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Funded Project

Funding Program: Enhancement Grants - State Contacts/IPM Documents

Project Title: Tennessee Pest Management Information Network - State Contact Project and IPM Documents

Project Directors (PDs): Darrell D Hensley [1] James P Parkman [2]

Lead State: TN Lead Organization: University of Tennessee

Undesignated Funding: $25,000

Start Date: Mar-01-2009 End Date: Feb-28-2010

Pests Involved: various

Site/Commodity: various

Area of Emphasis: SCP and IPM Documents

Summary: The University of Tennessee seeks funding for continued development and maintenance of a State Contact Project (SCP) and for development of IPM Documents for Tennessee. If funding is received, The University of Tennessee, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology will continue to assist the Southern Region Integrated Pest Management Center (SRIPMC) in maintaining a communication network that will enhance and facilitate the flow of resources and information in integrated pest management on a statewide basis as well as a regional basis. The University of Tennessee Entomology and Plant Pathology Department, Tennessee Pest Management Information Network (TPMIN) will serve as a primary resource for regulatory questions related to pest management and pesticide information in Tennessee. Responses to informational requests made through the SRIPMC will be forwarded to an online reporting system developed by the SRIPMC. The TPMIN will continue to maintain a stakeholder advisory group to aid in developing Tennessee's priorities. Information will be directed to stakeholders so they may provide input and aid this state project in developing state and regional priorities. The University's IPM Coordinator, Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) coordinator and IR-4 coordinator; industry representatives; grower groups and growers will be asked for their input in developing priorities for Tennessee. Developed priorities will be placed online for public access and a listing of stakeholders will be displayed within the project's developed web site. The State Contact Project will provide oversight of state-developed Crop Profiles, Pest Management Strategic Plans (PMSP) and other IPM documents. For 2009, two crop pest profiles have been identified as needing to be updated. These included; apple and peach production crop/pest profiles. The University of Tennessee Entomology and Plant Pathology Department will work closely with the SCP. Darrell Hensley will serve as the principal investigator of the SCP and he will aid in the development of state Crop Profiles and state PMSPs and will provide assistance with other IPM related documents and IPM Working Groups when feasible. The SCP will contribute to state and national programs by supplying information concerning pest management and pesticide usage. Information obtained through the SRIPMC will be distributed across the state in the form of newsletters, pest alerts and e-mailings. The University of Tennessee, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology may assist and coordinate efforts of other entities and/or teams in development of IPM documents that may potentially enhance the function, activities and processes of the SCP and facilitate the development of resources and information used in integrated pest management on a statewide basis and for regional use. The SCP will emphasize to others that any developed crop/pest profiles and PMSPs should conform to the Centers standards for content, format for distribution. IPM Documents developed by other entities and provided to the SCP may be forwarded to the Southern Region Integrated Pest Management Center (SRIPMC) to be placed on an online public accessible system. Occasionally, information concerning pests, outcomes and successes will be reported in annual reports and on the network's web site. Often information concerning crop acreage, yield, pest management practices utilized, pesticide use, biocontrol products, beneficial organisms, alternative pest control practices and other information may be contained within developed documents and may be displayed for web access. Funding is being requested for multiple projects which include a SCP and development of IPM documents. Objectives: STATE CONTACT PROJECT (SCP): 1) Informational contact: The Tennessee Pest Management Information Network housed at the University of Tennessee in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology will continue to serve as Tennessee's SCP or primary contact for regulatory questions related to pest management and pesticides. 2) Activities and documentation: The SCP will document activities related to pesticide and pest management inquires from entities other than the Center, USDA and EPA. 3) Communications and Networking: Darrell Hensley will be the principal investigator of Tennessee's Pest Management Information Network and serve as the State Contact Project (SCP) for the Southern Region IPM Center. The SCP will continue to facilitate the flow of critical pest management and pesticide information to proper entities through newsletters, e-mailings and critical pest alerts. The SCP will continue to cooperate with SRIPMC and other states in gathering and disseminating pest management related information. The SCP will inform and consult with state stakeholders of EPA's priorities and contact stakeholders for their input. The SCP will request state IPM coordinators, Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) coordinators, IR-4 representatives, 1890s university IPM program representatives, state department of agriculture and environmental conservation, county extension personnel and commodity groups to provide input in each state network. Individuals may be contacted via email, newsletters, direct phone contact or during annual advisory meetings. 4) Oversight: The SCP will provide coordination and oversight of IPM documents such as crop pest profiles and PMSPs developed within the state by assisting with development and providing guidance, if necessary. Crop profiles and PMSPs developed may include commodities either listed on EPA's priority list or noted as a priority by the state advisory committee. Developed crop profiles and/or PMSPs will follow guidelines as posted on the Southern Region Integrated Pest Management Center's web page. 5) Annual Assessment: An annual assessment prioritizing crop profiles and PMSPs for the state will be covered by this project. This assessment will require that stakeholders review currently developed crop profiles and PMSPs to determine if they are sufficiently up-to-date and which are needing updating The production of new documents and updating of existing documents will be prioritized by their need. This information will be available to the SRIPMC by November 1, 2009. 6) Informational resources: Information for purposes of direct contact for state resources such as IPM coordinator, area specialists, state specialists and researchers will be provided to the SRIPMC. 7) Web page development and Pest Alerts: The Entomology and Plant Pathology Department at the University of Tennessee will continue to maintain a project web site. This web site will be updated to clearly address regional priorities established by the Southern IPM Center. Other activities will be conducted by the SCP, such as posting IPM success stories and State IPM projects. The SCP will assist in maintaining and providing materials pertaining to pest management and pesticides for a departmental pest alert newsletter "What's Happening." The SCP will also assist the areas of entomology, plant pathology and weed science within the state by providing critical information concerning pest management related issues to industry and other institutions. 8) SRIPMC meeting participation: The SCP or representative from the University of Tennessee will attend an annual state contact meeting arranged by the Center. 9) Additional activities: The SCP will assist with other IPM related functions when feasible. Functions may include assistance with summer scouting training sessions, development of web based information concerning pest management. Continue assistance with research and teaching in the areas of pest management. IPM DOCUMENTS 1) Create / Update IPM Documents. The SCP will provided oversight for the development of state Crop Pest Profiles and/or other state developed IPM documents. Two production areas were suggested by the state advisory committee to be updated. These included Peach and Apple Crop / Pest Profiles. 2) Importance: Provide information to the SRIPMC concerning method of selection used to determine which IPM documents should be updating or need to be developed. Provide an avenue for state extension personnel so they may access the SRIPMC database. 3) Timely prioritization: Provide the SRIPMC with documentation of state priorities and listings of current IPM documents.

