Community Education > IPM Guidelines: Strawberry

Introduction
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a systematic approach to pest management that considers all factors affecting crop health, including plant nutrition, horticultural practices, and all suitable means of pest suppression. IPM programs are based on information obtained by sampling and monitoring, and this information is used to make management decisions. Pest management tactics may include biological, chemical, mechanical, and cultural methods. An IPM program for a given crop will include some essential elements, but some practices will not be appropriate in all situations: designing a farm-specific IPM program requires flexibility.

The Massachusetts IPM Guidelines are a list of best management practices, developed cooperatively by growers, university faculty and extension specialists, and private IPM consultants. Additional input was solicited from commodity associations and participants in IPM verification programs and IPM courses. Practices have been evaluated for their practicality and assigned points based on their importance to IPM and/or their difficulty. The guidelines for most crops have been tested and adjusted through the USDA Farm Service Agency ICM cost-share program and through the Partners with Nature program. While these guidelines represent the best management options currently available, they will evolve as new IPM technologies are developed.

IPM Guidelines can be used in a number of ways: 1.) As a checklist for farmers to evaluate their on-farm pest management programs and identify areas where management can be improved; 2.) To verify and document that IPM is practiced on the farm; 3.) As an educational tool which describes the scope and complexity of IPM to farmers, government officials, community groups and the general public.

Definitions
The followings terms are used in calculating points in the IPM guidelines:

Category or Grand Total Practice Points
Refers to the sum of all possible practice points described within a category or individual crop guideline. For example, if a grower used every practice in the guideline, all points would apply.

Adjusted Category or Grand Total Practice Points
Refers to the sum of all practice points appropriate for the crop, within a category or guideline. Because some practices may not apply to the site being assessed, the points associated with that practice may be deducted from the Total Practice Points. Such practices are marked with an asterisk (*) within each guideline.

Bonus Points
Refers to points associated with practices which are of potential value to an IPM system, and are worthy of trial, but are experimental or require exceptional effort. Point values associated with these practices do not contribute to the Total Practice Points but, if the practice is completed, the points are added when calculating Grand Total Practice Points. Bonus points are labeled as such within the guidelines.

Strawberry

by Sonia G. Schloemann, A. Richard Bonanno, Daniel R. Cooley,
and Craig S. Hollingsworth

1. Fertilizer use is based on leaf tissue analysis and soil tests. 5 pts
2. Fields have been evaluated with an appropriate soil test for nutrient status and pH
   for the current year. 5 pts
3. Nitrogen application is primarily at renovation and in September in order to
   avoid excessive spring foliage growth which can increase disease development
   (esp. Botrytis Gray Mold). 5 pts
4. Land that was planted to strawberries in the previous year, but where the planting
   was terminated, is now in a planned rotation out of strawberries for 1-5 years.
   (2 points per year.) 2-10 pts
5. The crop rotation plan practiced includes at least one year of a non-solanaceous,
   non-rosaceous cash and/or cover crop. 2 pts
6. Cover crops are used in the rotation plan and are selected for specific properties
   (e.g., marigolds for suppressing nematodes, sudangrass for suppressing weeds
   and/or adding organic matter). 2 pts
7. Strawberries are mulched with weed-free, biodegradable mulch (e.g, straw) for
   winter protection. 10 pts
8. A weed-free biodegradable mulch layer is maintained within the row and between
   rows in bearing beds from early spring until renovation, to suppress weeds and
   prevent splashing of water from rain or irrigation. 10 pts
9. The planting pattern is in the form of a narrow matted or ribbon row in order to
   optimize air circulation. Thus, the canopy width when fully grown does not exceed
   2 ft. and rows are spaced to allow for at least 2 ft. of open space between fully
   grown row canopies. 15 pts
10. At bed renovation, leaves are mowed and incorporated into the soil to reduce
    disease inoculum. 5 pts
11. 11. A water use plan is used which minimizes disease development, optimizes water use
    efficiency, and minimizes erosion and run-off. 10 pts

Category Total 79 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. Insecticide/fungicide sprayer is calibrated before the start of the season. *10 pts
2. Herbicide sprayer is calibrated before the start of the season. *10 pts
3. Sprayers are recalibrated at least once during the season. *5 pts
4. Spray records are maintained and organized. *5 pts

