Winter Webinar
The Ontario Pest Management Conference is excited to announce our first winter webinar. Let's keep the IPM conversation going!
It's Raining Bugs! Benefits & Challenges of Deploying Pest Predators By Drone
Growers are increasingly using releases of commercially-reared natural enemies for pest control, especially in organic crop systems. One limitation of this technique is the labor required to ensure that the natural enemy is applied with even and adequate coverage throughout the crop, especially in large-acre unprotected cropping systems. In Washington State, USA, organic apple orchardists are beginning to use drone applications to address this issue. However, there are concerns about the survival and target-site delivery of the (often expensive) natural enemy when applied by drone. This presentation will summarize current research efforts and best practice recommendations for adapting drone releases of pest predators to orchard systems.
Dr. Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris
Research Entomologist
US Department of Agriculture
Dr. Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris is a Research Entomologist with US Department of Agriculture - Agriculture Research Services in Wapato, Washington USA. Her research program focuses on the biological control of pest arthropods in tree fruit by their predators and parasitoids. This includes studies on best practices for augmenting natural enemies, pesticide non-target effects, and using landscape manipulation and supplementary foods to enhance populations. Rebecca has served in multiple leadership roles with the Entomological Society of America, such as President of the Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section, member of the Pacific Branch Executive Committee, and is currently Editor-in-Chief of American Entomologist. She is a Service to America medal finalist and a former recipient of the ARS Pacific West Area Early Career Research Scientist of the Year Award, and ESA’s Early Career awards in Research and Extension, and Comstock Award.