What's New
9th Annual Ontario Pest Management Conference, November 3
November 2, 2011
The toughest and the most resistant will be targeted at the University of Guelph’s 9th annual Ontario Pest Management Conference (OPMC) on November 3 at Victoria East Golf Course. From corky root rot in tomato to the brown marmorated stink bug, pesticide- and herbicide-resistance is the focus as 110 participants tackle this year’s theme, Resistance: Can you manage it?
“Our conference theme this year crosses all specializations – diseases, insects and weeds and relates to all groups dealing with pest management and being affected by the problem of resistance which occurs in all these pests,” says Dr. Greg Boland, a retired professor in the School of Environmental Sciences and member of the conference organizing committee.
“The conference attracts representatives from academia, provincial and federal government and industry,” says Boland.
Supported in part by OAC’s Department of Plant Agriculture and School of Environmental Sciences, the conference includes a graduate student paper and poster competition and an undergraduate poster competition on insect, disease and weed management topics.
Plenary sessions will be delivered by Ian Heap, an Australian weed scientist currently based in Oregon as director of the International Survey of Herbicide-Resistant Weeds; and from Michigan State University - David Mota-Sanchez, assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and George Sundin, a professor of plant pathology.
Led by members from the University of Guelph, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Agri-Chemical Industry, the annual event serves as a venue to present current research in all areas of pest management including agriculture, forestry, residential and structural; address developing pest problems in the industry; and discuss the benefits and novelty of new pest control agents with industry representatives.
Representing OAC on the OPMC organizing committee are: Mary Ruth McDonald (Plant Agriculture); Cynthia Scott-Dupree, Greg Boland and Ron Harris (School of Environmental Sciences).
