Pumpkin and squash are entirely pollinator dependent to produce a crop and they also face pest and disease pressure from cucumber beetles. 

The SCOUT IPPM app provides Ontario pumpkin and squash growers with a tool to simultaneously scout for pests and pollinator populations in their crops.  Based on that scouting, SCOUT IPPM provides farm-specific action recommendations to growers using scientific data and government guidelines. These guidelines are updated to reflect new information.

Using the SCOUT app is easy and quick. It must be done three times during the season to generate reliable recommendations. The app can be used on multiple fields and farms and in different management systems.

SCOUT IPPM will be available as a free app on July 3, 2023 at Google Play (Android) or the App Store (iOS) and as a downloadable pdf, available at https://pollinatorpartnership.ca/en/scout-ippm-app for those who prefer a hardcopy format. 

SCOUT IPPM is a collaboration between the University of Guelph and Pollinator Partnership Canada, with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. SCOUT is supported by the Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario, the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers Association, and the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association.

For more information about this new tool, contact Dr. Susan Willis Chan (dchan05@uoguelph.ca).

Source:  University of Guelph April 17, 2023 communiqué