Category Total 30 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. Disease problems are accurately identified and management strategies tailored to actual
   diseases present in the field in current season (i.e., not as prophylaxis unless history
   of the problem is well known). 10 pts
2. Detailed records (including maps, if appropriate) are kept to document field history
   of diseases, weather information, and management strategies used and the results.
   Varietal differences are noted. 2 pts
3. Disease resistant cultivars are chosen, if appropriate, when planting new sites. *5 pts
4. Strawberry plantings are made on raised beds to optimize water and air drainage,
   where appropriate. *5 pts
5. Fungicides are applied for gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) up to 3 times during bloom
   starting at 10% bloom, according to weather conditions and related disease pressure. 10 pts
6. If environmental conditions are not favorable for fruit rot development, no
   fungicide is applied after bloom. 10 pts
7. Fungicides are chosen in combinations that discourage disease resistance development. 15 pts

Category Total 57 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. Insect problems are accurately identified and management strategies tailored to
   actual insect pests present in the field in current season. 10 pts
2. Detailed records (including maps, if appropriate) are kept to document field history
   of insect pests, management strategies used and the results. Varietal differences
   are noted. 2 pts
3. Insecticides are not sprayed when bees are active during bloom. 5 pts
4. Tarnished plant bug adults are monitored weekly by using white sticky traps starting
   mid-April and continuing until 10% bloom. 5 pts
5. Tarnished plant bug nymphs are monitored weekly using flower truss counts
   starting at 10% bloom and continuing until harvest begins. Control measures are
   not taken until the action threshold of either 0.25 nymphs per truss or 10%
   infested trusses is exceeded. 15 pts
6. Strawberry bud weevils (clipper) are monitored weekly by examining bud clusters
   in border rows for clipped buds starting pre-bloom and continuing until 50% bloom.
   Control measures are not taken until the action threshold of 1 clipped bud per 2 ft.
   of row is exceeded. 10 pts
7. Sprays are limited to border rows where possible. *5 pts
8. Twospotted spider mites (TSSM) are monitored weekly until harvest (bi-monthly
   after renovation) by systematically examining at least 50 mid-tier leaves and
   determining presence or absence of TSSM on those leaves. Control measures are
   not taken until:
   • 25% of leaves sampled show presence of TSSM but no predator mites
     are found. OR
   • 30% of leaves sampled show presence of TSSM and some predators
     mites are found. 10 pts
9. Twospotted spider mites are controlled using releases of predator mites. *5 pts
10. Pesticides used for controlling other insects and diseases are selected to avoid those
    which are toxic to mite predators. 5 pts
11. Scouting records are organized and maintained from year to year. 5 pts

Category Total 77 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. A weed survey is conducted to systematically identify weed pressure in each field.
   Herbicide rate, selection and spot spraying are based on the results of the
   weed survey. 15 pts
2. Herbicides of the same class are not applied in succeeding years in order to avoid
   herbicide resistance development. *5 pts
3. Cultivation and hand weeding are used to control weeds. 10 pts
4. Plant growth around the field border is controlled (e.g., by mowing or cultivation)
   to reduce weed seed movement into the field, improve air circulation, and eliminate
   refuge for insect pests. 10 pts

Category Total 40 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

1. Manager attends one or more state/regional/national berry management workshops
   or conferences. 5 pts
2. Manager is a current member of the New England Vegetable and Berry Growers
   Association. 5 pts
3. Manager has a current year's copy of NE Small Fruit Pest Management Guide. 5 pts

Category Total 15 pts
Adjusted Total ______ pts

Grand Total 298 pts
Adjusted Grand Total ______ pts
Percentage of adjusted total %

Acknowledgment
The authors thank J. Kovach, Cornell Cooperative Extension, for his assistance.

Selected IPM Articles:
Education and Certification Report FY 1999
Education and Certification Report FY 2000
Adoption of IPM Systems
Sweet Corn IPM Adoption
IPM in Massachusetts Public Schools
Partners with Nature - History
IPM for Bedding Plants - 1996 Survey
Massachusetts IPM Guidelines
Introduction & Acknowledgements
Apple
Cole Crops
Cranberry
Pepper
Potato
Pumpkin & Squash
Strawberry
Sweetcorn
Field Tomato
Greenhouse Tomato
Highbush Blueberry
Pointsettia
Raspberry
Wine Grape