The mint pest alert newsletter was started in 2014 with the goal of helping mint growers make the best use of a new insecticide Coragen (now also called Vantacor) for the management of mint root borer, cutworms and loopers. This product is effective against the eggs and larvae of moths, while being safer for pollinators and other beneficial insects than other products used on mint. Coragen is a systemic product that is absorbed by plant tissues and provides residual control for up to two weeks. This product is most effective on eggs and small larvae. These characteristics mean that Coragen can be very effective against several problematic mint pests, if the spray is applied at the optimal time. The mint pest alert newsletter was designed to help growers optimize the timing of their spray applications so that they can get the best possible control of these pests.
The Pest Alert Newsletter combines information from growing degree-day models and weekly monitoring of commercial mint fields in three regions in Oregon: Willamette Valley, Central Oregon, and Northeast Oregon. Growing degree-day models for both mint root borer and variegated cutworm were run for five weather stations across Oregon, one in the Willamette Valley, two for Central Oregon, and two for Northeastern Oregon to ensure that growers were receiving locally relevant information. In-field monitoring included pheromone traps, sweep net samples and visual scouting, which helped verify the accuracy of the models.
This project has received continuous funded by the Oregon Mint Commission.