This project focussed on validating agroecological and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches to crop protection for onions and vegetable crops, through:

• upgrading the Metwatch downy mildew decision support tool to enable effective fungicide programming;
• demonstrating and increasing grower use of the Metwatch tool to manage the changing fungicide landscape;
• conducting a knowledge review of key pests and diseases to identify and provide recommendations of where improvements can be made;
• establishing an ongoing monitoring programme to measure the effects of the improvements alongside the current best practice crop protection programme;
• and utilising the demonstration farm to empower knowledge through result sharing, onsite field days, and grower workshops.

The updated downy mildew support tool has been presented to growers in-person at two Vegetables NZ forums and through a regional tour. In addition, information has been shared through newsletters, updates to growers, and a magazine article.

During the spring and summer of 2023/2024 the farm produced a marketable spring lettuce crop, utilising integrated pest management and biodiversity as key strategies, followed by the successful harvest of a summer broccoli crop, using 60 percent biological controls, and fewer spray applications than were applied to a comparable commercial crop. IPM workshops were also held at the farm with growers and advisors, sharing the decision-making process. Learn more here.

This case study shares the crop protection approach taken in successfully harvesting a marketable spring lettuce crop, using integrated pest management and biodiversity as key strategies.

Download the Case study: IPM and biodiversity in lettuce, Spring 2023 here.