tactics being considered include growing new varieties (17%) and investing in new crop protection technologies (16%).
Combatting Pests With New Technologies
“Staying ahead of insect, disease, and weed damage is always challenging,” said James Hay, business director, North America, DuPont Crop Protection, “so we constantly search for new ways to help to sustain food production and farmer prosperity around the world.”
“The survey findings underscore the value of developing and deploying effective new crop protection strategies for the fruiting vegetable market,” Hay concluded. “We continually collaborate with growers and consultants to help them achieve the best results possible.”
Growers and consultants can visit cropprotection.dupont.com for more information on strategies for protecting vegetable crops from insect and disease damage.