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Plants and animals are completely different-or are they that different. Just because plants cannot run away, fight or scream, it does not mean they cannot defend themselves. They can communicate with each other or others such as pollinators or even predators of their enemies. Plants interact with each other and have defense systems. Join Tim as he looks at the world of plants and how we may be able to use their defense systems in IPM programs now and in the future. References used to develop this webinar: GG McNickle, CC St. Clair and JF Cahill, Jr.. "Focusing the metaphor: Plant root foraging behaviour." Trends in Ecology and Evolution24 (2009): 419-426. A. Weinhold, I. T. Baldwin: Trichome-derived O-acyl sugars are a first meal for caterpillars that tags them for predation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Early Edition, 25.-29. April 2011, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1101306108 Runyon, J.B., M.C. Mescher, and C.M. De Moraes. 2010. Plant defenses against parasitic plants show similarities to those induced by herbivores and pathogens. Plant Signaling & Behavior 8(5):929-931 Simard, S.W. (2012) Mycorrhizal networks and seedling establishment in Douglas-fir forests Biocomplexity of Plant–Fungal Interactions, First Edition. Edited by Darlene Southworth. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Chapter 4, pages 85-107. Activating the Plant’s Defenses: Karl Danneberger, Ph.D. Ohio University - http://www.unisci.com/stories/20022/0627023.htm -http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_defense_againstherbivory

As with every occupation, it is important to act professionally. As people applying pesticides in a world where pesticides are under the microscope, it is critical that we act professional in all aspects of pesticide application. From purchasing to transporting to application through to cleanup and disposal plus dealing with bystanders, it is important that we handle every aspect professionally. Not only is it important for us, the pesticide applicator, but also everyone that works for us.

Pollinators are critical to our lives by pollinating crops and thus providing us with food. Honeybees and leafcutter bees are huge in Canada and it is important for pesticide applicators to work with beekeepers when we are going to apply pesticides near them. Tim looks at what society as a whole can do to protect pollinators and also what pesticide applicators and farmers can do to reduce the impact on pollinators so we both can exist and work together.

Many of us have applied pesticides for many years but there are many aspects of a pesticide applicator that we do very infrequently and thus do not know all the answers. Join Tim as he goes through some aspects of regulations in a question and answer form to help remind us of some things we probably knew when we took the exam but now could use some refreshing. This web cast is very interactive as you will be asked to answer questions throughout the session using the chat box. All you need is your computer screen, speakers to hear and your keyboard to answer. Let's have some fun and discussion.

This webinar takes IPM to the next level. New systems are being researched on putting together IPM techniques as a recipe whereas you may be able to reduce, eliminate or apply chemical pesticides less often. The PMRA system for qualifying reduced risk pesticides is examined. Two other rating systems are looked at in this webinar: one study out of Quebec called the Quebec Pesticide Risk Indicator and another from the USA called the Environmental Impact Quotient. Methods are discussed on how applicators can lower their environmental impact by cultural, biological and choosing pesticides with lower environmental impact. References used for this webinar: The PMRA Initiative for Reduced Risk Pesticides; Health Canada Quebec Pesticide Risk Indicator: Samuel, O., Dion, S., St-Laurent, L., April, M. A Method to Measure the Environmental Impact of Pesticides: J. Kovach*, C. Petzoldt, J. Degni**, and J. Tette, IPM Program, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station Geneva, New York 14456 Reducing Chemical Use on Golf Course Turf-Redefining IPM: Jennifer Grant Ph.D., Tyler McGonigal, Robert Portmess, Frank S. Rossi, Ph.D.

Reporting spills and adverse effects is a legislated requirement in Alberta and throughout Canada. This presentation will discuss what is meant by adverse effects, minimum reportable spills and adverse effects and what agency to report the spills to for the western provinces and Ontario. It will also discuss what will happen after a spill or adverse effect has been reported and the consequences of not reporting spills and adverse effects.

Rinsate from cleaning your sprayer can be a huge issue for many applicators as what to do with it. This seminar looks at new pesticide technology where less rinsing is required plus the options of handling rinsate of your cleaned sprayers. Applicators from previous decades did not realize the impact of pesticide rinsate had on the environment, but now applicators realize the impact and must deal with it.

The world of soil microorganisms is an untapped world for all kinds of potential uses in the future with pesticide degradation being one of them. Many pesticides require residual qualities in order to do their job but there is a fine balance between being residual and causing environmental damage. This web cast seminar looks at factors in the soil that influence pesticide residues and degradation and look at ways in which we as pesticide applicators can help to assist pesticide degradation before it leaches into the subsoil or groundwater

One of the main concerns by operators, bystandewrs, and regulators is spray drift. This talk explores the definition of spray drift, the amounts of spray coming off average applications and where it goes, and the main tools for mitigating drift in practice. These include sprayer setup (nozzles, boom height, pressure, travel speed) and weather conditions (wind speed, direction, atmospheric stability (inversions), relative humidity, temperature, and topography (trees, hills). New research results with low-drift nozzles are provided. An introduction to buffer zones, label language, and an new on-line tool for calculating buffer zones is offered.