Pest Management Research

Consumer demands for pesticide-free food, the resistance of pests to many chemical control products and the withdrawal of many products from the market have created an urgent need for alternative pest controls.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists are developing beneficial management practices and alternative pest control strategies to control insects, diseases and weeds. Non-chemical control options being examined for fruit trees include mating disruption, sterile insect technique, attract and kill, natural products and biological control agents (parasitoids, predators, nematodes and pathogens).

An area-wide Sterile Insect Release program in the British Columbia interior, developed by AAFC staff and implemented since 1994, claims a 65% reduction in the use of key pesticides.

Scientists are also examining ways to reduce pesticide use by improving application techniques, timing applications to periods of pest activity, and by making applications only when the pest is likely to cause economic damage. For example, fire blight, caused by the bacteria Erwinia amylovora, is a disease that affects apples, pears, hawthorn, crabapples and ornamentals in the Rosaceae family. The disease can result in the loss of branches and tree structure. In severe cases, when the bacteria progresses into the trunk or infects the rootstock, entire trees can be killed. AAFC, in collaboration with provincial specialists, has created a guide to help growers manage this devastating disease. Integrated Management of Fire Blight on Apple and Pear in Canada is available by contacting the Pest Management Centre, Ottawa.