Integrated Pest Management
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a sustainable approach to managing pests. IPM practitioners base decisions on information that is collected systematically as they integrate economic, environmental, and social goals. IPM applies to any situation, agricultural or urban, and is flexible enough to accommodate the changing demands of agriculture, commerce, and society. As both a major landscaper and groundskeeper, and home to tremendous technical expertise on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Cooperative Extension, UConn is committed to utilize its resources to improving IPM practices
IPM emphasizes the integration of many pest suppression technologies:
- Biological control--beneficial organisms that manage pests.
- Cultural control--crop rotation, sanitation, and other practices that reduce pest problems.
- Mechanical and physical controls--for example, traps, cultivation, and temperature modification.
- Chemical control--judicious use of pesticides and other chemicals.
- Genetic control (host plant resistance)--traditional selective breeding and new biotechnology that produce pest-resistant crops.
- Regulatory control--state and federal regulations that prevent the spread of pest organisms
The above information courtesy of the UConn IPM Program, a joint venture of the University's Department of Plant Science and the Cooperative Extension System.
Recent News
In the spring semester 2006, UConn Landscape and Building Services has decided to test drive a new fertilizer blend for its annual spring fertilizer application on the great lawn. The new fertilizer being used is a 50% organic blend. The Landscape and Building Services, in accordance with its goals to utilize more organic products in its maintenance practices, will be monitoring the progress of the great lawn in response to this fertilizer application. If the results are strong, they hope to integrate the new organic blend into its regular campus-wide maintenance practices and guidelines.
Product Profile
The new fertilizer is a 15-3-7 blend by Lesco Professional Turf Fertilizer. It is a Poly Plus Sulfur-coated urea, with benefits including a 16 weeks extended controlled release period, resists leaching and volitization, and minimal burn and surge growth. Potential negative aspects may include reduced efficacy of fertilizer and too many application periods depending on conditions.
A review of the application will follow in the summer months. The success of this application will determine the future utilization of this product by UConn's Landscape and Building Services.
For more information on this initiative, please contact the UConn IPM Program
2005 - 2006 Workgroup
| Name |
Department |
| Chet Arnold |
Cooperative Extension Services |
| Donna Ellis |
Plant Science Department |
| Serena Epstein |
Plant Science Undergrad. Student |
| Mark Landeck |
Division of Athletics |
| Ana Legrand |
Plant Science |
| Dave Lotreck |
Facilities Operations /Grounds Maintanence |
| Hilary McManus |
EEB Grad. Student |
| Rich Miller |
Office of Environmental Policy, Director |
| Paul Muhlberg |
Trugreen Corporation |
| Kyle Noonan* |
OEP Intern; Economics Undergrad.(*01/05-08/05) |
| Stephen Olsen |
Plant Science Department |
| Jim Pietrzak |
Architectural & Engineering Services |
| Steve Rackliffe |
Plant Science Department |
| Meghan Ruta* |
OEP Staff (*1/05-8/05); Env.l Science Program Asst |
| Carl Salsedo |
Cooperative Extension Services Professor |
| Kurt Schwenk |
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department |
| Mark Westa |
Plant Science Department |
| Vaughn Williams |
Division of Athletics |
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