Page 12 - Griffin Gazette Issue 1 - 2021

CONTROLLING

Greenhouse Pests

By Erica Hernandez, GGSPro Tech Support Specialist
The battle for control of greenhouse pests is an ongoing and ferocious

one. Whether you grow lettuce, peppers, ornamental flowers, or cannabis
in the greenhouse, some insect will likely rear its head at some point in

the production cycle. Many growers turn to conventional pesticides to

treat as needed, but edible and cannabis growers face limitations from

regulations and market expectations when choosing pest treatments.

Choosing to incorporate biological control agents (BCAs) in a pest management schedule gives growers more tools to work
with, but also comes with its own set of challenges. Understanding BCA/spray compatibilities can be difficult; this article
outlines some important factors to consider.
Keep a good history of your sprays. When adding a BCA into your operation, you will want to know for certain what has
been applied to your crop for at least the last 8 weeks of production. Some pesticides stick around for surprisingly long
times; checking the label and understanding residuals are important parts of using pesticides. Safari, for example, when
applied as a drench or foliar spray provides long term residual control over a number of pest species, but can affect BCA
populations for up to two weeks after application. Mesurol 75-W, an effective thrips treatment, can affect BCAs for up to 14
weeks after initial application.

12 | GRIFFIN GAZETTE 2021