New website on managing insect pests

Photo by Lynn Ketchum

Spotted wing drosophila is studied at OSU's Mid-Columbia Agricultural Research Center.

The latest research-based guidelines for managing insect pests, plant diseases and weeds in the Pacific Northwest are available through three newly updated, comprehensive guides, which were developed by the Extension Services of Oregon State University, the University of Idaho and Washington State University.

New in 2013

The PNW Insect Management Handbook features a revamped companion website that's designed for easy viewing on all screen sizes – from desktop computers to tablets to smart phones. Most webpages on the site include photos and links to related content. Website users can print fact sheets on individual pests and share them on social media. Timely alerts, such as information about new pests or regulations, will be posted as needed throughout the year.  

All three 2013 Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks are available online at no charge or in print for $60 each. To order, visit the OSU Extension Catalog or call OSU Extension and Experiment Station Communications at 800-561-6719.

PNW Insect Management Handbook

The insect handbook contains the most current information on pests in the Pacific Northwest. It explains the biology, life cycles and management options for insects affecting hundreds of species of crops and livestock. Also included is information geared toward landscape and home situations.

More than 50 contributors revise the insect guide to address the latest information on insecticide registrations, formulations and use restrictions. It includes organic and conventional pesticide options and separate chemical recommendations for commercial and home use. The handbook also includes biological and cultural management recommendations.

Craig Hollingsworth, an entomologist with the University of Massachusetts, serves as the handbook's lead editor. Joe DeFrancesco, a small fruits expert with OSU Extension, serves as one of five section editors.

PNW Plant Disease Management Handbook

The plant disease handbook is a reference for important plant diseases in the Pacific Northwest. Thirty new sections were recently added and another 45 sections rewritten, said co-editor Jay Pscheidt, plant pathologist for OSU Extension. Twelve new fungicides were also added. A new article, "Fluorine Toxicity in Plants," lists plants sensitive to fluoride toxicity. Cynthia Ocamb, plant pathologist for OSU Extension, also co-edited the guide.

General information on disease biology as well as cultural, biological and chemical control recommendations are summarized for each plant disease. The handbook is updated twice per year in the spring and fall to keep up with rapidly changing information about pesticide safety and regulations, said Pscheidt.

PNW Weed Management Handbook

The weed handbook is a reference guide to weed management for cropping systems throughout the Pacific Northwest. Twenty-eight contributors with extensive local knowledge and experience of crop production practices in the Pacific Northwest help update the guide every year, said senior editor Ed Peachey, weed specialist for the OSU Extension Service.  

The guide helps growers, producers and field representatives navigate the maze of pesticide labels and relevant information, while also highlighting non-chemical methods to deal with weeds, Peachey said. A section for gardeners is included.

The March 2013 revision included updates to many sections including Cereal Grain Crops;  Legumes;  Oilseed Crops;  Irrigated Field Crops;  Forestry;  Orchards and Vineyards;  Small Fruits;  Vegetable Crops;  Christmas Trees;  Turfgrasses;  Pasture and Rangeland.