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Abstract
The North Central Consumer Horticulture Integrated Pest Management Working Group developed an online learning module entitled, “Introduction to Diagnostics for Master Gardener Volunteers: Approaches to Plant Pest Diagnosis.” The module is online in the campus or learn section of eXtension and is composed of three parts: part 1 covers the difficulties in diagnosing plant problems; part 2 discusses how to gather the information necessary for the diagnostic process; and part 3 covers the Ohio State Fact Sheet, “20 Questions on Plant Diagnostics.” The self-paced module takes a minimum of 2 hours to complete, although participants have access to the information for 10 weeks. The module costs $10 and the income is distributed between the module author(s), the state which the Extension Master Gardener (EMG) is from, and eXtension. Within 11 months, 451 people purchased the training. Participants reported a higher comfort and knowledge level of diagnostics after taking the training.
EMGs are Cooperative Extension-trained volunteers who teach public horticulture and are active in most states in the United States (Meyer, 2007). Providing up-to-date, high quality training, especially in pest management, is critical for volunteer success and maintaining a premier educational program. Questions concerning trees and perennials were found to be the most common for EMGs (Meyer and Jarvis, 2003) and often involve diagnosing and managing pest problems. EMGs are encouraged to use integrated pest management (IPM) in their own gardening practices and in their educational outreach work. IPM is “a long-standing, science-based, decision-making process that identifies and reduces risks from pests and pest management related strategies. It coordinates the use of pest biology, environmental information, and available technology to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage by the most economical means, while posing the least possible risk to people, property, resources, and the environment” (North Central Integrated Pest Management Center, 2010). EMGs have an opportunity to teach best environmental practices each time they are asked to diagnose a plant problem, so their understanding and knowledge of diagnostics is critical.
Although the term IPM is not well understood by gardeners, they are often practicing IPM tactics because environmental impacts are important to them and affect their pest control decisions (Matheny, 2009). An online survey of 3842 EMGs in 11 north-central U.S. states indicated they personally engaged...