Re: (no subject)
- Subject: Re: (no subject)
- From: "* P* M* <t*@dot.state.mn.us>
- Date: Thu, 7 Mar 96 06:05:20 MST
> Bill Smot Wrote<73210.1725@compuserve.com>
> He's(Terry Aitken (editor of AIS Bulletin))
> investigating using
> parasitic wasps (for purchase) to control borers, use of
> beneficial nematodes,
> getting rid of harmful nematodes without chemicals, and using
> coffee grounds as
> compost.
I'd like to introduce myself, I'm a novice to listservs (please
be kind), I have used internet for resources for many years and
have been growing iris in east-central Minnesota for about ten
years. Eighteen inchs of snow is still on the ground.
Resently, my wife Jeanne and I has started to dabble in
breeding, crossing, or hybridizing some of our garden tenants.
But I will admit, primarily we grow the iris (TB, MTB, SDB, MDB
and Siberians) for ourselves. Does this make us selfish?
Regarding, the use of parasitic wasps for bore control - While
working at the MN Department of Agriculture, Plant Protection
one of the projects was BioControl (the use of beneficial
insects to combat harmful insects) wasps were fairly effective
against the European Corn Borer (similar family to the Iris
Borer), but I was unable to find any specific research using the
Iris Borer as the host. I will look into the work with ECB and
send an update later.
A commonly used control was something called Bt, a bacteria the
would be eaten by the larva and rot it from the inside out. I
plan on investigating it's use in my garden this season.
thomas
