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Strawberry
Year-Round IPM Program
(Reviewed 6/08, updated 6/08)
These practices are recommended for a monitoring-based IPM
program that reduces air and water quality problems related
to pesticide use. Links take you to information on how to monitor,
forms to use, and management practices.
Track your progress through the year with the annual
checklist form.
Water quality becomes impaired when pesticides move off-site
and into water. Air quality becomes impaired when
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) move into the atmosphere. Each
time a pesticide application is considered, review the Pesticide
Application Checklist at
the bottom of this page for information on how to minimize air
and water quality problems.
Note: This program covers the major pests of strawberry fruit-production
fields in California. Pest management activities for strawberry
nurseries are discussed only as they impact pest problems in
the field. Information on additional pests is included
in the Strawberry Pest Management Guideline.
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Special issues of concern related to water quality: Soil
fumigation, fertilizer application, and runoff. |
| What should you be doing during this time? |
Make arrangements with the nursery to
obtain transplants of
the desired
cultivar and certification
level. |
Survey
previous crop and adjacent areas for:
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Review the cropping
history of the field. |
| Analyze soil for nutrients and salts;
consider an application of slow-release fertilizer. |
| Consider analyzing irrigation water for salinity
and nitrogen content. |
Consider soil treatments for soilborne
pests and weeds.
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Prepare the
field by making sure it is
properly
graded with good drainage. |
| Shape beds to minimize water retention on
bed tops. |
Consider visiting the transplant
nursery in the last month of the
propagation cycle (before it gets cold) to evaluate nursery
fields for:
- Spider mites
- Cyclamen mite
- Anthracnose
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- Angular leaf spot
- Botrytis
- Powdery mildew
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- Uniformity in planting, indicating possible disease
or plant quality issues
- Pesticide usage
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| Apply** herbicides, if needed, before applying
mulch. |
Apply plastic
mulch appropriate
to your needs for:
- Weed control
- Managing soil temperature
- Controlling plant size
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Special
issues of concern related to water quality: Fertilizer
application, fungicide treatments, and runoff. |
| What should you be doing during this time? |
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Inspect transplants for gray mold, uniformity, quality,
and proper root length. Follow proper
procedures for placement
of strawberry transplants. |
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Consider fungicide** dips and/or water wash to reduce
fungal diseases.
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Consider monitoring salinity of irrigation water. |
| Irrigate as needed. |
Apply fertilizer at planting if preplant application
was not made. |
Confirm correct planting depth of transplants. |
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Special issues of concern
related to water quality: Fertilizer application, insecticide
application, fungicide application, drift, and runoff. |
| What should you be doing during this time? |
Monitor for
spider mites and caterpillars.
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Confirm correct
planting, note any need
for replanting. |
Look for insects
and mites, flag locations with problems:
- Aphids
- Cyclamen mite
- Whiteflies
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Look for diseases,
flag locations with problems:
- Angular leaf spot
- Anthracnose
- Common leaf spot
- Leaf blotch
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- Phytophthora crown and root rot
- Powdery mildew
- Red stele root rot
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Look for vertebrates,
flag locations with problems:
- Deer
- Ground squirrels
- Moles
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Survey
for weed emergence.
- Apply** preemergent herbicide as needed according to PMGs.
- Handweed as needed.
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| Remove runners in summer plantings as needed. |
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Consider monitoring salinity of irrigation water. |
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Monitor soil moisture and irrigate as needed. |
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Apply fertilizer as needed. |
Flowering to first
harvest |
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Special issues of concern related to water quality: Insecticide
application, fungicide application, drift, runoff due
to irrigation. |
| What should you be doing during this time? |
Monitor for spider
mites and caterpillars.
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Monitor lygus bug in Central Coast plantings and Southern
California summer plantings. |
Treat** diseases as
needed according to PMGs:
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Look for Insects
and mites, flag locations with problems:
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Look for diseases,
flag locations with problems:
- Angular leaf spot
- Anthracnose
- Common leaf spot
- Leaf blotch
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- Phytophthora crown and root rot
- Red stele root rot
- Verticillium wilt
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Look for vertebrates, flag
locations with problems:
- Deer
- Ground squirrels
- Moles
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| Survey for weed emergence;
manage as needed according to PMGs. |
Consider monitoring salinity of irrigation water. |
Monitor soil moisture and irrigate as needed. |
Apply fertilizer as needed. |
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Special issues of concern
related to water quality: Fertilizer application, insecticide
application, fungicide application, drift, and runoff. |
| What should you be doing during this time? |
Monitor weekly for lygus bug. |
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Monitor for spider mites and
caterpillars.
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Treat** diseases as
needed according to PMGs:
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Look for Insects
and mites, flag locations with problems:
- Aphids
- Cyclamen mite
- Thrips
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Look for diseases,
flag locations with problems:
- Angular leaf spot
- Anthracnose
- Common leaf spot
- Leaf blotch
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- Phytophthora crown rot
- Red stele root rot
- Verticillium wilt
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Look for vertebrates, flag
locations with problems:
- Deer
- Ground squirrels
- Moles
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Survey for weed emergence;
manage as needed according to PMGs. |
| Look for dead and senescing leaves and consider pruning
them. |
| Remove and discard decayed fruit and fruit with water damage. |
| Look for bird damage on fruit, especially in locations
with a history of bird presence. |
| Consider monitoring salinity of irrigation water. |
| Monitor soil moisture and irrigate as needed. |
| Apply fertilizer as needed. |
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Special issues of concern
related to water quality: Soil erosion and runoff. |
| What should you be doing
during this time? |
Consider rotation
crops for reducing
pest problems and improving soil structure, organic matter,
and water penetration. |
Consider a cover crop to reduce runoff and erosion. |
Thoroughly work-in crop residue immediately after harvest,
allowing it to completely decompose
before the next strawberry crop. |
Analyze field records for pest problems.
Note yield differences based on
management strategies to plan a management program for the
next strawberry crop.
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**Pesticide application checklist |
When planning for possible pesticide applications
in an IPM program, review and complete this checklist to
consider practices that minimize environmental and efficacy
problems.
- Choose a pesticide from the UC IPM
Pest Management Guidelines for the target pest considering:
- Select an alternative chemical or
nonchemical treatment when risk is high.
- Choose sprayers and application
procedures that keep pesticides on target.
- Identify and take special care to
protect sensitive areas (for example, waterways or
riparian areas) surrounding your application site.
- Review and follow label for pesticide
handling, storage, and disposal guidelines.
- Check and follow restricted entry
intervals (REI) and preharvest intervals (PHI).
- After an application is made, record
application date, product used, rate, and location
of application. Follow up to confirm that treatment
was effective.
- Consider water
management practices that reduce pesticide movement off-site:
- Install an irrigation recirculation
or storage and reuse system.
- Use drip rather than sprinkler
or flood irrigation.
- Limit irrigation to amount required
using soil moisture monitoring and evapotranspiration
(ET).
- Consider vegetative
filter strips or ditches.
- Redesign inlets into tailwater
ditches to
reduce erosion. Ditches should not be lower than
furrows.
- Consider management practices
that reduce air quality problems.
- When possible, choose pesticides that
are not in emulsifiable concentrate (EC) form which
release volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs react
with sunlight to form ozone, a major air pollutant.
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