In a recent discussion on pest management challenges, Eric Morgan, VP of Environmental Science and Resources at Braga Fresh, shed light on the evolving landscape of crop protection strategies. Morgan emphasized the impact of conventional pest control methods on beneficial insects, stating, “In both our conventional and organic system, if we use a Spinosid-based product, we’re hammering adult beneficial insects.” In a surprising development, Morgan said they achieved impressive results by adopting organic practices in conventional brassicas, revealing a need to rethink traditional approaches.
“We had to move organic processes into our conventional to get the crop this year, which is shocking that that’s where we’re at. That we don’t actually have the tools that we need to be able to do it on the conventional side,” Morgan explained. “And that should be telling.”
Many pest management challenges that growers are facing do not have adequate tools available to address the issue. “The pipeline of chemistry, novel chemistry, synthetic chemistry that we’ve had open for the last 50 years is relatively closed at this point,” said Morgan. That emphasizes the need to find alternative pathways for achieving good yields. A focus on biologicals holds promise as a potential solution. However, those options are still limited. “We have a lot of products and we’re really not seeing the efficacy yet that we need to see,” Morgan explained.
Shifting guidelines for materials such as pyrethroids and neonicotinoids will also raise further questions. “Your options outside of neonicotinoids, how long is that chemistry actually going to last if you’re not rotating out to something else?” Morgan asked. The Sustainable Pest Management Roadmap for California puts forth ambitious goals for the state to meet by 2050. In addressing the future, Morgan advocated for a shift towards understanding soil and plant health, emphasizing the role of a healthy plant in naturally resisting insects and diseases.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West