Title: Overview of Tree Improvement and Seed Orchard Pest Management in British Columbia
1Overview of Tree Improvement and Seed Orchard
Pest Management in British Columbia
Ward B. Strong, Ph.D. BC Ministry of Forests
2Government of BC
- Research Branch
- Tree breeding
- Gene conservation
- Tree Improvement Branch
- Seed production (cost recovery)
- Tree Seed Center
- Seed planning and information
- Seed orchard pest management
- Forest Investment Account- TIP
- Funds programs over and above base government
funding - 4.95 million in 2003 provided to FGC
3Forest Genetics Council
- Directs tree improvement in BC
- Composed of Industry and Government members
- Sets strategic goals
- 75 select seed use by 2013
- 20 volume gain by 2020
- Support gene conservation research
- Coordinate stakeholder activities
- Monitor gene resource management
4Technical Advisory Committees
- Subcommittees of the FGC
- Provide direction and information to FGC.
- Coastal
- Interior
- Extension
- Gene Conservation
- Pest Management
- Gene Resource Management steering committee
5Subprograms
- Organizational units of the FGC
- Budget allocated among the subprograms
- Gene Conservation
- Tree Breeding-- 2.3 M
- Seed Orchard Expansion
- Extension
- Gene Resource Information
- Operational Tree Improvement Program
- Pest Management-- 75,000
6Seed Production 2003
Species
Seed produced
Seedling
(kg)
equivalents
(million)
Interior spruce
374.5
55.0
Lodgepole pine
110.0
12.8
Western larch
108
9.2
Interior Douglas-fir
6.2
0.2
White pine
79.5
1.2
Western r
edcedar
6.7
1.3
Coastal Douglas-fir
367
15
.
0
Western hemlock
18.3
3.6
Pacific silver fir
42.5
0
.2
1093.7
98.0
7Seed Pest Management in BC
- Mandates
- Monitor orchards to determine presence and
densities of insect, disease, and weed pests - Make pest management recommendations to seed
orchard managers, using the principles of IPM - Conduct research to develop pest management
protocols - Extension of pest identification, monitoring and
control techniques to seed orchardists
8Seed Pest Management Workforce
- Current Force
- One person on coast (Robb Bennett)
- One person in interior (myself) co-op student
- Future
- Rapidly expanding orchard program means
increased monitoring and recommendation
requirements - Increasing pest losses require more research
- Divide research and field services
- Delivery of field services
- In-house
- Train orchardists
- Contract out
9Integrated Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management IPM integrates crop
monitoring, decision-making procedures, and all
available control tactics to maintain pests
below acceptable densities with minimal ecosystem
disruption.
10IPM Concepts
- Control Tactics
- Physical Removal of pests or infested plant
parts - Cultural Change culture to discourage pests
- Biological Use of predators and parasites
- Behavioural Pheromones, kairomones
- Chemical Use pesticides as a last resort
Action
Monitoring
Decision- making