40� AMERICAN/WESTERN�FRUIT�GROWER�•�March 2007

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pEST�MANAGEMENT

Nature’s Own AnswerBiopesticide�technology�leads�the�charge��against�resistant�pests.

By�Brian�Kantz

UNDER the best circumstances, a grower can stand in his field on a nice warm day, just after

a generous morning rain, and practical-ly hear the sound of his crops growing. Under the worst circumstances, a grow-er can stand in that same field and prac-tically hear the sound of insects chewing away at his pride and his profits.

Traditional pesticide programs have served growers well over many years, and are expected to continue provid-ing solutions to problems in the future. However, as many growers understand, these programs provide only a partial solution to this fundamental challenge. The development of pesticide-resistant insect populations act as nature’s adap-tive response to synthetic pesticides. But more top growers are turning to

biopesticides, in conjunction with their ongoing use of traditional pesticides, as an effective means of managing resis-tance in their fields.

Gaining�The�Upper�HandWhen synthetic pesticides were

introduced in the 1940s, an array of highly effective chemicals cleared fields, greenhouses, and nurseries of destruc-tive pests. Crop yields soared. Not long after, however, nature began its coun-ter-attack. Resistant pest populations emerged to render once-dependable pesticides ineffective. As new pesti-cide products enter the market today, many with very specific pest activity, resistance management strategies are becoming an even more important part of an operation’s long-term profitability.

How serious is the problem? Between 1950 and 2000, the incidence of new

cases of arthropod pesticide resistance in the U.S. fluctuated between 50 and 150 new cases per year. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), at least 520 insects and mites, 150 plant diseases, and 113 weeds have now become resis-tant to pesticides meant to control them.

The�Biopesticide�SolutionLuckily, sound science is up to the

challenge. Today, most growers are rotating different combinations of tradi-tional chemicals, from different chemical classes, and saving their favorites for key times in the growing season when they are needed. Many growers also set

The Peskiest Pest

Industry reports say that some-where around 750 to 1000 pests — insects, weeds, and diseases — are now resistant to at least one pesticide. More alarming, there are at least 17 species of insects that are known to be resistant to all classes of insecticides. So, who’s the baddest of the bad? Some sug-gest it’s the whitefly.

The Q-biotype whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) gets a lot of press these days — and for good reason. This highly adaptive pest has demon-strated resistance to pyriproxyfen, buprofezin, imidacloprid, acet-amiprid, and thimethoxam.

“I’d say that 9 out of 10 growers know that the Q-biotype whitefly resistance problem exists, but about 7 out of 10 still hesitate to use any-thing but traditional chemicals,” says Randy Martin, Ph.D., Director of Product Development at BioWorks, Inc. of Fairport, NY. “We’re trying to introduce alternatives, including the use of biopesticides.”

continues on page 42

42� AMERICAN/WESTERN�FRUIT�GROWER�•�March 2007

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pEST�MANAGEMENT

aside refuge areas — small, untreated plots planted next to larger, treated areas — with the hope that pests susceptible to pesticides will migrate to the refuge. This ensures that the majority of the crop is unharmed by pests and that future generations of that pest will still be sus-ceptible to traditional pesticides.

Usage statistics indicate that more of today’s top growers have adopted what is arguably the most effective solution: incorporating biopesticides — naturally occurring or similar substances, micro-organisms, and biochemicals produced in nature — into their resistance man-agement programs.

“I think that the word is getting out that biopesticides are a highly effective way to fight resistance,” says Randy Martin, Ph.D., director of product devel-opment at BioWorks, Inc. of Fairport, NY. BioWorks is a member of the Biopesticide Industry Alliance (BPIA), an industry group representing companies in the burgeoning biopesticide market.

Biopesticides, also called “biologicals” or “biorationals,” can be used effectively either alone, in rotation, or in tank-mix combination with traditional pesticides for added resistance prevention. Unlike synthetic pesticides, which typically use specific biochemical pathways to kill their target pests, biopesticides typically attack pests using multiple modes of action that differ from traditional chemi-cals and makes them inherently less sus-ceptible to the occurrence of resistance.

“For us, it’s all about modes of action,” Martin explains. “Synthetic pesticides typically concentrate on one site — one protein, one gene. When a pest develops resistance to a certain chemistry, that chemical fails. Biopesticides typically affect several sites and include several modes of action. Even if one action were to fail, there’s another to back it up.”

Awareness�Is�GrowingWhile awareness about biopesticides

continues to grow, they are already mainstays in areas where insect pres-sure is extremely high. In some regions, nearly 100% of crops such as tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, grapes, or rice receive at least one application of a biopesticide per season as a standard treatment. Topping the list is the world’s best-known biopesticide, Bacillus thuringi-ensis (Bt). An effective control against lepidopterous pests, Bt has long been recognized as an important tool for managing resistance.

Mike Donaldson, president of Valent Biosciences and a founding member of BPIA, says more growers are beginning

to understand the value that biopes-ticides provide in a total pest control program. “Growers are finding that by using combinations of biorational and traditional products to control pests, they are not only increasing the produc-tivity of their crops, but doing it at an overall reduced cost in the long run,” Donaldson says. “In addition, they are maintaining a sustainable portfolio of products with multiple modes of action that can be used in future resistance management programs.” ●

This article was provided by Brian Kantz, a freelance writer based in Amherst, NY, on behalf of the Biopesticide Industy Alliance. E-mail questions or comments about this article to afg.edit@meistermedia.com.

Choose Your Management

Program

Whether a grower plies his trade in the orchard, vineyard, or nursery, resistance management is a hot-but-ton issue. While there’s no “one size fits all” solution to managing pests resistant to pesticides, three popular methods have met with success.

• Use an IPM strategy. By spot spraying and using synthetic pesticides only when absolutely necessary, pests will be exposed to less pesticide which will delay development of resistance. Of course, that still leaves the problem of pest pressure on the crop. That’s where the use of products such as biopesticides comes in. Used on their own or in rotation with tradi-tional chemistries, biopesticides can control populations in a sus-tainable program.

• Rotate products. Use a com-bination of pesticides, traditional and biological, from different pesticide classes. By employing a range of products that use different modes of action, you’re more likely to ensure that a resistant pest will not survive more than a few treatments in a row. When permitted by label instructions and the manufacturer’s recommenda-tion, growers may also consider using a tank mix of two or more materials with different modes of action.

• Plant refuge areas. Plant refuge areas within, adjacent to, or near the treated crop. As a general guideline for effectiveness, 20% of the crop should be in the refuge area (although EPA rules may stipulate different percentages for different crops and products).