03/21/08 WSPC providing free IPM supplies to growers

Farm and Ranch March 21, 2008 The Washington State Potato Commission has an ongoing commitment to help Washington's potato growers adopt and expand Integrated Pest Management, or IPM practices. In pursuit of that goal the Commission's Research Director Andy Jensen says a new program has been started this year offering growers free monitoring supplies for two major pests. Jensen: "One of those is beet leafhopper, which transmits purple top disease to potatoes. The other one is tuber worm, which is a moth/caterpillar that can cause severe damage to potato tubers." Jensen says all interested growers need to do is contact him at the Potato Commission. Jensen: "And I will get them set up with whatever traps they need for the number of fields they have. We are offering the beet leafhopper traps in the spring. Springtime is the time to trap beet leafhoppers. We suggest two traps per field. And I can get people set up with their traps and a magnifying glass to help them identify their leafhoppers. Tuber worm is most important to monitor in late summer so I am suggesting people contact me in the summertime and I will get them set up with the right traps and materials they need for tuber worm trapping in the summertime." Jensen can be reached at the Potato Commission office in Moses Lake at 509-765-8845. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.