Pest management for potatoes in Wisconsin— A pilot program

A potato integrated pest management program was conducted from 1979–82 by University of Wisconsin-Extension in two of Wisconsin’s major potato producing areas. The program utilized trained field scouts for intensive pest monitoring, and economic thresholds for pest control recommendations; also a grower fee to pay for the scouting service. The program scouted between 1360 ha and 3240 ha during 1979–1982 growing seasons on a weekly basis for pest problem development in the field and worked with approximately 50 commercial potato growers each year. In general, program participants used more fungicide applications and fewer insecticide applications than the control group. The pesticide usage pattern on potatoes by the IPM grower group supports the integrated pest management concept of ‘fine-tuning’ pesticide usage to individual fields, weather conditions and pest problems.