Cornell floriculture specialist wins IPM award

“In the greenhouse industry, pests don’t hold 9 to 5 jobs,” says Elizabeth Lamb, a greenhouse specialist with NYS IPM. “They don’t take holidays or weekends off. That’s why dealing with pests requires tactics that stay on the job 24/7.” 

 

With its focus on preventing pest problems before they take hold, Lamb says, IPM is the method of choice for many large growers  — and Catlin is the go-to person for bringing them the latest knowhow and techniques that help dramatically reduce pesticide use while keeping plants healthy and pest-free. 

 

At C.J. Van Bourgondien Greenhouses, with nearly four acres under glass, Catlin taught staff how to use biological controls: the parasites or predators that eat pests for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The results? Steeply reduced pesticide use and beautiful flowers. Now the Van Bourgondien’s have opened their greenhouses to neighboring operations for Catlin’s workshops and demos on biocontrols. 

 

IPM is working for Bianchi-Davis Greenhouses “because Nora helps us identify problems, then solve them,” says William Bianchi. “We’re grateful to Nora for doing such a good job of steering us in this direction.” 

 

Robert Anderson at Emerald Flora feels much the same. “We’re in the business of producing ornamental plants that have to look pretty,” Anderson says. “We’re constantly battling pests that aren’t just difficult to see, they’re nearly impossible for us to identify correctly.” Without Catlin, Anderson says, quality would suffer and costs such as pesticides would be higher. Now Emerald Flora is ready to take IPM to the next level — learning how biological controls can manage pests.

 

Catlin brings IPM expertise to some of the largest operations in the Northeast, Lamb says. “Whether it’s bugs, pathogens, or production techniques that inadvertently create inviting places for pests to call home, Catlin is there with solutions.”

 

Learn more about IPM at nysipm.cornell.edu.