Securing Pollinator Health and Crop Protection: Communication and Adoption of Farm Management Techniques in Four Crops
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Securing Pollinator Health and Crop Protection: Communication and Adoption of Farm Management Techniques in Four Crops Prepared by Vicki Wojcik, Ph.D., Laurie Davies Adams, and Kelly Rourke, Pollinator Partnership Submitted February 15, 2014 – Revised November 12, 2014 Final report for USDA Contract Number: AG-32SB-P-13-0301 Page 1 of 72 Citing this report: Wojcik V, Adams L, and Rourke K. 2014. Securing Pollinator Health and Crop Protection: Communication and Adoption of Farm Management Techniques in Four Crops. Pollinator Partnership. pp 1 – 72: www.pollinator.org Page 2 of 72 Table of Contents Preface ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 7 Background .............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Protecting Crops and Pollinators in Agricultural Systems ....................................................................................... 10 Pollination and Agricultural Economies ................................................................................................................... 11 Pollinators and Pesticides ....................................................................................................................................... 12 Sub Lethal and Non-Adult Effects ........................................................................................................................... 13 Pesticide Exposure Pathways ................................................................................................................................. 14 Industry Acceptance of Best Management Practices .............................................................................................. 14 Research Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 16 Almonds ................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Production and Economics .................................................................................................................................. 19 Key Pollinators ..................................................................................................................................................... 19 Pests and Pesticides ............................................................................................................................................ 20 Available Information and Management Guidelines ............................................................................................ 20 Stakeholder Knowledge of Resources ................................................................................................................. 25 Catalogue of Pollinator Protection Mechanisms .................................................................................................. 27 Crop Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 33 Apples ...................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Production and Economics .................................................................................................................................. 34 Key Pollinators ..................................................................................................................................................... 34 Pests and Pesticides ............................................................................................................................................ 35 Available Information and Management Guidelines ............................................................................................ 35 Stakeholder Knowledge of Resources ................................................................................................................. 38 Catalogue of Pollinator Protection Mechanisms .................................................................................................. 39 Crop Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 43 Melons ..................................................................................................................................................................... 44 Production and Economics .................................................................................................................................. 44 Key Pollinators ..................................................................................................................................................... 44 Pests and Pesticides ............................................................................................................................................ 45 Available Information and Best Management Practices ...................................................................................... 45 Stakeholder Knowledge of BMPs ........................................................................................................................ 46 Catalogue of Pollinator Protection Mechanisms .................................................................................................. 47 Practices Commonly Employed ........................................................................................................................... 50 Crop Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 51 Corn ......................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Production and Economics .................................................................................................................................. 52 Page 3 of 72 Key Pollinators ..................................................................................................................................................... 52 Pests and Pesticides ............................................................................................................................................ 53 Available Information and Best Management Practices ...................................................................................... 53 Stakeholder Knowledge of Resources ................................................................................................................. 54 Catalogue of Pollinator Protection Mechanisms .................................................................................................. 55 Practices Developed and Recommended ........................................................................................................... 58 Crop Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 60 New EPA Labeling Guidelines ................................................................................................................................. 61 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................. 62 Gaps in Practice ...................................................................................................................................................... 63 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................... 64 References Cited: .................................................................................................................................................... 67 Conference and Meeting Details: ............................................................................................................................ 69 Project Contacts List: ............................................................................................................................................... 70 Appendix 1: Annotated List of General Pollinator Protection Resources ................................................................ 71 Page 4 of 72 Preface Pesticides are tools available to farmers as they manage injury from pests; pesticides are powerful chemicals to be used with cause and extraordinary care under the guidance of well-established management protocols, and on a crop-by-crop basis. Pollinators are critical partners in agriculture and in the ecosystem services that keep the majority of flowering plants healthy. Best management practices (BMPs) in the use of crop protection tools can be designed to work to safeguard both pollinators and crop production. The development and implementation of multi-benefit BMPs combine careful analysis and balanced