What’s happening in horticulture?
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Corteva agronomist, Chantal Veilleux and Ontario Regional Account Manager: IVM & Horticulture, Alana Respondek attended the recent Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention – Canada’s Premier Horticultural Event. Organized by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the conference hosted growers and industry representatives, providing the opportunity to connect and learn the latest information about fruit and vegetable production.
Insights and shared experiences were highlights of the conference for Veilleux and Respondek, who share three key takeaways from the event.
Two speakers from the U.S., Dr. Ben Werling and Christy Hoepting, shared their first-hand experiences managing cabbage maggot without chlorpyrifos in 2022. Last year was the first year the American growers didn’t use chlorpyrifos to manage the pest, and both speakers reviewed the list of products registered in the U.S. to control cabbage maggot, including their research trial results from the summer 2022 growing season.
The presentation was timely given the challenges growers are facing to control cabbage maggot using alternatives to chlorpyrifos. And while not all commercial products are available on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, the speakers provided a good overview of the pest control situation. Like U.S. growers, Canada is also facing a need for alternative products. Corteva’s spinosad products (learn more in our 2023 Horticulture Crop Protection Guide) offer a solution and can be a key in controlling cabbage maggot through this transition. Product solutions like Success offer growers a unique mode of action that manage pests like cabbage maggot.
Neopestalotiopsis species is devastating strawberries across the U.S. and slowly, but surely making its way to Canada. This disease has strawberry growers on alert because it can infect all parts of the strawberry plant – fruit, leaves, petioles, crown and roots.
For the second year at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Dr. Daniel S. Egel, from Purdue University discussed this disease, raising awareness with Canadian growers. He focused on the importance of monitoring and identifying disease symptoms. For more information on control options for strawberries, visit Corteva’s berry portfolio.
The conference also hosted a panel of apple experts, including growers and consultants, to discuss alternatives to Group M fungicides. Given the label changes to Group M fungicides, the panel of growers shared their insights on different strategies that need to be considered to replace end of season Group M fungicide applications. Growers will be challenged to find new solutions, and the panel offered an opportunity for everyone across the industry to engage on this important issue.
For more highlights and insights from the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, visit the conference notes page, available here.