Tasks for 3.3.1: Investigate the web pages for the FAO & IRAC
A very useful resource is the Integrated Pest Management pages of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations website and references therein: this can be accessed here .
FAO definition: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) means the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques and subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimize risks to human health and the environment. IPM emphasizes the growth of a healthy crop with the least possible disruption to agro-ecosystems and encourages natural pest control mechanisms
FAO: "Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an ecosystem approach to crop production and protection that combines different management strategies and practices to grow healthy crops and minimize the use of pesticides.
FAO promotes IPM as the preferred approach to crop protection and regards it as a pillar of both sustainable intensification of crop production and pesticide risk reduction. As such, IPM is being mainstreamed in FAO activities involving crop production and protection."
IRAC: "The most effective strategy to combat insecticide resistance is to do everything possible to prevent it occurring in the first place. To this end, crop specialists recommend IRM programs as one part of a larger IPM approach covering three basic components: monitoring pest complexes in the field for changes in population density, focusing on economic injury levels and integrating multiple control strategies."
From: https://www.fao.org/pest-and-pesticide-management/ipm/principles-and-practices/en/
The following are general principles for using integrated pest management in the design of programmes:
1. Use an ecosystem approach to prevent and or/suppress harmful organisms and anticipate potential pest problems. To reduce crops losses, control strategies should take advantage of beneficial species of pest predators, parasites and competitors. The production system should use, for example:
a diverse range of pest-resistant crop varieties
crop rotations
intercropping
optimized planting times
weed management (minimum tillage)
field sanitation and hygiene methods (remove affected plant or plant parts)
2. Undertake contingency planning when credible evidence of a significant pest threat emerges. Use pesticides only when no other effective alternatives are available. Contingency planning includes:
Investing in seed systems to support deployment of resistant varieties
Identifying selective pesticides with adequate regulatory supervision
3. Analyse the nature of the cause of the pest outbreaks when problems occur, and develop strategies accordingly. This includes:
modifying current practices with priority given to sustainable, biological and physical, provided that they supply satisfactory pest control
identifying methods of biological control or disease suppression
determining if pest control campaigns or activities should be established
4. Undertake surveillance to track pest patterns in real time, and adjust response. This includes:
undertaking observations in the field where possible, or implementing georeferenced tracking systems
establishing warning, forecasting and early diagnosis systems
There is a wide variety of techniques that can be applied under the IPM approach. Applicability of individual techniques depends on various factors, including: crop type, cropping system, pest complex, climatic and agro-ecological conditions, etc.
Generally, more than one technique is applied. Some examples of such techniques include:
Monitor pest population
Trapping (e.g. pheromone trapping, sticky traps, water traps)
Counting eggs, larva/nymphal instars, pupae, adults (sweep nets) etc.
Prevent buildup of pests or decrease their pest status
Pest-resistant or highly competitive crop varieties
Field sanitation, use of quality seeds and seed bed sanitation
Crop rotation
Inter-cropping
Management of sowing, planting or harvesting dates
Water/irrigation management
Soil and nutrient management (including mulching, zero/low tillage, fertilizer management, proper irrigation)
Hand-picking of pests or hand-weeding
Traps or trap crops
Mechanical/physical controls (including barriers, crushing devices and use of heat)
Post-harvest loss prevention
Manage pest populations using biological inputs
(Biological pest control agents are naturally occurring agents that are distinguished from conventional chemical pesticides by their unique modes of action, low use volume, and target species specificity.)
Biological control through release of predators, parasites or pathogens
Biological control through fish, ducks, geese, goats, etc.
Release of sterile male insects
Bio-pesticides
Biological preparations (e.g. natural plant extracts)
Manage pest populations using chemical inputs
Chemicals that disrupt insect behavior (e.g.: pheromones)
Induced resistance activating compounds
Growth-regulators
Conventional pesticides"