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Depending on the year, Massachusetts
ranks either first or second nationally in the total production of cranberries,
with over
14,000 acres under cultivation. Failure to minimize pest damage can result
in severe crop loss, vine damages, or even death of
large areas of cultivated bogs. The particular focus of the Cranberry IPM
Project is to enhance the expert knowledge of the
grower community in techniques to largely replace the indiscriminate use
of agrochemical and non-renewable resources.
Primary areas of current project activity include exploring the feasibility
of using cultural techniques such as bog sanding and
flooding, development and use of low-risk and naturally-occurring pesticides,
coupled with an improved understanding of the
biology of key pests, to manage bogs in concert with the environment.
The Cranberry Experiment Station,
a research and extension center of the University of Massachusetts-Amherst,
is located in East Wareham, in the heart of the cranberry growing region
in Massachusetts. Their facilities include an 11 acre research cranberry
bog, greenhouse, and laboratories. The Cranberry Station currently houses
faculty specializing in Plant Pathology, Entomology, Environmental Physiology/Irrigation,
Plant Nutrition/Cultural Practices, and Weed Science. In addition, their
staff includes two Extension Educators, one responsible for Cranberry
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and the other in charge of outreach to
the Nursery and Greenhouse growers in Southeastern Massachusetts. During
the cranberry growing season, the staff is joined by colleagues from UMass
campuses, visiting scientists, graduate students, and undergraduate summer
assistants from area colleges and universities. The Station ranks as a
leader in the United States, North America, and worldwide for research
and outreach programs on cranberry culture. They maintain cooperative
projects with research scientists in all U.S. cranberry growing areas
and act as an international resource for research and extension materials.
Cranberry IPM Project Team members are: H.A. Sandler, F.L. Caruso, C.J.
Demoranville, and A.L. Averill
Selected IPM Articles:
2001
Annual Report 
2002 Proposal
Integrated
Pest Management: Overview
IPM Guidelines: Cranberry
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