(College Station)—A new Texas Cooperative Extension program is helping plants from commercial nurseries arrive at retail outlets in healthier condition.
The Taller manejo integrado de plagas—Spanish for integrated pest management—workshop is teaching commercial nursery workers how to provide better care for plants.
"Ornamental plants are grown under labor-intensive production systems," said Carlos Bográn, Extension specialist in entomology and plant pathology and microbiology in College Station.
"High labor input is required in all stages of production," he said. "The majority of the field workers have little formal education in plant production techniques and pest management concepts and speak little or no English."
The five-module program teaches workers about integrated pest management and the pest and disease problems that affect ornamental crops, Bográn said.
Integrated pest management minimizes damage by insect pests and plant pathogens while minimizing potential risks to human health, the environment and other organisms.
The one- to two-hour classes are taught in Spanish in classrooms and greenhouses and are generally held during working hours, he said. The sessions cover principles of pest and disease management, basic biology of insects, mites and pathogens, plant health maintenance, pesticide management and integration of control tactics.
Participants range from employees involved in basic plant production activities to pesticide applicators and crew supervisors.
The program teaches workers to better contribute to quality and cost savings in wholesale plant production operations, Bográn said. It also gives them an opportunity for professional development so they can seek career advancement
Each participant who passes the course is given a certificate of completion from Extension.
"All feedback has been positive," he said. "Workers really appreciate - and feel special about - receiving training in their language by someone with a similar cultural background and associated with a major university such as Texas A&M University."
Also, he said, the fact that growers are willing to allow their workers attend a program during working hours is evidence of its value.
Taller MIP is endorsed by the Texas IPM Program and sponsored by several industry partners.
For more information on the program, call Bográn at (979) 458-3036.