Supporting Growers Is IR-4’s Key Mission
Learn more about how IR-4’s efforts have given specialty crop growers access to a range of new crop protection tools.
IR-4’s commitment and service to fruit, vegetable, herb, and ornamental growers is unsurpassed. In fact, the Project’s research efforts have yielded more than 45,000 use registrations in the past 50-plus years.
In addition to the land-grant university field researchers, USDA-ARS research sites, and Extension agents who keep IR-4 connected to growers nationwide, IR-4 keeps abreast of pest management needs thanks to the Commodity Liaison Committee (CLC), a stakeholder group that provides guidance on how IR-4 can best serve specialty crop growers. Members are representatives of various commodity groups in the specialty crop industry. The CLC also advocates for IR-4 to elected officials and decision-makers. By staying connected to the needs of growers, IR-4 can produce meaningful success stories for the specialty crop community.
Gaining Ground on Lettuce Drop: The IR-4 Project helped facilitate a new tolerance for mandestrobin on lettuce, giving growers of leafy greens a much-needed tool to fight fungal disease. This new tolerance was approved by the EPA on May 12, 2022, adding lettuce to the mandestrobin label.
This was the first tolerance based on a petition submitted by IR-4 that has been approved by EPA for Valent U.S.A.’s Intuity fungicide. Lettuce is the most widely consumed leafy green in the U.S. In 2022, lettuce accounted for nearly one-fifth of the $21.8 billion in revenue received by U.S. growers for vegetable and melon sales. The largest areas for lettuce production within the country are California, Arizona, and Florida. The primary growing area shifts depending on the growing season, as lettuce prefers mild to cool (but not freezing) temperatures.
As a result of joint efforts by IR-4 and the Canadian Pest Management Centre, the EPA published a final rule on July 5, 2022, approving new tolerances to allow for use of Pyriofenone on greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant
Powdery Mildew Control: Powdery mildew is a major fungal disease impacting greenhouse vegetables, including cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. Fruit yield losses can reach as much as 20% for cucumber growers. Although several species of powdery mildew affect fruiting greenhouse vegetables, Leveillula taurica is particularly difficult to control. As a result of joint efforts by IR-4 and the Canadian Pest Management Centre, the EPA published a final rule on July 5, 2022, approving new tolerances to allow for use of Pyriofenone on greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. By virtue of this submission, greenhouse growers have an approved use on cucumbers.
Post-Harvest Tolerance for Blueberry Growers: On Nov. 17, 2022, the EPA issued a final rule establishing a tolerance on blueberries for total sulfites, a key residue associated with sulfur dioxide application. This new tolerance is the outcome of years of cooperation between the blueberry industry, ARS, and IR-4, who joined forces to help growers find adaptable solutions for post-harvest quality control. The project was identified as a priority at IR-4’s 2017 Food Use Workshop. Trials started in 2018.
