Increasingly stringent environmental regulations are prompting grape growers and their pest-management advisers to seek help in many quarters. Now they can find assistance online in the new Web-based course "Ecological Pest Management in Grapes," developed by the UC Davis-based Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.

Professional entomologist Chris Geiger and SAREP education coordinator David Chaney created the course in consultation with an advisory committee of UC experts and grape pest-control advisers.

Agricultural pest management is requiring more information-intensive strategies and techniques, according to Chaney. As environmental regulations become tighter and older pesticides are removed from the market or heavily restricted, many growers are modifying their production systems to include more ecologically based approaches to controlling pests.

Chaney noted that pest-management professionals can play a key role in this transition process, providing clients with important information on the biology of pests and natural enemies, sampling programs, decision-support tools, and knowledge of softer, less disruptive control materials when making their decisions.

By making use of the latest educational technologies, the self-guided course offers an interactive educational experience, including inquiry-based, problem-solving simulations and interactive self-tests.

The course, which has a $40 registration fee, covers some of the new knowledge expectations developed by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation for individuals preparing to take the California Pest Control Adviser licensing exam.

Online registration and additional information are available at http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/.