Ruth V. Hazzard

Extension Educator, Vegetable Entomologist
MS. 1989, University of Massachusetts
FAX 413-545-5858
Phone 413-545-3696
301 Ag Eng
rhazzard@umext.umass.edu

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Specialties

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

The vegetable industry in Massachusetts, comprising approximately 1,200 farmers on 25,000 acres, has continued to thrive during the past decades of urbanization by adopting new technologies, expanding into new marketing channels, and producing new, high-value crops. Over the past 18 years, the UMass Extension vegetable program has developed integrated pest and crop management strategies for the major vegetable crop groups in Massachusetts, including sweet corn, potato, brassicas, cucurbits, tomatoes and peppers. We are active in working with farmers to evaluate new insect, weed, nutrient and disease management and marketing strategies in the field. The vegetable program also offers educational programs such as a Summer Twilight Meeting Series, the New England Vegetable and Berry Conference (www.nevbc.org), which draws over 1000 farmers from the region for a three-day educational program, and one-day programs during the winter months. We publish the New England Vegetable Management Guide (available at http://www.umassextension.org/Merchant2/merchant.mv). These programs and publications are offered in conjunction with the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers Association and other New England Vegetable Extension programs. During the growing season, we publish the UMass Vegetable IPM Newsletter, which reaches 350 growers on a weekly basis. Our website, www.umassvegetable.org, has many resources for vegetable growers.

I conduct applied research in vegetable crops pest management and development of new crops for Massachusetts. My current research projects include biology and management of flea beetles (Phyllotreta cruciferae and Phyllotreta striolata (Coleoptera :Chrysomelidae) in brassicas, use of perimeter trap cropping in brassicas and cucurbit crops, control of striped cucumber beetle (Acalymma vittata) and bacterial wilt in pumpkin, use of Trichogramma ostriniae for control of European corn borer (Ostrinia nublialis) in pepper and sweet corn, and both organic and IPM pest management in sweet corn. In collaboration with Hampshire College, we developed an integrated system for management of Lepidopteran pests in organic sweet corn, including design and manufacture of the Zea-later™ for applying a vegetable oil/Bt mix to corn silks, which is now commercially available (http://www.johnnyseeds.com/). I am involved with evaluating specialty crops for ethnic markets, and working with new entry immigrant farmers. Past research projects have included tomato disease forecasting systems (TOM-CAST), management of European corn borer in peppers, and biological control of Colorado potato beetle in potato.

For more information on the UMass Vegetable program, please consult our website http://www.umass.edu/umext/ipm/ipm_projects/vegetable.html

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Selected Publications

Refereed Publications

Gleason, Mark L., S.K. Parker, R. E. Pitblado, R. X. Latin, D. Speranzini, R. V. Hazzard, M. J. Maletta, W. P. Cowgill, Jr., and D. L. Biederstedt. 1997. Validation of a commercial systems for remote estimation of wetness duration. Plant Disease 81:825-829.

Hazzard, R.V. & M. A. Mazzola. Foliar sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis in early corn, 1996. 1997 Arthropod Management Tests. Pp. 122-123.

D.C. Weber, D.N. Ferro, J. Buonaccorsi & R. V. Hazzard. 1994. Disrupting spring colonization of Colorado potato beetle to nonrotated potato fields. Entomol. Expt. et Applic. 73: 39-50.

Hazzard, R.V. & J. Gault. 1993. Microbial insecticides for control of first generation European corn borer, 1992. Insecticide & Acaricide Tests 18:122.

Hazzard, R.V., D.N. Ferro, R.G. Van Dreische, & A.F. Tuttle. 1991. Mortality to eggs of Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from predation by Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Environ. Entomol. 20(3): 841-848.

Hazzard, R.V. and D. N. Ferro. 1991. Feeding responses of adult Coleomegilla maculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to eggs of Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and to green peach aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae). Environ. Entomol. 20(2): 644-651.

Van Driesche, R.G., T.S. Bellows, D.N. Ferro, R.V. Hazzard & A. Maher. 1989. Estimating stage survival from recruitment and density data, with reference to egg mortality in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). Can. Entomol.121: 291-300.

Extension Publications & Proceedings

Hazzard, R. V., C. Andersen, M. Verson & F. Mangan. Managing flea beetles on brassica crops. UMass Extension Vegetable Fact Sheet. July, 2002. Public. Veg 2-02. 4 pg. Available in English, Khmer and Hmong.

