Broad mites (and the damage they cause) have become more prominent in greenhouses (L), and Thrips (seen here through a macro lens) are among the most common, and most challenging, pests greenhouse growers face (R). | Janna Beckerman/Envu Environmental Sciences
Greenhouse Grower recently reached out to Janna Beckerman, Ph.D., Ornamentals Technical Specialist-Green Solutions Team at Envu Environmental Sciences, to learn more about how greenhouse growers are dealing with key insect pests and how the crop protection industry is evolving.
Brian Sparks: When you talk to growers, what are some of their biggest challenges when it comes to managing insects in the greenhouse?
Janna Beckerman: Dealing with pests in hanging baskets seems to be the biggest issue because it’s hard to scout them. They’re up high, so you can’t really see what’s going on. You have to keep bringing them down and rotating them, and that takes time. The scouting is difficult, particularly for pests like aphids, which are going to be on the underside of leaves, or even in your buds or little crevices. Trying to find the time to scout, especially with the chaos that spring brings, is challenging, and you need something that is systemic and lasts a long time, giving you one less thing to worry about.
This has been an important discussion point for us at Envu because we have many products that can be used as a drench, which really helps. We have Altus, which works well on aphids in early spring bedding plants, as well as mealybugs and whiteflies. We also have Kantos, which can be drenched as well, and by recently acquiring FMC, we’ve added Aria to our portfolio. So we have three products with three distinct modes of action to help manage pests, and all three of them can be used as drenches. By using it as a drench, you provide the time for the material to translocate throughout the plant. This is especially important for hanging baskets that might have plants with dense canopies where it’s hard to spray.
Sparks: When it comes to IPM, do you think growers are in a pretty good place, or do you think there’s still education that could be helpful?
Beckerman: I think there’s always education, but I also think growers are in an excellent place. It seems more growers are adopting IPM not just in name but in actuality. They are using products that are safer for the environment, safer for their employees, and safer for natural enemies. They are also using natural enemies, including biological controls. We know that nature pours a vacuum and there will always be problems, but the good news is growers have a wider variety of products than ever before to help manage these problems in a more targeted fashion, so there’s less collateral damage if you are using natural enemies. You have products that you can apply to take care of your pests that will minimize the impact on your natural enemies.
Sparks: When it comes to specific pests, have you seen anything that’s become a particular problem over the past couple of years or anything new that’s emerging?
Beckerman: The Thrips parvispinus came on the scene a few years ago, and thrips, in general, are difficult to manage. I would argue that we still don’t have a broad array of outstanding products. We have products that are good and that we use in rotation; we just don’t have enough of them. Because of the nature of thrips, I think growers have to accept that they need to be proactive and protect the plant’s entire life cycle and not wait until there’s a problem. By the time they see there’s a problem, it might be too late. They’ll have better results if they are proactive and use the products they have preventatively instead of waiting till they hit a threshold. With thrips, by the time you see that threshold, it’s probably much worse than what you’re actually observing.
Sparks: When you look to the coming year, are you seeing any trends that might drive how growers are tackling pests this year?
Beckerman: I am in awe of the number of growers who have adopted the use of biologicals and are thrilled with the results they’re getting. They’re using fewer pesticides and creating a more ecological and sustainable IPM system. The products this industry has available, whether you’re talking about our products or other companies’ products, all have excellent profiles against natural enemies. We no longer have to go into pest management with a scorched Earth policy. To me, that’s the most exciting thing. And while it may not be new to the entire industry, I do think adoption is increasing. You see it when you go to the biggest greenhouses in the country, as well as some of the smallest greenhouses. The conversation has changed, and we’re starting to be more aware that whatever we spray, there’s going to be consequences. How do I manage pests most effectively to produce the best crop with not necessarily the fewest applications of pesticides but the best applications of pesticides?
This is all important because, if you don’t use biologicals carefully, you could end up knocking out the very biologicals you’re using. I think that’s probably one of the most challenging things to growers is that we’re getting so much better at managing plants, but the consequences of that are more complicated and more nuanced.
It’s not just pests like Thrips parvispinus either. Last fall I saw a lot more issues with broad mites, and eriophyid mites seem to be an increasing problem later in the season kind of issue. I jokingly say every solution has a problem. But when you solve a problem, you may also create a vacuum that some insect or mite or disease will fill in.
Sparks: Are there any evolving pest control technologies that growers need to be watching for?
Beckerman: I think the industry is looking more at drone applications. But instead of flying overhead, they might work more like a Roomba vacuum by spraying things out instead of flying overhead. With any technology, there will be some trial and error, and some mistakes. Going back to the Roomba, when they first came out, they didn’t work very well. Now they’re becoming widely adopted, and they work really well. I think we’ll see a similar trajectory in our industry. There have been early adopters of unmanned application vehicles, and over time, thanks to those early adopters, we’ll see some better products down the road.
Sparks: What excites you the most about the future of this industry?
Beckerman: This is a very dynamic industry. You know, our company’s only been around for two years, and we just merged with another company, so it’s a very exciting time to be in this position. Beyond that, I think people are becoming more aware, particularly post-COVID, of the role that plants play in our mental health and our enjoyment. We’re recognizing the role plants play not just as food for our bodies, but food for our minds and food for our souls.
