PMSP for the Michigan Asparagus Industry

Priorities

Category Rank Pest Type Pest Crop Stage Priority
Extension/Outreach 1 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Continue Integrated Pest Management (IPM) education and on-farm demonstration plots.
Extension/Outreach 2 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Educate and provide technical support to growers and consultants as new materials and management strategies are developed.
Extension/Outreach 3 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot As information becomes available, educate growers on economic thresholds for foliar diseases and insect damage.
Extension/Outreach 4 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Educate consumers on recent strides in integrated pest management and production practice
Regulatory 1 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban), carbaryl (Sevin), and chlorothalonil (Bravo) are critical for pest management and their use must be retained until safe, cost-effective alternatives become available.
Regulatory 2 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Expedite registration of new pest control alternatives once they are shown to be safe and effective.
Research 1 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Identify effective reduced-risk pesticides and/or biocontrol alternatives to pest management products critical to asparagus production (i.e. chlorpyrifos (Lorsban), carbaryl (Sevin), and chlorothalonil (Bravo)).
Research 2 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Develop management strategies for Fusarium crown and root rot based on the biology of the pathogen, influence of the environment and interaction with insect vectors.
Research 3 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Determine economic thresholds for the foliar diseases rust and purple spot and develop disease management strategies including disease forecasting systems.
Research 4 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Identify and develop new marketing strategies and value-added products.
Research 5 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Determine economic thresholds for fern damage caused by onion thrips, asparagus miner, and beetles.
Research 6 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Identify effective reduced-risk herbicides and develop alternative weed control methods including management of weeds in nursery beds.
Research 7 All 6- to 12-Inch Shoot Identify asparagus varieties suitable for Michigan that are resistant to plant diseases and insects.