Hazzard, R.V., editor. Vegetable IPM Newsletter, Volume 1-13, Issues 1-20, May to October 1989-2002. University of Massachusetts Extension Publication.

Hazzard, R.V. editor. Mangan, FX; Carter, AK; Wick, R; Bonanno, R; and Howell, J., R. Bernatzky; Westgate,P., co-authors. Vegetable Integrated Crop and Pest Management Program Annual Report. University of Massachusetts Extension Publication, October 2001.

Hazzard, R.V., editor. Vegetable IPM Newsletter, Volume 12, Issues 1-19, May to October 2001. University of Massachusetts Extension Publication

Hazzard, R.V., G. Ghidiu and T. J. Boucher. 2000. European corn borer. Chapt. 13 in, Northeast Pepper Integrated Pest Management Manual. Univ. of Ct Coop. Ext. System, T. Jude Boucher, ed. Pg 67-76.

Hazzard, R. V. Biointensive insect management in sweet corn. UMass Vegetable and Small Fruit Program Fact Sheet, Veg. Publ. 2-01. 4 pp.

Hazzard, R. V. 2001. Insecticides for 2001: New and Recent Registrations Expand the options for vegetable growers. In, University of Massachusetts Vegetable Notes, Vol 10 # 3, Spring 2001. Pg. 3-6

Hazzard, R. V. 2001. Striped cucumber beetle and bacterial wilt management in vine crops. In, University of Massachusetts Vegetable Notes, Vol 10 # 3, Spring 2001. Pg. 7-8

Hazzard, R.V. Caterpillar control in organic sweet corn. The JSS Advantage, Johnny's Selected Seeds. Vol 7, 2001, pg 8-9.

Grubinger, V. and Hazzard, R.V. 2001 Farmers and their Ecological Sweet Corn Production Practices. An educational video on innovative production practices for sweet corn (40 min). Center for Sustainable Agriculture, University of Vermont Extension.

Mangan, F, A. Carter, M. Mazzola, M. Rulevich, R. Hazzard, R. Bernatzky, M. Pearson, A. Smith, J. Baranek, P. Harmsen, L. Dow, M. Anderson, L. Colangione, D. Webber, P. Belanger, C. Touchette, and P. Fishcer. 2000. The intrdoctuion of Latino crops to farmers in the state of Massachusetts, USA. 1998 Proceedings of the Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture. 391-393.

Hazzard, R.V. Integrating Oils and Microbial Insecticides into Sweet Corn IPM. Pg 27-29. In, Alternatives for insecticides for managing vegtetable insects: Proceedings of the farmer/scientist conference, Dec. 6 & 7, 1998 Hartford, CT, Kimberly Stoner, editor.

Hazzard, R.V, J Boucher, R. Wick, J. Howell, D. Ferro & A. R. Bonanno. 1999. Pepper, Sweet Corn, Crucifer, Tomato and Cucurbit Guidelines, in Integrated Pest Management Guidelines: Crop Specific Definitions. C. S. Hollingsworth & W. Coli, editors. University of Massachusetts Extension Publication..

Mangan, F., R. Hazzard & A. Carter. Expanding Specialty Pepper and Integrated Pepper Management on Massachusetts Vegetable Farms: 1997-1998. Final Report. 28 pp.

Hazzard, R., Jeffry Lerner & Suzanne Lyon. 1997. Using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) products for European Corn Borer Control in Sweet Corn. 1994-1996 On-Farm Trials: Final Report. UMass Extension Public # C-220. 7 pgs.

Howell, J., F.X. Mangan, R.V. Hazzard and. Pepper Project in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts, 1994-1996. Final Report. 1996. UMass Extension Agroecology Program. 36 pp.

Hazzard, R.V. 1995. Early blight management in fresh market tomatoes. In: Proceedings of the 1995 New England Vegetable and Berry Conference and Trade Show. Dec. 12-14, 1995. pp 172-175.

Hazzard, R., Robert Wick and Mark Mazzola. 1995. TOM-CAST Forecasting System and Cultural Practices for Managing Early Blight in Fresh Market Tomatoes. In: Proceedings of the 10th Annual Tomato Disease Workshop. pp 13-19.

Hazzard, Ruth, editor. 1994. Proceedings of the Northeast farmer to farmer information exchange: sweet corn meetings. Northeast Organic Farming Association and U. Mass. Cooperative Extension System, with the support of the Northeast Region Sustainable Agric. Research and Education Program (SARE). 34 pp.