Integrated Pest Management What is integrated pest management

Integrated Pest Management

What is integrated pest management? • 1. IPM is most effective and environmentally friendly method approach to control. • 2. IPM focuses on pest prevention by identifying, preventing and monitoring pests with the least amount of danger to the environment by the most economical means.

• 3. According to the EPA, "Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices". • 4. Chemical pesticides are only one part of the solution so therefore they are used more sparingly and wisely.

Steps to integrate the IPM • 1. Identify the pest. • 2. Prevention of pests can be controlled by using cultural methods such as crop rotation, pest resistant varieties and planting pest-free rootstock. • 3. Monitoring new infestations can be the best controlled by early detection.

Steps to integrate IPM • 4. Traps may be used to check pest population. • 5. Use the less risky pest control first including pheromones that will disrupt pest mating or mechanical controls including traps. • 6. If these methods are not effective, additional control methods including target spraying of a pesticide may be necessary. Broadcast spraying would be used as a last resort.

Pest Control Methods • • • Mechanical Biological Cultural Genetic Enhancement Chemical

Mechanical Control of Pests • Tillage – Rotary Hoe – Cultivator – Disc • Slash & Burn • Hand Weeding

Cultural Pest Control • • • Plant Population Row width Fertility Planting Date Crop Rotation Surface Residue • • • Mixed Cropping Scarecrows Drainage Smother Techniques Burial of Garbage

Biological Pest Control • • Beneficial Insects Parasites Predators Sex Attractants Irradiation of males Fungal Control Selective Breeding

Beneficial Insects • 1. Lady beetles or lady bugs both adults and larva feed on soft bodied insects (aphids), mites and eggs. • 2. Parasitic wasp attack caterpillar, butterfly or moth egg or pupa, beetle egg and other insects in the egg, larva or pupa stage.

Beneficial Insects (continued) • 3. Praying mantis will eat just about any pest. • 4. Green lacewing larvae are predators that fee mainly on soft bodied insects, mites, and eggs. • 5. Predatory mites will attack spider mites at any stage of development inside a greenhouse or outside.

Genetic Enhancements • Round-up Ready – Soybeans – Corn – Alfalfa • Bt Corn • Potato Leaf Hopper Resistant Alfalfa