Waging war on caterpillars

With the warm weather and the associated open glasshouse vents, we are finding that our crops are being 'hit' by several flights of moths and butterflies, which usually means that our plants get attacked by caterpillars.

So while we want to gain the upper hand on the caterpillars we don't want to destroy our predator population fior whitefly and other pests.

The solution? Spray with a chemical that's fatal to caterpillars and kind to the predators.

For our spraying exercise today we applied DiPel DF which is a fungus that destroys the caterpillars stomach lining (Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, Strain HD-1) and gives us  control over Lepidopteran larvae (butterfly & caterpillars) only. It does not harm beneficial and mite predators, and leaves no harmful residues.

DiPel DF does not kill immediately. Once a caterpillar eats treated foliage, it stops feeding and this protects the crop from further damage.  So to gain control, DiPel DF must be ingested by the target insect.
 

Our problems don't vanish overnight as the treated caterpillars may hang from the leaves before rotting and dropping to the ground, which normally occurs within 3-4 days.

We applied  today's spray through our high pressure boom sprayer, which you can see in action in the video below.

 As part of the training programs that we run for industry, we do deliver the Agricultural Chemical User Permit (ACUP). In Victoria, an ACUP is required to use agricultural chemical products that:-

• are ‘restricted use’ chemicals (agricultural chemical products that are Schedule 7 Poisons (DANGEROUS POISONS) or contain atrazine, metham sodium or ester formulations of MCPA, 2,4-D, 2,4-DB or triclopyr)
• contain 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate)
• contain methyl bromide; or phosphine formulated as liquefied gas
• contain pindone concentrate (greater than 2.5%) for the preparation of poison baits.
• contain copper, chronium and arsenic (CCA) 

Individuals using any of the chemicals above must hold a valid ACUP or be under the direct supervision of an ACUP holder (i.e. within sight and sound).

For details on how we can assist you gaining an ACUP, call our office on:-

1300 CHISHOLM (1300 244 746) or e mail us on enquiries@chisholm.edu.au

Peter Mos - Priva training in April

Peter Mos - Priva  energy and climate advisor

Last year, Priva’s energy advisor Peter Mos travelled to Australia to provide growers with onsite energy advice. Peter also delivered training at Chisholm Institute in relation to energy and climate strategies. After the training sessions Priva received a number of enquiries for Peter to undertake individual site visits on his next trip to Australia. 

We therefore would like to inform you that Priva are planning a new visit in April 2013.  

Priva is able to support growers in getting more out of their equipment, and at the same time, in saving energy. Practical experience indicates that an energy saving of more than 2% can be achieved over a very short time.

In his role as energy advisor, Peter will make a scan of your installation. He will focus on the optimum technical operation and the equipment. Once the inventory has been completed he will help you to utilize your equipment to its full advantage. 

Peter will also be conducting one day training sessions at Chisholm Institute of TAFE as part of his visit.

If you are interested in onsite energy advice or the day training sessions at Chisholm, can you please e mail your details and requirements before January the 31st to:- tony.bundock@chisholm.edu.au

Once the total number of requested site visits are known Australia wide, you will receive a quotation from your Priva dealer. Please take note that due to the limited travelling time we have limited places.    

If you are interested in the training at the Chisholm's Cranbourne campus, further information regarding dates and times will also be sent to you.

We hope this information is of interest and we look forward to hearing from you.

 

Looking for training in the Glasshouse industry where you get paid as well?

If the answer to the question above is "Yes", then you may be just the person we are looking for.

Trainee in Production Horticulture

Certificate IV qualification

State-of-the-art facilities and training

12 month tenure

Chisholm Institute, in conjunction with ATEP, are offering a unique opportunity to a committed and dedicated individual who is passionate about a career in crop production, to train with the best instructors, in the best environment.

Chisholm Institute of TAFE will host and train the successful applicant in all aspects of running a production horticulture facility at its state-of-the-art Glasshouse in Cranbourne.

This is a 12 month appointment which includes undertaking a Certificate IV in Production Horticulture qualification, predominantly on-the-job.

The successful applicant will need some flexibility with working hours, must be of reasonable physical capacity, a self starter with maturity, and capable of working at heights (EWP training will be provided).

Possession of a current drivers license would be an advantage.

This is a full time position to which award wages apply.

All applicants may be subject to a pre-employment interview and aptitude assessment prior to employment.

To apply, please forward your resume and cover letter to info@atep.org.au or via fax on 9583 4280.

Applications close at 9am on 31th January, 2013.

To be eligible to apply for this position you must have an appropriate Australian or New Zealand work visa.

Keeping your greenhouse cool on hot days.......

Friday was a typical Melbourne hot day - a forecast of 41C with strong northerly winds proved to be correct and it was pretty uncomfortable to be outside away from the air conditioning.

So if it is going to be 41C outside, how hot would you expect it to be inside a greenhouse? 

Probably even hotter, and the plants inside the greenhouse would be experiencing some real water stress issues and ultimately some tissue damage.

You may be surprised to learn that on average it was actually some 6 - 7 degrees cooler inside our greenhouse today than it was outside.


                                

The graph shown above was created on our Priva Integro climate control computer on the 4th of January, 2013, and shows both the inside greenhouse temperature (purple line) and the outside temperature (green line) achieved during the day. Sunlight ,and heating and ventilation strategy values are also shown. 
  
At the time of writing this post, the inside temperature was a staggering 12 degrees cooler than the outside temperature.

So how is this being achieved? The simple answer is by the use of a fogging system. Water is injected in to the roof area as fine particle fog, which evaporates and produces a cooling effect within the greenhouse climate.

However, the fine level of control is achieved by utilising the various factors and settings within the Priva system to ensure correct application of the fog, and successful evaporation.

So can I make this happen in my greenhouse? Yes you can as long as you have a fogging system that can be controlled in terms of fogging intensity and duration. 

If you would like to find out how to make your greenhouse climate maintain such cool levels, our Priva climate management expert, Tony Bundock, is on hand to provide this advice either at your location or via remote access.

Tony can be contacted via e mail at tony.bundock@chisholm.edu.au