April 2024 - 6

PLANT HEALTH
INVESTING
plant health
IN
YOUR
The hardiness of your plants is good for
your bottom line
I
n its simplest terms, integrated pest management
(IPM) is a decision-making process that combines
tools and strategies to identify and manage pests.
Integrated plant health management (IPHM) takes things
a step further, emphasizing a more holistic approach that
includes plant nutrition and other methods that promote
plant tolerance of abiotic (environmental) and biotic (pests
and diseases) stresses as a first line of defense.
Done well, the plant then becomes an active player in your
IPHM strategy and creates a system in which biologicals will
perform even better.
PLANT NUTRITION IN IPHM
Crop performance is significantly compromised when
plants are unhealthy or stressed - they are also more
susceptible to pests and diseases. Over fertilization and over
watering are very common causes of stress and poor health.
High nitrogen fertilization is linked to high pest populations,
just as wet conditions are linked to
more foliar and root disease issues.
Since even the most advanced
production systems have some
compromises for variables, there is
always risk on a particular day with
any specific plant. One example is the
challenge of having adequate calcium
in rapidly forming tissue.
Greenhouse lettuce is managed
well with the controlled environment
systems available today. There are
risks when transpiration rates drift
outside the model target values that
require foliar calcium supplementation
to prevent deficiency.
Calcium supplements have also
been shown to deter pathogens like
Botrytis. Calcium is an essential
element in cell wall development and
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APRIL 2024 GPNMAG.COM
deficiencies can lead to necrosis or weak cell structures
along leaf or petal margins. These are primary sites of
infection for Botrytis, so increasing availability of calcium
during key phases of plant development produces plants that
are inherently more tolerant to the disease.
The prediction of stress events and pest pressure in crops
is critical for keeping yield loss low and plants healthy.
Anticipation of crop stress and pest risks, then taking proactive
measures to mitigate their impact, leads to higher profits.
BIOLOGICALS
Investing in a plant health strategy provides more
dividends than just focusing upon pest management.
Such approaches take advantage of the benefits that
biostimulants can confer on plants and enable more effective
use of biological control products. There are economic
advantages of nutrient supplements and biostimulants in all
crops and production systems.
Biologicals bring a lot of value to
greenhouse production systems.
Good efficacy requires use of good
application techniques, and the best
results are obtained when used within
a production program based on sound
cultural management practices. They are
functional, versatile and effective pest and
disease management tools that fit well
into IPHM and resistance management
programs, and those based on living
microbes can deliver additional benefits
that improve plant performance.
Leaf tip burn on greenhouse-grown lettuce
due to calcium deficiency and subsequent
Botrytis infection. Photo courtesy of Edgar
Godoy, BioWorks.
Mark Freeman is biological program manager
of applied technology; Michael Brownbridge,
Ph.D., is biological program manager
of disease control; and Julie Graesch is
biological program manager of insect control
for BioWorks.
BY MARK FREEMAN,
MICHAEL BROWNBRIDGE
AND JULIE GRAESCH
http://www.GPNMAG.COM
April 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2024
