While integrated pest management (IPM) is internationally accepted as the best approach to prevent new insects and diseases moving into vegetable crops, too few experts or resources exist to initiate specific IPM projects for all vegetables.

NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) technical specialist, Dr Sandra McDougall, has recently completed a 12 month project funded by Horticulture Australia and AUSVEG to critically analyse IPM research in field vegetables and 10 selected nonvegetable crops.

The crops targeted included beetroot, beans, carrots, capsicum, celery, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, pumpkin, sweet potato and zucchini.

“Given that many pests and diseases affect a range of crops, the lessons learnt from IPM research can be useful to growers of particular crops,” Dr McDougall said.

Field Identification guides are important tools to assist growers and their advisors in deciding what pests or diseases they may have.

Identification guides for common crops in NSW, greenhouse vegetables and lettuce, for example, are available from the DPI bookshop on 1800 028 374.

Contact Dr Sandra McDougall, Yanco, (02) 6951 2728, sandra.mcdougall@dpi.nsw.gov.au for information about the final report.