IPM Success Stories:
Research and Outreach for Environmental, Human Health, and Economic Benefits

Since 2000, the Northeastern IPM Center has fostered the development and adoption of integrated pest management, disbursing more than 190 grants (totaling nearly $6.4 million) for projects that focus on important pest problems and provide economic, environmental, and human health benefits to our region. Read on to learn about the real-world outcomes of projects we've supported, and about the work of our partners nationwide.

Agriculture

Growers PIPE Up for High-Tech Tools: Penn State Adapts Early Warning System for Key Pests, New Crops. Pest forecasting models are a powerful tool, but high-tech early-warning systems require significant investment and expertise. To save costs, PA IPM researchers have adapted an existing online system. (2010)

New Tomato Hybrids on the Way: Seed Companies Put IPM Researchers’ Findings to Use. In 2010, growers will have access to new tomato varieties that resist some of the most threatening tomato diseases and can be grown in ways that are gentler to the environment. (2009)

Guardians of the Greenhouse: Plants Trap Pests and Shelter Beneficial Insects. Guardian Plants pull pests away from the crops and sustain beneficial insects that control the pests. Funds from the Northeastern IPM Center are being used to develop strategies for using Guardian Plants to manage greenhouse pests with little or no pesticide. (2010)

Thriving on IPM: Fresh Ideas and Strong Relationships Keep This Farm Vibrant. Family farmer Don Dzen is convinced that expanding his use of IPM was a smart decision: "Each year there's been something that paid for itself, something we were missing before." (2010)

Advancing on Apple Pests. Researchers, educators, consultants, and growers are working to synthesize current knowledge and create an advanced IPM system that could enhance profits and sustainability. (2010)

Resistance Is Futile...or At Least Diminished, Thanks to Reduced-Area Treatments on Potatoes. Entomologist Andrei Alyokhin led a team of researchers who reduced the amount of imidocloprid used on potato crops, treating only selected areas on the perimeter of the field. (2008)

Seed Treatment Gives Tomatoes a Fresh Start. Five years ago, bacterial canker was a growing threat to New Jersey's $28 million fresh market tomato industry. IPM researchers have introduced growers to a seed heat treatment that eliminates seed as the primary source. (2010)

NRCS and IPM Working Together. IPM specialists across the country have partnered with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service to promote practices that minimize environmental impacts and improve crop yield and pest control.

Landscapes, Turf, and Ornamentals

Smarter Lawn Care, Cleaner Water. The Green-Blue Grants Program disbursed $12,500 to promote clean water through residential IPM. Nearly 1,000 homeowners and lawn care professionals in six states received direct training through this program. (2009)

Living the Green Dream: Northeastern Golf Courses Put IPM to Work. Turf managers need strategies to comply with new mandates, lessen environmental impacts, and continue to attract players in a competitive industry. The Northeastern IPM Center has funded several projects to help them meet these challenges. (2009)

In Hot Water: Portable Immersion System Thwarts Pests of Ornamental Plants. In the $10 billion U.S. nursery industry, getting stock plant cuttings off to a pest-free start can prevent costly infestations and pesticide treatments later. (2008)

Pollinators

The Honey Bee Puzzle: IPM Experts Look for Ways to Keep Colonies Healthy. In 2006, managed honey bee colonies began to disappear in large numbers without known reason. IPM experts are looking for ways to keep colonies healthy. (2008)

Public Health

Nervous Ticks: IPM Sets a Bleak Scene for Lyme Disease Carriers. The threat of Lyme disease has added a note of caution to outdoor activities in recent years. The Northeastern IPM Center funds research on ways to control ticks to protect human health while reducing the use of pesticides. (2010)

Invasive Species

Beetles v. Purple Loosestrife: Can These Natural Enemies Slow the Invasion? IPM programs in the Northeast have enlisted the help of two beetle species to slow the spread of purple loosestrife, and they find that these insects can significantly inhibit the weed's growth. (2010)

General

Regional IPM Centers Success Stories. Summaries of success stories throughout the country. (2008, 2010)