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4-H ONTARIO PROJECT
Field Crops
Weeds, Insects and Diseases
REFERENCE MANUAL
4-H ONTARIO - FIELD CROPS PROJECT
LEADER RESOURCE
Glossary
Annual – plant that only lives for one growing season (one year life span)
Biennial – plant that lives for two years and does not flower until the second year
Cultivar –this is a type of a plant with specific genetic traits, such as a specific hybrid
Fungicide – chemical used to control (kill) fungi
Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) – an organism that has been genetically
altered to possess specific , desirable traits
Herbicide – chemical used to control (kill) weeds
Insecticide – chemical used to control (kill) insects
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – is an approach to pest control that requires
farmers to monitor pests in order to consider all management options to maintain pests
below an economic injury level
Perennial – plant that lives for two or more years
Pesticide – general term for chemicals used to control (kill) pests
Underseeding – a type of cropping where a crop is planted along with an already
established plant.
Winter annual – plants that start to grow in the fall, die down for the winter and resume
their life cycle, flowering when the weather is warmer again, and die before the next
winter
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4-H ONTARIO - FIELD CROPS PROJECT
LEADER RESOURCE
TOPIC INFORMATION
Each year, huge investments of time, money and technology are used to control pests
in field crops to improve crop yield and quality.
What are Pests?
Pests are things that interfere with the growth or function of something else. In your
house, mice are considered pests because they eat food that was intended for humans
and pets and they sometimes chew things, like clothing, causing frustration for people.
In general, pests are considered to be things that
bother us.
Pests in Field Crops
While plant growth can be affected by many
factors, such as seeding rate, sunlight, water
availability and soil fertility, there are three main
categories of pests that can be present in a
field and adversely affect field crops. These
interferers are:
1. Insects
2. Weeds
3. Diseases
Photo credit: Elizabeth Johnston
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