Neonicotinoids are a highly effective group of pesticides, but there is concern over their impact on pollinators.
If environmental horticulture growers want to avoid using neonicotinoids on the plants pollinators use, they need information on which products are effective in managing pests, as well as which products minimize harmful impacts on the environment. Our team is therefore gathering the available data on the effectiveness of various non-neonicotinoid pesticides to share with growers.
Given the myriad of pest species that growers can encounter in their daily operations, as well as the myriad of products available to try to manage them, we decided to focus on products targeting the most common groups of greenhouse pests. Those pest group are: aphids, fungus gnats, mealybugs, mites, thrips, whiteflies.
For each type of pest, our researchers are now gathering data on the pesticides available to manage them, the effectiveness of these pesticides, and what is known about their environmental effects. This information will be compiled into tables and shared on this site.
Researchers: Drs. James Bethke, JC Chong, Dave Smitley, Cristi Palmer, and Dan Gilrein
States: CA, MI, NJ, NY, SC