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Pest management experts release free online training videos

For those looking for a refresher on integrated pest management (IPM) strategies in floriculture crops, you’re in luck.

Hosted by Dr. Sarah Jandricic, greenhouse floriculture IPM specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), and Mike Short, director of Eco-Habitat AgriServices, an IPM consulting company in Southern Ontario, the duo has adapted their annual six-hour, in-person training workshops into nine videos for online consumption – free of charge.

Although the 30- to 40-minute educational videos mainly target beginner/novice growers as well as IPM practitioners in greenhouse floriculture, Jandricic notes that growers of all levels and experience will benefit from them. With tips, tools and resources noted throughout, she says the resources can also be useful for “expert-level IPM practitioners and employees who want to brush up on their knowledge.”

The videos will cover a range of topics, including the most commonly employed IPM techniques, identifying insect pests in floriculture crops, the basics of biocontrol, and successful IPM programs used in Canadian floriculture greenhouses. Specific videos also target common problematic pests such as aphids, thrips, whiteflies, and mites .

Access the training videos at onfloriculture.com

Aphids are just one of the many pest topics discussed by Mike Short of Eco-Habitat AgriServices.