Final Report:

Impacts Information was provided via the state program to inform state specialists, county personnel, industry and growers of situations that commonly occurred within many of the production areas of Tennessee. Thirty articles were provided through our departmental newsletter Whats Happening informing program stakeholders of topics of specific interests. Information provided through this program may be used by stakeholders to improve crop production, pest control and/or reduce the need for conventional pesticide use. Information supplied in crop pest profiles, aids stakeholders by informing them of production practices which are currently used for pest management and occasionally informs them of other practices or alternatives that may be over looked. Information provided within IPM documents, provides information concerning alternative pest controls tactics, which often have less risk of harmful impacts on the environment, therefore reducing potential for pollution and/or adverse effects to non-target species. By providing the most up to date information of pest management practices, extension specialists and researchers may be better able to review tactics reported and develop newer less toxic methods of control of some of the commonly observed regional pests. Information obtained from stakeholders aids funding sources by providing information that identifies state needs and priorities. Having a listing of these priorities, allows researchers access to a referenced source, which helps them provide information to potential funding sources, who are willing to provide funding due to their knowledge of research needs, needed to conduct work in the reported areas. Funding allows researchers and/or specialists the ability to conduct pest specific projects which then provides data to help determine if tested methodologies provide adequate pest control within the region.

Outcomes During the funding cycle, seven informational requests were received through the SRIPMC and were forwarded to state extension specialists, researchers select county personnel and occasionally some state industries. However during the funding cycle, only three topics were responded to by state extension specialists and were forwarded to the SRIPMC. The responses received by the state information network included information concerning, dimethoate insecticide, endosulfan usage in sweet potato production and sulfentrazone, pronamide and tebuthiuron herbicides. Two crop/pest profiles (apples and peaches) were updated to help keep researchers, extension personnel, Industry, and growers informed of current pest management practices utilized within Tennessee. A state advisory committee was developed and this committee was polled to determine state priorities and needs within the region. Tennessees information network continued its efforts through communications to Tennessee State University representatives and representatives of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Interaction with state stakeholders helps identify critical pest management areas as well as promotes future working relationships in areas of pest management.

Outputs Tennessees Pest Management Information Network continued to keep and maintain a presence on the web by maintaining the programs website http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/Extension/TN-PMIN/TNPMIN.html. Thirty articles concerning various topics were included within our departmental newsletter http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/whats/whatshap.htm. This newsletter was made available via the internet, as well as emailed to University researchers, extension personnel, and selected industry representatives. Various articles and events, concerning pesticides and pest management were posted on the programs web site http://eppserver.ag.utk.edu/Extension/TN-PMIN/FYI/FYI.html. A Pest Management strategic Planning Workshop for Nursery Crops was held at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River, NC. This was arranged and made possible through funding obtained by one of Tennessees state extension specialists. Participants representing the woody plant ornamental industry from five southeastern states as well as the land grant university faculty charged with helping the nursery industry attended the workshop. Funding obtained through the SRIPMC helped pave the way for the region to develop a strategic pest management plan http://www.sripmc.org/pmsp/NurseLandscapeSouth.pdf. Tennessee also participated in the Southern Regions meeting held in Washington, DC. Representatives from the SRIPMC, with representatives from various states, the EPA and USDA, were able to discuss matters concerning the priorities and needs of the region. Several state informational requests were made to the state program by extension personnel concerning various topics (tobacco pesticide usage, Reglone a desiccant, Section 18 for canola, Asian soybean rust, Phytophthora ramorum, and discussions concerning the availability of funding through the SR to conduct enhancement grant projects. An updated list of state specialists and researchers including their respective related work areas was provided to the SRIPMC.

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