US: IPM Enhancement Grant projects examine agricultural, urban issues

The Southern IPM Center will spend $309,653 to address agricultural and urban issues during the next year with its IPM Enhancement Grant. Out of 32 proposals submitted to the program, a review panel outside of the region selected 11 for funding.

IPM Enhancement Grants are relatively small grants (up to $30,000 for most) to address an integrated pest management issue. Most publicly funded organizations are eligible to apply as long as they reside in one of the 13 states or territories covered by the Southern IPM Center.

Project directors can apply for one of three types of grants: Seed, which may allow a PD to collect data needed to apply for a larger grant; Capstone, which provides funding for extension materials after the completion of another project; or Working Group, which brings experts together to discuss a pest management issue and develop priorities and devise steps to be taken to address the problem.

The 11 project directors who were funded this year will take on a variety of pest management issues. Two projects will explore approaches to weed control. Two other projects will look at more sustainable pest management, specifically using cover crops and biological control. One project will use technology to create new identification methods for strawberry diseases, while another will use technology to tell a story about sustainable farming. One project will compare cultivated urban trees to wild trees in the same species. Other projects will address specific fruit and vegetable pest management issues.

Click here for more information on the IPM Enhancement Grant projects for 2018.