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8.1 Integrated Pest Management
Level 2- Pest & Diseases
Integrated Pest Management
Thirty-five years ago, IPM seemed a utopian dream to mainstream
Agriculturists and Growers. The idea that plant pests could be kept at
acceptable levels without large amounts of chemical pesticides ran
counter to everything they had been taught. But today IPM is embraced
by nearly everyone involved in growing crops commercially.
When chemical pesticides were first introduced in large quantities in the
1940s, they were seen as a miracle of modern living. All farmers and
growers had to do was to spray their crops for almost complete control.
But by the 1960 problems began to appear, when it was discovered that
many chemicals were both toxic and very persistent. Even after being
banned for 35 years, traces of DDT can still be found in the tissues of
some animals.
Apart from these worries, other factors also began to show. These
included the killing of the pest’s natural predators, pest developed
resistance to many chemicals, and thirdly when one pest was eliminated
the door was left open for another pest to strike.
IPM uses a range of strategies to help prevent attack and then a range of
methods to deal with any attack should it arrive.
Stage 1
The first tenet of IPM is to try and avoid the problem in the first place.
Plants have natural defences against pests. Problems are more likely to
occur when the plant is stressed by growing in poor conditions. It is
therefore important to get the growing conditions right before the crop
is planted. This includes making sure that the soil in good condition. That
old dead leaves etc are cleaned up after the previous crop, and that light,
moisture and temperature levels are suitable.
Stage 2
Choosing cultivars and varieties that have some resistance to particular
pest or disease can help to prevent the problem occurring in the first
place.
Source/ web page etc.
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8.1 Integrated Pest Management
Level 2- Pest & Diseases
Stage 3
Good crop rotation and hygiene to help prevent pest carry over from one
crop to another. Removing dead leaves etc and keeping weeds down helps
to remove places where the pests can over winter.
Stage 4
IPM involves using a variety of methods to control pests. But more
importantly, it involves deciding when to use those methods. The point is
to only deal with pests when the health of your plant or their aesthetic
value is in jeopardy.
There are a myriad of natural controls at work in the garden, ranging
from ladybirds, lacewings & hoverflies through to nematodes (eelworms)
bacteria and fungi that all can help to keep populations of pests at an
acceptable level.
These can be positively encouraged in the garden by providing them with
places for winter hibernation and a range of flowers to attract them into
the garden.
In the glasshouse a number of natural predators can be bought and
introduced into the crop to control certain pests. These include:Red spider mite
Phytoseiulus persimilis
Mite
Glasshouse whitefly
Encarsia Formosa
Wasp
Vine weevil
Steinerema capsicaroae
Nematode
Stage 5
There may well be times when the only choice you face is between using
chemical or losing your plants. The problem then is deciding which is the
most appropriate pesticide to use.
In general terms look for pesticides that are based on plant extracts
These include:- Pyrethrins, Derris, Quassia.
Always follow the instructions on the label very carefully.
Source/ web page etc.
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