By Dionne Clarke-Harris, Contributor
Callaloo grown under exclusion cage of nylon mesh with no pesticides applied.
OVER-RELIANCE on pesticides in callaloo production has led to various consumer hazards and negative environmental and ecological effects, including pest resistance to commonly used pesticides.
Consequently, export of the crop has been affected by increased presence of pests on fresh produce and unacceptable pesticide residue levels on both the fresh and processed product. In 1995, the Ministry of Agriculture voluntarily removed callaloo from the pre-clearance list pending a solution to these problems.
The integrated pest management (IPM) systems approach to mitigating losses involves the use of multiple tactics and rationalised pesticide use to reduce pest numbers below economic levels, and is the most sustainable pest management approach for Caribbean agriculture.
Since 1994, IPM systems development for callaloo has been ongoing under the USAID-funded project, IPM Collaborative Research Support Programme (IPMCRSP). The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) is the facilitating agency of this collaborative project. Collaborators include local (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Agricultural Development Authority, RADA), regional and US organisations.
The project (IPMCRSP) has since had significant impact. Two IPM strategies which we have developed and used on six callaloo farms have shown the potential to drastically reduce pesticide use and increase protection of the crop.
These are:
exclusion, callaloo grown under a protective mesh barrier, gives virtually 100 per cent protection of the crop and can be a pesticide-free system and
the use of new biorational chemistries based on pest threshold levels is more effective against 'worms' (the most ravaging pests), reducing pesticide input by 46 per cent-85 per cent.
Over 250 farmers have participated in IPM training sessions under IPMCRSP and through RADA information is disseminated islandwide. A colour identification guide was produced to assist extension officers and callaloo farmers to recognise major pest and disease conditions in the field. Pest interceptions on callaloo have steadily declined and the case is being reviewed to reinstate it on the pre-clearance list.
Dionne Clarke-Harris, Entomologist and Head of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Section, CARDI Jamaica Unit.
