Horticulture
Integrated Pest Management Strategies for Fungus Gnats in Ornamental Plant Propagation
Clemson Extension Program Team
Horticulture
Publication Date
Winter 12-21-2021
Publication Number
LGP 1131
Summary
Fungus gnats are major pests in ornamental plant production. High organic matter content and moisture in the rooting media facilitate fungus gnat population growth and damage in plant propagation. Historically, propagation greenhouse managers turn to insecticides to manage fungus gnats. However, management of fungus gnat must be an integrated approach due to their short life cycle, damage potential, and ability to take advantage of the humid condition in propagation greenhouses. An integrated pest management (IPM) program brings together multiple chemical and non-chemical control strategies to manage fungus gnats and keep the population below damaging levels. The deployment of cultural and biological control tools also has the benefit of avoiding residual toxicity of some insecticides to biological control agents that growers may use during the finishing stage. This article provides information on fungus gnat as a pest in plant propagation that may be helpful to growers in developing an integrated fungus gnat management program in propagation facilities.
Publication Type
Brief
Publisher
Land-Grant Press by Clemson Extension
Publisher City
Clemson, SC
Target Audiences
ornamental plant producers, nursery growers, greenhouse growers
Recommended Citation
Jeffers DH, Chong J. Integrated Pest Management Strategies for Fungus Gnats in Ornamental Plant Propagation. Clemson (SC): Clemson Cooperative Extension, Land-Grant Press by Clemson Extension; 2021 Dec. LGP 1131. https://lgpress.clemson.edu/publication/integrated-pest-management-strategies-for-fungus-gnats-in-ornamental-plant-propagation/.
